The prizes this year truly reflected the quality of the artwork on display and were generously donated by a range of local creative companies with connections to the college. Winners were rewarded with a top-of-the-line artist’s kit from Abacus Creative Resources, a premium sketch set from Derwent Art, and a £60 voucher for maake.com, each ensuring the winning entrants have the finest tools to continue creating outstanding work.
The judging panel, which included the college’s Director of Quality & Curriculum, Ben Brady, Subject Leader of Art & Design, Kelly Broughton, Art & Design Tutor, Sarah Clarke-Martins and Graphic Design Tutor, Rachael Taylor, faced the difficult task of selecting the winners from a pool of exceptional entries. They eventually came to their decision, naming Harriet Anderson from Sir Thomas Boteler C of E High School, Sze Wai Wan from Great Sankey High School and Alice Kent from Woolston Brook School as this year’s winners.
Harriet's winning piece, a large sculptural work, impressed judges with its boldness and scale. Reflecting on her work, Harriet explained: “I made a model of an octopus using cardboard boxes, sculpted into shape, and coated with paper mâché. I was inspired by marine life, and chose to paint my piece with complementary colours and abstract shapes to reflect the camouflage effect an octopus often uses on the sea floor.”
Sze Wai Wan, winner of the Digital Artist category, stood out among fierce competition with her highly detailed and stylised artwork. Sze Wai’s inspiration was a croissant that she had for breakfast, which she then decided to recreate, focusing on making her work look as delicious as it had tasted. Judges agreed that the piece conveyed a sense of synaesthesia which is impressive to capture and, therefore, deserving of first place.
Alice Kent, the winner of the Student Favourite category, emerged as the standout choice among a group of current Level 3 Graphic Design & Illustration students and Level 4 UAL Foundation Art & Design Diploma students at the college for the raw emotion it conveyed. Throughout the exhibition, students voted for their favourite piece, which included both creative and digital entries.
After casting their votes into a ballot box, the results revealed that Alice Kent’s work was selected as the Student Favourite for 2025. Reflecting on her piece, Alice said: “This piece is heavily inspired by my favourite musical ‘Dear Evan Hansen’. I have used mixed media, using mod roc, acrylic gel pen, acrylic inks, and graphite pencils on a canvas. I chose blue as the primary colour to symbolise melancholy yet serenity and peace. I have also added lyrics from the song “you will be found” onto the canvas as well.”
The exhibition culminated in an awards presentation attended by a record-breaking 105 guests, including entrants, their families, friends, and teachers from schools such as Cardinal Newman Catholic High School, Middlewich High School, Lowton High School, and Sir Thomas Boteler C of E High School. Guests then had the opportunity to explore the college's cutting-edge Advanced Creative & Digital Skills Academy, established through a £2 million investment from the Department of Education. This academy, part of one of five academies of technical excellence at Warrington campus, prepares students with the vital skills needed for successful careers in the creative and digital industries.
Ben Brady expressed his gratitude for the remarkable response to the competition, stating: “The exceptional standard of this year’s entries has left me speechless. The talent on display has been truly extraordinary, and it is incredibly inspiring to see the next generation of artists showcasing their work. From what we’ve seen tonight, I have no doubt they will find great success in the future, and we look forward to welcoming them to the college soon.”
The college extends its heartfelt congratulations to all participants for their outstanding contributions to this year’s competition and eagerly anticipates watching these talented young artists continue to grow and succeed in the future.
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