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Bristol student swipes Banksy’s professorship at graduation

By Betty Woolerton  Wednesday Jul 20, 2022

Cheers and confusion erupted in London’s Royal Festival Hall as a graduate swiped Banksy’s professorship from his empty chair.

When Ben Wray collected his own degree from the University of the Creative Arts (UCA) in film and digital art, he grabbed the street artist’s award too at the ceremony on July 6.

As the moment of drama unfolded, a university staff member can be seen attempting to wrestle the parchment back from the graduate before leaving him to escape the stage and hold the award aloft.

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An Instagram post of the video was liked by Banksy and then unliked forty seconds later leaving no trace behind – true to form for the anonymous artist and activist.

The 23-year-old from Henleaze said the stunt aimed to highlight students were not awarded scrolls on their day of graduation.

UCA announced in June they would bestow the title of honorary professor to the street artist – recognising his efforts to “challenge us all to confront some of the key issues of our time”.

Professor Bashir Makhoul, president and vice-chancellor, said: “He is an example that UCA students can look up to, who uses his talents to disrupt the status quo, while challenging us all to confront some of the key issues of our time – war and peace, inequality – and art’s role as a vehicle of social expression.”

It was confirmed that Banksy would not attend the event in line with his veil of anonymity, instead an empty chair conferring the award.

When UCA was approached by Bristol24/7 for comment, they did not respond.

Wray grew up in Henleaze and studied film and digital art – photo: Ben Wray/ @healiosol

About 3,000 students, faculty and parents gathered at the hall on South Bank, where graduants were called on stage to be congratulated on completing the university courses – but this year there was no handshake and no certificate due to Covid.

Wray said: “I wanted to make a point on my way out as we were told that we wouldn’t get a scroll delivered to us at a later date. I was delayed going on stage and we were told to walk on and nod to the people on the stage. I thought I would make the event more memorable and also that I would quite like a scroll.”

“I played out the the motion in my head waiting for my name to be read out and then walked across the stage and gave a little side wave to the audience and nodded to the chairwoman. After snatch of confidence, I had Banksy’s professorship in my hand and lifted it proudly.”

The professorship is still in Wray’s bedroom and currently no one from UCA has contacted him to request it back.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ben Wray (@healiosol)


UCA is an art school with campuses in the south east of England. Previous honorary professors from the institution include the designer Terence Conran, artist Morag Myerscough and cellist Julian Lloyd Webber.

Bristol24/7 has contacted Banksy’s representatives for comment.

Main photo: Ben Wray

Read more: Banksy to be made honorary professor 

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