Abigail Appleton, Principal of Hereford College of Arts, Awarded MBE in 2025 New Year’s Honours List

Abigail Appleton, Principal of Hereford College of Arts, has been named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to Further Education in the 2025 New Year’s Honours List. The award recognises Abigail’s outstanding contributions to creative education and her leadership in advancing Hereford College of Arts as a centre of excellence in the arts.

Abigail has led Hereford College of Arts for nearly a decade, playing a key role in establishing its reputation as a leader in creative education. The college, with a proud history spanning over 170 years, offers a wide range of post-16, undergraduate, and postgraduate courses in the arts and has earned international recognition for its impact. 

This year has seen Hereford College of Arts achieve remarkable milestones. At the prestigious New Designers Summer 2024 Graduate Showcase, the college proudly received the "Best in Show" award in the first week of the event, demonstrating the exceptional talent and creativity fostered at the institution. Additionally, the opening of the new Digital Skills Centre marks a significant step forward in supporting the next generation of professionals. This state-of-the-art facility enables the development of vital new skills across a wide range of disciplines, with an emphasis on meeting the demands of future employment and entrepreneurship. 

These initiatives, alongside the college’s ongoing commitment to developing forward-thinking, original graduates, reflect its mission to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to have a real-world impact in a rapidly evolving global landscape. At Hereford College of Arts, we focus on nurturing original thinkers who are not only ready for the future of work but who can shape it. 

In 2023, Hereford College of Arts received an Outstanding rating from Ofsted – a testament to its high educational standards and commitment to fostering creativity, innovation, and critical thinking among students. 

Abigail’s leadership has contributed significantly to increasing the college’s global reach, particularly through its specialised areas of study, while maintaining a strong connection to its local community. Her commitment to the surrounding community has also played a key role in the growth of Hereford as a dynamic rural city, ensuring that the college continues to play a vital role in the region’s cultural and economic development. 

In addition to her role at the college, Abigail serves as Chair of the Stronger Hereford Board, overseeing the £22.4 million Towns Fund investment, which aims to transform Hereford into a more creative, digital, and highly skilled city, fostering new opportunities for residents, businesses, and students alike. 

This important recognition highlights Abigail Appleton’s significant contributions to advancing creative education and her instrumental role in positioning Hereford College of Arts as a leading institution for the next generation of creative professionals, fostering future proof skills to equip them for an ever-changing landscape.