Creative Arts in FE 2024 to feature two pieces of work from The Manchester College students

Student projects ‘Left Behind’ and ‘You Are Stars’ beat off stiff competition to be selected to feature in a unique initiative run by the Association of Colleges (AoC).

Creative Arts in FE 2024, which is supported by programme sponsors the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) and UAL Awarding Body, gave college students the opportunity to create and submit their own piece of creative writing, photography, visual art or spoken word in response to a brief set by UAL Awarding Body.

The brief encouraged entrants to explore issues that are important to young people and provided students with the chance to build and enhance their own creative practice and portfolios.

Alex Clark, Casper Edwards, Claire Owens, Lily Curbishley, Phoebe Schweig, Roxane Mole and Vicky Taylor, who are all studying the Motion Design and Animation in partnership with Flow Creative course at the College, teamed up with fellow student Famya Faraz, who is studying an Access to Higher Education Diploma in English, Writing and Media, to create Left Behind, an illustration that provides an insight into some of the things that are most treasured by young people.

The illustration clearly struck a cord with the editing panel, who commented on how the piece changes the narrative surrounding young people and what’s important to them - the submission focuses on animals, moments and people as opposed to social media followers and material items.

Creative Media Tutor at the College, Katy Rushton, supported the students with their entry and was delighted to learn that Left Behind would be displayed at the AoC’s annual conference and on a selection of the organisation’s digital channels from September 2024.  Katy said: “It's amazing that our students’ work has been selected, especially with it being a collaborative piece.  Seeing all the different students’ illustrations come together to tell a story has been lovely and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

Katy continued: “The feedback we received from the panel was a pleasure to read.  They really grasped the essence of the piece that the students have produced.

Access student Famya was excited and inspired in equal measure, explaining:

Being selected inspires me to work harder at my craft and helps improve my art for the better.

Fellow team member Roxane Mole added: “I didn't expect it in all honestly!  Being picked in anything is always amazing and I'm happy that the work I've contributed to was significant enough to be chosen with all the others."

In addition to Left Behind, You Are Stars, a written piece by Performing Arts (Acting) student, Grace Dooley, features in the online gallery on the AoC website.

You Are Stars reflects on Grace’s time at school and how her personal challenges and experiences have driven her to want to help others with ADHD.

After reading Grace’s submission, the editing panel noted the shift between negative-self talk and positive self-talk, which culminates with a plea to educators and the system to think differently about young people with ADHD.

Work chosen to feature in Creative Arts in FE 2024 will be displayed on all or a selection of the following:

• A gallery on the AoC's website
• As part of a digital showcase week on the AoC’s social media channels in November 2024
• Digitally at the annual AoC Conference in November 2024.

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