The Creative Entrepreneur - Nick Park - October 2025
Oct, 1 2025
A youthful outlook can channel the career we have always dreamed of. That was the driving force behind a then 13 year old Nick Park who was born in Preston’s Brookfield Park in 1958 and grew up on Greenlands Estate and later moved to Walmer Bridge.
This is the focus for this month’s ‘Creative Entrepreneur’. Nick was always interested in drawing cartoons from a young age. When he turned a teenager he was more keen to make this his career. His mum helped him put together short films with the aid of a home movie camera and cotton bobbins.
After finishing High School he embarked on a course at Preston’s College and later studied animation at the National Film and Television School in Buckinghamshire. As an adult he was later recognised by Preston College as the library became the Nick Park Library Learning Centre.
Nick assisted Aardman Animations over the course of two summers in Bristol this later saw him move there and joined the company in 1985. It was here where he worked on a series of projects most notably was the multi award winning video for Peter Gabriel’s music video ‘Sledgehammer’.
In 1990 he received his first Oscar for the unique short film series ‘Creature Comforts’ in which humans provided the voices for animals in whimsical way.
His fate was sealed with the comical pairing – Wallace and Gromit which went on to make award winning stop motion films –
- A Grand Day Out (1989)
- The Wrong Trousers ( 1993)
- A Close Shave ( 1995)
- The Curse of the Were Rabbit (2005)
- A Matter of Loaf and Death ( 2008)
- Wallace and Gromit – Vengeance Most Fowl ( 2024)
He also created ‘Chicken Run’, ‘Early Man’ and ‘Shaun the Sheep’ which was a character in the Wallace Gromit Series that found a place in a silent film franchise.
Although his life is very different from his humble beginnings in Preston he has never forgotten his roots. He came back recently to officially open the Harris Museum – Art Gallery and Library following a £19 million restoration project.
Here he is answering quick fire questions in 5minute 12 second film –
As mentioned in the film Nick’s exhibition is currently at the Harris in Preston which features Wallace Gromit amongst a series of other characters created by Nick over his long career in animation.
For more information simply visit the following website link –
Nick boasts an exciting collection of awards over the years including four Academy Awards, six BAFTAs, and many many more - not to mention a coveted gold Blue Peter badge.
But his greatest award is putting Preston on the map and providing young people with the incentive and dream he had when he was their age. With skill and creativity you can unlock a door to open many opportunities as Nick discovered. As a humble man he remains grounded and still appreciates the simplicity of Preston and is forever grateful for the life he has.
Who knows what his next project will bring………
^ Alex Ashworth CCG Content Creator
