Why Student Events Need a Better Hook
Student unions across the UK pour serious money into events that students scroll past without a second glance. According to BUCS research on student engagement, participation in student-led activities significantly improves retention and wellbeing — yet getting students through the door remains the perennial challenge.
So what are some examples of student activities that actually work? The best ones share a common thread: they give students something to do, not just somewhere to be. That's exactly why the National Self Portrait Gallery — a hirable face-in-hole portrait wall concept that turns guests into living works of art — has become such a hit at university events. It's participatory, photogenic, and genuinely funny. Below are ten ways student unions and ents teams can borrow that energy.
Creative & Artistic Student Activities
Creative student activities work best when students don't feel like they're "doing art" — they feel like they're messing about, and the art happens anyway.
The National Self Portrait Gallery nails this by removing the skill barrier entirely. No talent required. Just a face and a willingness to look vaguely ridiculous inside a Renaissance frame. Here's how to build on that idea:
1. Face-in-Hole Portrait Wall Hire Hire a portrait photoboard wall for your freshers' fair, end-of-term party, or open day. Students step into ornate painted frames and become the masterpiece. It's an instant icebreaker, a guaranteed social media moment, and zero setup on the student side. You can explore face in hole portrait wall hire for university events to see what a full installation looks like.
2. "Who Are You?" Self-Portrait Workshop Run a low-stakes, high-fun self-portrait session using mirrors, pencils, and prompts. No previous drawing experience needed. The point isn't technical accuracy — it's self-reflection with a laugh. Pair it with a visiting artist or your fine art society for added legitimacy.
3. Painted Portrait Caricature Night Book a caricature artist for an evening event. Students queue up, get gently roasted on paper, and leave with something frameable. Combine with the face-in-hole wall and you've got a full portrait-themed evening.
Social & Fundraising Student Activities
Social and fundraising student activities perform best when the "fun" is the product, not the packaging around a hard sell. Give students a reason to pay entry that isn't just guilt, and you'll see better turnout and stronger revenue.
| Activity | Typical Entry/Charge | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait Wall Photo Night | £3–£5 per printed photo | Freshers, socials, balls |
| Charity Auction of Art | Varies (£10–£200 per piece) | RAG weeks, charity events |
| "Ugly Portrait" Competition | Free entry, sponsored prizes | Weekly social events |
| Caricature & Cocktails Night | £8–£15 ticket price | End of term, themed nights |
4. RAG Portrait Fundraiser Charge a small fee for a printed keepsake photo taken at the portrait wall. At a mid-sized university event with 300 attendees, even a £3-per-print model can generate £400–£600 in an evening — enough to meaningfully contribute to a charity target without heavy corporate sponsorship.
5. "Ugly Portrait" Competition Students submit the most deliberately terrible self-portrait they can produce. Public voting (on a display board or via a social media poll) picks the winner. Entry fee is a small donation. Simple, cheap to run, and reliably entertaining.
6. Art Society Collaboration Night Team up with your university's art society to co-host an evening where society members create quick portrait sketches of willing volunteers. Charge a nominal fee for a finished portrait. Art students get live practice; everyone else gets a unique souvenir.
Engagement & Wellbeing Student Activities
Wellbeing-focused student activities don't have to be earnest to be effective. Some of the most impactful mental health and community-building events succeed because they're disguised as something much sillier.
7. "See Yourself Differently" Wellbeing Week Activation During mental health awareness weeks, a portrait wall installation invites students to step into a frame and literally see themselves from a new angle. It's lighthearted, but the underlying message — that every face deserves to be celebrated — lands without preaching. Universities UK research consistently points to social connection as a core pillar of student mental health, and activities that get strangers talking are worth their weight in wellbeing strategies.
8. International Students' Welcome Event Portrait-based activities transcend language barriers beautifully. A face-in-hole wall or sketch evening requires no English fluency — just a willingness to participate. These activities are particularly effective during international student welcome weeks, where the social stakes feel higher for new arrivals.
9. Residence Hall Social — Portrait Corridor Work with accommodation teams to display student-submitted self-portraits along a corridor or common room wall. It creates a genuine sense of community identity in spaces that often feel anonymous and magnolia-beige.
Events That Travel: Portable & Scalable Ideas
Portable student activities are underrated by ents teams who default to fixed-venue thinking. Some of the best engagement happens at freshers' fairs, outdoor markets, or departmental open days — spaces where you need something that packs up in under an hour.
10. Roaming Portrait Pop-Up A face-in-hole portrait board is inherently portable. Take it to your freshers' fair, your sports carnival, your campus charity market. The National Self Portrait Gallery offer hire packages designed for exactly this kind of multi-location use — and because the concept travels, your budget works harder across multiple events rather than being sunk into a single evening.
The Takeaway for Student Unions
What are some examples of student activities that consistently deliver engagement, social media reach, and genuine fun without requiring a Hollywood budget? The answer is almost always activities that make participation feel like self-expression rather than obligation.
Portrait-based events — whether that's a hired face-in-hole wall, a caricature night, a collaborative art fundraiser, or a wellbeing installation — tick every box. They're accessible, they photograph brilliantly, and they work equally well for 30 students in a seminar room or 3,000 at a freshers' ball.
If your next event needs an anchor activity that students will actually remember, a portrait wall from the National Self Portrait Gallery is a strong place to start. Browse hire options and installation details at nationalselfportraitgallery.co.uk.