Cleveland College of Art & Design (CCAD) or Government School of Art as it was then called was first opened in Church Street Atheneum, Hartlepool in 1874. In 1897, it moved to the top floor of Lauder Street Technical College where it remained until moving in 1939 to the vacated Church Square School, which was completely destroyed by fire in 1966.
The College remained there until the building was completely destroyed by fire in 1966. The new College of Art and Design opened on the same Church Square site in 1968 where it remains to this day – a true School of Art in every sense of the word.The name ‘Hartlepool’ was derived from ‘harts’ (deers or stags), which are symbolised throughout the town and ‘le pool’ which means by the sea.
