“It’s not about grades, it’s about the experience” – College students launch Salford Quayside art exhibit

Students from a Salford college have launched a Spring Art Expo event at Quayside from Thursday February 23.

The event gave students at UTC@MediaCityUK the opportunity to showcase their hard work from the past few months of their course including some that is still work in progress.

The college, based right at the heart of MediaCity in Salford, works with students aged 14-18.

Michael Wiggan, teacher of digital design and photography, said: “We came up with this idea of doing a midpoint show. It was to give us a more well-rounded exhibition that gives people a bit more of a flavour of what we offer as a whole.

“It’s only elevating the idea of what the final outcomes are going to be.

“It’s essential that they have this real world experience. It’s really easy for us to sit in class and make work and share it with tutors.

“But obviously, that very much exists within a bubble. So this is an example of one of several ways the college works to pop that bubble and get the work in front of ‘real-life people’.”

“Ultimately, it’s a summation of their skills,” continued Mr Wiggan. “The ideas and the execution always comes first. That’s always the priority.”

A glimpse into the students’ journeys as artists, designers and creative thinkers can be seen at Quayside Shopping Centre until June 9.

Jonathan Irwin, curriculum leader for creative design, expressed the school’s future intention to continue to showcase the students’ abilities to prepare them for the world of work thereafter. He said: “It’s not about grades, it’s about the experience that they get in here.

“It’s just [about] trying to connect students with the reality of displaying work, but also working with clients as well.

“It’s [about] trying to build really well-rounded skills and experiences for the students rather than just coming to pass a qualification.”

Their courses cater specifically for students who have a creative talent that they wish to develop to a high level as well as a desire to work in the fast-growing creative and digital media sector.

Find out more here if you’re interested in applying.