<p>As festival season kicks off, we wanted a shine a light on the incredible work that is taking part within our Career Excellence Hub in Creative Arts, for our music learners.</p><p>From working backstage at festivals to collaborating with media students on live recordings, the department's commitment to industry exposure is opening doors for learners far beyond the classroom.</p><p>We caught up with the music team, to hear all about the exciting array of real-world experiences that our students are involved in this summer:</p><p><em>We have another brilliant summer lined up. One of the main highlights is Minety Festival, where 25 students are currently set to take part—a number that could increase by 50% next year.</em></p><p><em>Students will also be supporting operations at the Godney Gathering, with up to ten roles available in the backstage area. These learners will play a key role in managing equipment, setting up stages, and supporting artist liaison—a truly immersive experience in live event production.</em></p><p><em>Collaboration is a cornerstone of the department’s approach. Recently, the Music and Media departments joined forces for live recording projects, producing promotional videos and live albums for performing artists. These experiences not only mimic real industry practice but also provide commercial outcomes, with students handling all aspects of production. Learners are credited in the final work, adding valuable, CV-worthy experience while building a professional portfolio.</em></p><p><em>These opportunities aren’t limited to in-house projects. External festival work provides learners with authentic industry exposure. Students have supported events at venues across the region, including Puxton Park, Watchet Festival, Godney Gathering, Minety Festival, and Sat in a field.</em></p><p><em>Each setting presents a unique challenge, helping learners to adapt, grow, and network with seasoned professionals.</em></p><p><em>Confidence is a key area of growth, but students also develop a wide range of technical skills and soft skills, including teamwork, problem-solving, and professional communication.</em></p><p><em>Many have had the chance to perform on professional stages and meet influential figures in the industry. One standout opportunity came through Tour Manager Iain Robertson—who has worked with the likes of Oasis, Duran Duran, and Gary Moore. He has championed Weston College’s learner bands, helping secure opening act spots alongside established artists.</em></p><p><em>The benefits of these experiences are tangible. Several learners have been headhunted by companies and artists directly as a result of their work placements.</em></p><p><em>The Music Department’s ethos centres on creating as many genuine industry opportunities as possible, with a strong understanding that the music industry heavily relies on freelancers. Establishing industry connections while still in education is not just beneficial, it’s essential.</em></p><p>With such a forward-thinking approach, Weston College is proving to be a launchpad for aspiring music professionals, equipping them with the tools, confidence, and connections needed to thrive in a competitive industry.</p><p><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/music… can find out more about our music courses, by clicking here.</a></p>

<p data-pm-slice="0 0 []">Last night, our Creative Arts Careers Excellence Hub&nbsp;came together to produce a fantastic preview evening of the Summer Showcase which exhibited the work of our Weston College and University Centre Weston (UCW) <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds-creat… Arts</u></a> students, giving them the chance to display their incredible work, not only to their peers and lecturers, but also to their friends, family, members of the public and potential employers. The exhibition will continue to run every weekday between 9:00am-4:30pm until 20th June at Loxton Campus so everyone can experience the creativity and achievements of our students. &nbsp;</p><p>This exhibition consists of a mixture of <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/art-d… &amp; Design</u></a>, <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/creat…;, <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/art-d…;, <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/creat…;, <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/creat… &amp; Animation</u></a>, and <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/art-d… Design</u></a> student work, where they display their amazing Final Projects to not only present their hard work and professional development, but also network with people and gain connections with possible employers. &nbsp;</p><p>Sandra Bull, Assistant Principal for this area commented: “The College’s Summer Showcase celebrates individualism of our students, showing different interpretations and styles in a range of mediums. It allows students to express the background behind their work, the process that accompanies it, and the messages and meanings behind them to create a holistic appreciation for the students and their artwork being presented.” &nbsp;</p><p>“I am so proud of how the student have developed both personally and professionally since September and being able to put on this showcase is just one way for us to celebrate how proud every member of staff is of our students. “&nbsp;</p><p>On arrival at the preview evening, people were greeted by students serving glasses of Elderflower fizz and canapés to welcome their guests, alongside our <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/music… and Performance</u></a> students playing live music in the foyer to set the tone of this fantastic celebration.