Cre8FEST 2025 – The College’s Imaginative Creatives’ Week

The Performing Arts, Music and Art and Design and Digi/Tech (Creative, Digital and Tech) cohorts of the college, traditionally put on a fantastic show at the end of each academic year, and this year was true to form. 

With an Expo, art exhibitions, performances and music, students showcased their talents with resounding flair and passion from Monday, 23^rd June – Wednesday, 25^th June. The week began with an exhibition, open to students and staff during the day, and to parents, carers and other guests in the evening.

The exhibition represented the work of a suite of 280 students across the Art and Design function (on five pathways: Fashion/Fine Art/Photography/Graphic Design and 3D Design/Digital). Student, Alexis (Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Practice) made an Elizabethan dress; Naghmeh (UAL Level 1 Diploma in Arts, Design and Media, moving on to Level 2), presented an Aztec tree design with bright colours and a road design. Izzy (UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Practice) submitted two re-illusion and lighting style paintings – of a self-portrait. 

Students across all dimensions of the Art and Design faculty were originally invited to produce a piece around the theme of “connections”, that they could interpret into a piece – via a subsequent theme of ‘connected people’, ‘connected planet’ – or ‘connected relationships’.  Some art pieces - such as Phoebe’s papier maché and acrylic structural sculpture of the human body and its organs – were physical representations outside of the page. For more details or if you missed the exhibition, you can see details here.

On Tuesday, 24^th June, the Art Exhibition and the Expo were again opened to the public, staff, and students between 10 am – 4 pm, in one-hour designated slots.  The Expo brought together the full spectrum of the college’s talent, offering guests an immersive experience into the world of Creative Arts, where students across Media, Esports, Art and Design, Performing Arts and Music presented their work with the utmost professionalism. The Media Studios were buzzing with activity, offering interactive TV studio setups where guests could get a hands-on experience of interview-style filming in front of and behind the cameras. Esports students showcased their projects and gaming displays, demonstrating what the course is all about and the technical skill required in this industry.

Moving through the college, the Art and Design exhibitions featured an impressive collection of final pieces created by the students, each very thoughtfully crafted. It was inspiring to see how varied and personal their pieces were. This creative energy continued in the Jellicoe Theatre where Performing Arts and Music students lit up the stage with engaging live performances with some of their absolutely incredible voices and talent we have across the college.  

On the Wednesday of Cre8FEST, the Creative, Digital, Tech and Service Industries held staff awards. Later in the day, between 6.00 pm – 7.00 pm the directorate held its student awards also. CreaTECH  ended with an extraordinary film premiere of Peace, Love and Jelliebabies a revolutionary in-house film about college staff member Mark Hagger, who is a Paralympic surfer - and the finale of Be More Chill, which featured recently in the Student Final Projects performance pieces. 

Another great year came to a fantastic conclusion for the Creative, Digital, Tech and Service industries.