Talented art students from Warrington & Vale Royal College craft thought-provoking exhibition for new Living Well Hub

The walls of the new Living Well Hub in Warrington town centre have been given a vibrant and uplifting makeover thanks to the efforts of talented art students at Warrington & Vale Royal College. More than 40 pieces of artwork will be displayed at the Hub, in Horsemarket Street, following a collaboration between the college and Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Set to open its doors to members of the public in March, the Living Well Hub is a fully accessible three-storey ‘one-stop shop’ aimed at helping people live as happily, healthily and independently as possible.

A private exhibition was held on Wednesday 24 January for invited guests, including the Mayor of Warrington Cllr Steve Wright, and families and friends of the students involved in the project, to take a first look at the inspirational artwork.

Speaking at the event, Ben Brady, Director of Curriculum & Quality at Warrington & Vale Royal College, said: “I am sure that everyone in attendance this evening can agree on the incredible standard of talent on display.

“I am exceptionally proud of how well our students have responded to the needs of the Hub, and produced such an eclectic and uplifting exhibition for a place that I’m sure will support many of our students and their loved ones in the near future.”

Having worked together to launch the college’s Health & Social Care Academy in October 2022, Caroline Lane, Strategic Project Manager at WHH, approached Ben with a vibrant vision for the Living Well Hub which presented a unique opportunity for art and design students.

As a facility dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of people in Warrington, it was decided that the artwork should embody the Hub’s core values and ethos, with key themes including Warrington, healthy body and mind, empowerment, prevention, partnership, strong together, support, positivity and inclusivity.

Students were tasked with bringing the Hub to life by developing inspiring and thought-provoking ideas that reflected the agreed topics, and after receiving encouraging feedback from Caroline, they got to work on creating their final artwork designs.

Caroline said: “The Living Well Hub is intended to be a convenient and accessible destination where Warrington residents and families can go to get information and support if they have any concerns about their overall health and wellbeing. We wanted to create a welcoming and open space within the Hub, as we know that people are more likely to be engaged and feel comfortable seeking help and support in a community setting.

“It has been fantastic to see how the students have embraced our vision with such passion and commitment, and we are delighted with the end results.”

Evie Bloor, Level 3 Art & Design student

Warrington & Vale Royal College student Evie Bloor described the project as a special experience, not only seeing her work displayed publicly for the first time, but also because she has been able to contribute to such a meaningful cause.

Evie, a former pupil at Cansfield High School in Ashton-in-Makerfield, who produced a cosmic piece centred around the theme of ‘putting things into perspective’, said: “The fact that so many different people will now get to see my work is both strange and special.

“This brief has really helped to build on my resilience and take constructive criticism professionally, which, as an aspiring interior designer, is something that I will need to manage well when working with clients in the future.”

The Living Well Hub is a Town Deal-funded initiative that will see space shared by teams from Warrington Borough Council, Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, with voluntary and charitable sector partners also set to provide services to support Warrington residents and their families.

For more information, visit warrington.gov.uk/living-well-hub

To find out more about art & design courses at Warrington & Vale Royal College’s Advanced Creative & Digital Skills (ACDS) Academy, click here.