</p><p>Throughout the exhibition, there are a range of pieces on display throughout the classrooms, from sculptures and fashion designs, to a gallery of photographs, graphics and artwork. The Media faculty even created their own in-house theatre with popcorn and red carpets to display the fantastic films and Final Projects that the students have been working hard on. &nbsp;</p><p>The event has been displayed extremely professionally, with each classroom acting as a gallery, with artwork and podiums lining the white walls so each student has their own designated space to exhibit their work. Last night’s preview event had a fantastic turnout, with everyone admiring and complimenting the attention to detail that had gone into each piece of work. &nbsp;</p><p>Both the staff and the students worked extremely hard to put this showcase together, giving everyone from all years, levels and disciplines the chance to present their work to the public. Many students were in disbelief at seeing how their projects came together when displayed professionally, feeling proud of their work and expressing their gratitude to have this opportunity. &nbsp;</p><p>Kyle, one of our Level 3 <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/creat… and Animation</u></a> students, shared his thoughts on the event, saying, “Having my artwork being displayed actually feels quite lifechanging and surreal because, a lot of the time, I kept my artwork to myself in fear of judgement, but to actually have it up on the wall like this and seeing it being appreciated has actually changed my perspective on my work.”  &nbsp;</p><p>This Summer Showcase forms part of the <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds-creat… Arts</u></a> Careers Excellence Hub. Weston College's Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners' careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys. &nbsp;</p><p><strong>If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available at Weston College </strong><a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/jobs?utm_source=main-menu&amp;utm_medium=main-…;. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College is an excellent place to work and grow in your career.</strong></p>

<p>Once again, our Music and Media departments have joined forces to highlight the remarkable talent and cross-disciplinary collaboration of our students!</p><p>Yesterday, we welcomed <a href="https://www.barstaffband.com/"><strong>BARSTAFF</strong></a&gt; - the winners of the <strong>Amped Band Competition</strong> - for an exclusive live recording session at our Loxton Campus. This high-energy external band partnered with our learners to produce a live album and a series of professional promotional videos, offering a rare opportunity for our students to gain real-world experience in a professional production environment.</p><p>Our Music students took full control of the sound production process - from live sound engineering to multitrack recording, all the way through to mixing and mastering the final album. Simultaneously, our Media students managed all aspects of video production, capturing the performance with multiple cameras and creating high-quality, synchronised video content for each track.</p><drupal-entity data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bbf51dd2-e857-47e9-9090-e880df7e50ba" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_400x400&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Adding to the excitement, industry professional<strong> Iain Robertson,</strong> whose impressive experience involves working with<strong> Oasis, Gary Moore, Spandau Ballet,</strong> and <strong>Duran Duran</strong> as a tour manager, attended the live recording – adding to the professionalism of the experience for the learners.</p><p>This weekend BARSTAFF will be performing at the Elmers Arms in Bristol, where they will be featuring one of our learner bands, <strong>‘Covered in Bottles’</strong>, as the opening act, offering even more exposure and learning opportunities for our students.</p><p>This unique event will be professionally filmed, edited, and utilised not only for student portfolios, but also as promotional content for the band and the college, strengthening our ties to the creative industry and highlighting the exceptional work being done within our creative courses!</p><p>We're super proud of the effort our students continue to apply at these industry experiences, and their professionalism is fantastic.</p><p>To find out more about our creative arts courses, <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds-creat… here.</strong></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(97, 97, 97);font-family:&quot;Hco Gotham&quot;, &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;outline:0px;padding:0px;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available at Weston College </strong><a style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(16, 108, 177);font-family:&quot;Hco Gotham&quot;, &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:500;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;outline:0px;padding:0px;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/jobs?utm_source=main-menu&amp;utm_medium=main-… style="background-color:transparent;border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;font-size:18px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">here</strong></a><strong style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(97, 97, 97);font-family:&quot;Hco Gotham&quot;, &quot;Open Sans&quot;, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;outline:0px;padding:0px;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College is an excellent place to work and grow in your career.</strong></p>