Students from the Creative and Design department at EKC Dover College showcased their creativity, innovation and collaborative work at their annual end-of-year exhibition, held this year at Dover SMART Project.
The exhibition brought together work from students on both the Level 2 and Level 3 Art and Design courses, transforming the charity’s community hub and gallery space to be filled with illustration, fine art, graphic design, photography, and textile pieces.
Friends, family, local employers and members of the public were invited to explore the exhibition and celebrate the achievements of students as they completed another successful academic year.
Among the exhibitors was Level 3 student Evan, whose series of six artworks, ‘Alone in the Open’ related to the theme of loneliness. For his work, he took inspiration from his own experiences.
“I wanted to express loneliness through my work as it’s something I’ve dealt with in the past,” Evan explained.
“My main image on display here, was created when I was up at the fields by Dover Castle. I would leave the camera, set a timer, and move to a different area. It took a while to choose the best ones but I’m really happy with how it’s turned out.
“It feels pretty cool that my work is on display, because it’ll be interesting to see people’s reactions. It’s a really good opportunity.
“My favourite thing about studying at Dover is all the opportunities that I’ve been able to see and experience like this one.”
Adding to the celebrations, Evan’s work has recently been selected for the Royal Academy’s exhibition. This is an exceptional achievement that places his work alongside talented young artists from across the country.
Another student whose work was on display was Braden, also studying Level 3 Art and Design.
His exhibited work combined illustration and photography to explore themes of society, power and inequality, reflecting on issues such as the cost of living and how these are represented in popular imagery.
He has particularly enjoyed the variety of opportunities available on the course and the chance to try new creative approaches.
He said at the exhibition: “What I enjoy about studying at Dover is meeting everyone, doing work experience and being able to create with new mediums, which I’d never done before I came here.”
Looking ahead, Braden is now planning to continue developing his skills as he progresses through the course, with ambitions to turn his creativity into a career.
He added: “I’ve got one more year and then I’ll be finished. Hopefully, once I’ve finished my course, I’ll be selling my art all over.”
Hosting the exhibition at Dover SMART Project gave students the opportunity to display their work in a professional, creative environment, while strengthening the College’s links with Dover’s arts community.
The exhibition also celebrated the wide range of industry experiences students have taken part in throughout the year. Alongside their final projects, visitors could view work produced for live client briefs, including collaborations with Solley’s Ice Cream and Blaze Signs. These projects challenged students to respond to commercial briefs, giving them valuable experience of working with external organisations while building professional portfolios.
Our end-of-year exhibition marks a key moment for the Creative and Design department, celebrating the progress students have made and the skills they will take forward into further study, training or employment.
Congratulations to all the students involved, whose work we can’t wait to see grow further over the next few years.
Interested in turning your creativity into a career? Discover our Creative and Design courses and find out how you could exhibit your work, work with local businesses, and develop your portfolio for university or employment.
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