Specialising in Urban Art, this creative programme is designed for ākonga (learners) who are ready to discover and grow their creative capabilities. Whether you’re leaving school, returning to education, navigating a career change, or experiencing a major life transition, this is your opportunity to explore Urban Art in a meaningful, personal way.
New Zealand Certificate in Art & Design: Urban Art
LEVEL 3
Begin your creative arts journey. Explore your identity, culture, and artistic potential.
Mā te kimi, ka kite — Seek and discover.
You’ll be supported to find and follow your unique creative path, selecting from a range of Urban Art skills that match your interests and goals. Through guided learning, hands-on practice, and continuous feedback, you’ll build confidence, develop essential creative skills, and connect with your own motivations and inspirations.
New Zealand Certificate in Art & Design
NZQA Level 3 | 60 credits
Programme: Urban Art
Delivery: Study On-Site at our Taitā campus as part of a cohort of Urban Art ākonga
Duration: 20 weeks (Full-time)
Fees (2026): $3808.00
Time Commitment:
This is a combination of Tutor (Kaiako) and self-directed study
- Full-time: 34 hours/week
Enrolment / Date: 20 July 2026 – 11 December 2026
NZ Certificate in Art & Design (Level 3)
What you’ll learn
Our programme is built around the core disciplines and skills of NZ street art, with three interwoven strands running alongside each other, encouraging constant exploration and growth. These Programme Components have been designed to fit TLC’s strongly ākonga-centred pedagogy:
1. Self
Explore your identity in relation to your whānau, whakapapa and kaupapa and begin to awaken your intrinsic creative drivers and goals. Seek out ways of making urban art and discover the skills, materials, and technologies that interest you the most.
2. Materials and Processes
You’ll focus on learning a range of technical skills and exploring tools and techniques through set briefs, tutor guidance, research and hands-on practice. You’ll apply the Creative Spiral (experimenting and testing, reviewing and evolving work), and learn about, and apply, the technical skills and creative processes of other NZ urban artists as they relate to your own work.
3. Environment, Culture and Community
Learn how to present your work legally, professionally, and engage with your community and stakeholders. Develop communication skills, cultural sensitivity, and an understanding of what it means to work as an Urban Artist in the real world.
“Taking something, doing something to it, reflecting on this and then responding to the result”, ensures students and tutors are constantly learning, growing and evolving. Students and tutors are in a continuous creative cycle
The Creative Spiral,
Jonathan Milne (2008)
Jonathan Milne (2008)
NZ Certificate in Art & Design (Level 3)
Learning approach
- This Certificate is delivered as one integrated course, with all components advancing simultaneously. Regular attendance at classes is essential.
- Regular one-on-one mentoring and feedback sessions help keep you on track.
- Formal progress checkpoints at key stages: 10%, 50%, and 75% (pre-completion).
- You grow and evolve alongside your fellow ākonga with the support of experienced creativity Kaiako.
Central to TLC pedagogy is for the student to explore their intrinsic motivations and core drivers. This includes selecting their own direction in response to course briefs and reviewing their own learning activities.
Kaiako provide practical classes, advice, direction, and resources to support the student while peers provide collaboration.
How You
Can Study
On-site: This programme is offered onsite as part of a cohort intake, so come and study at the Learning Connexion campus where you will have a dedicated studio space in a positive environment surrounded by other creatives.
(Note: class sizes are limited, so places will be offered to successful students following a pre-enrolment interview. You are welcome to bring examples of your creative work to the interview, although prior experience is not necessary – just a keen attitude and willingness to commit. The aim of the interview is to get to know you and find out what you are hoping to get out of the course to ensure we can meet your needs).
Media covered
During the Urban Art stream of the level 3 Certificate in Art & Design, you get to experiment in various urban art forms using a range of media and supports ( wood panels, concrete walls, stickers etc).
Study Areas:
Spray & Acrylic Painting, Dry Media, Design Techniques, Illustration (stickers), Stencil / Printmaking & Digital Media.
Students are also provided with research threads related to each brief – spark ignitors – and are actively encouraged to dig deeper by exploring other types of research such as reading, watching documentaries, investigating how other artists work, visiting relevant locations and meeting people who are engaged in creative activities or communities associated with their core drivers/areas of personal interest.
Did you know?
You’ll also be able to take part in a three-day intensive Makers Week Class hosted by a well-known NZ Street Artist, where you’ll get to develop your technical skills and deepen your mastery alongside a street legend.
Where this can take you
Graduates will have developed a portfolio of work and a strong foundation from which to move into higher-level creative art programmes and study or begin working on personal or community-based creative art or mural projects.
At the completion of The New Zealand Certificate (Level 3) graduates are encouraged to enter into our New Zealand Certificate in Creativity (Level 4).
Ready to begin?
Contact our Admissions team at admissions@tlc.ac.nz for more information or to start your enrolment in a TLC art programme.
