<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Recently, we welcomed Boris Zamba from the band Voodoo Ramble to the Michael Eavis Suite at Loxton Campus, performing live alongside The Blue Horizon, one of our very own alumni bands. Together, these two groups merged elements of the UK blues scene with Croatian influences, offering our Year 2 cohort of Level 3 <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/creat…, Film, and Creative Production</u></a> students the chance to develop their skills in a real-world setting through live performance and hands-on music production.&nbsp;</p><p>The TV, Film, and Creative Production students were immersed in numerous performance-making opportunities, while also showcasing their expertise by capturing footage of the event. Our <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/creat… and Commercial Photography</u></a> students documented every moment, working collaboratively to curate a fully produced live album and video, demonstrating their technical skills and artistic talent.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><drupal-entity alt="&quot;music student producing live album&quot;" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a50988f6-33fd-4cb6-b2c6-904cdf5afd0f" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_900x900&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Blue Horizon anchored the rhythm section, supported by two of our Music students on backing vocals. This performance was a remarkable success, featuring dynamic collaboration led by music legend Boris Zamba on guitar and lead vocals. Despite facing some unexpected technical challenges, the students demonstrated resilience and professionalism, earning praise from the audience and guest performers alike.&nbsp;</p><p>Jade Hicks, our Head of Performance and Production, reflected on the experience: “This project has been an exceptional opportunity for students to learn the end-to-end process of creating a commercial release.” She emphasised that students gained invaluable industry skills, including “technical setup, live sound engineering, visual capture, and post-production.”&nbsp;</p><p>The event showcased phenomenal performances by the music students, The Blue Horizon, and Boris Zamba. Through this practical industry experience, students not only enhanced their confidence in performing but also opened doors for future networking opportunities in their musical journeys.&nbsp;</p><p>This partnership forms part of the Creative Arts Careers Excellence Hub. The College has fourteen sector-specific Career Excellence Hubs, which evidence our dedication to supporting both employers and learners in achieving their future goals. By creating a seamless connection between industry and education, we enable learners to acquire not only the essential skills and knowledge but also the professional networks necessary to excel in their chosen fields.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>To see more about our Creative Arts courses, <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds-creat… here</u></a>.&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&nbsp;here. 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 style="margin-bottom:8px;">Over Halloween, Puxton Park hosted their annual scare fest to haunt and spook the public. This year’s event, ‘Phobia’, was not only a great opening to the spooky season, but it also allowed students to practice their skills and develop their confidence.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">Learners from <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/music…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/music…; target="_blank">Music</a>, <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hair-…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hair-…; target="_blank">Hair and Media Makeup</a>, and <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/perfo…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/perfo…; target="_blank">Performing Arts</a> helped with the event, putting their knowledge into practice to make it even more fearful for the public.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">Phobia featured multiple attractions tailored to create a thrilling and immersive horror experience, with different themed scare zones and interactive performances. There was also a VIP Tractor ride, live music, and food and drink available.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">Some of the <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/music…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/music…; target="_blank">Music</a> students performed in live bands, whilst others worked as stage crew, assisting with the full setup and takedown of equipment and managing the lighting and sound engineering. This ensured a seamless production and created a live show like no other, keeping their audience entertained whilst showing off their talent.</p><drupal-entity alt="&quot;Music Students performing at Phobia&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a92a2826-9777-4124-a117-f53944514db0" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p>&nbsp;</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">Oz Cahill, one of our Music lecturers, says, “events like Phobia are imperative to give young people that are interested in performance and events the opportunity to work with professionals from the industry and learn vital skills to enhance their future. They are also very valuable networking opportunities.”</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">Our <a href="https://www.ucw.ac.uk/courses/hair-make-up-and-prosthetics-for-producti…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.ucw.ac.uk/courses/hair-make-up-and-prosthetics-for-producti…; target="_blank">Hair and Media Makeup</a> students also went above and beyond in creating a night to remember by ensuring that all the actors were scare-ready for the event, spending 2.5 hours each night applying makeup for 40+ actors.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">‘Phobia’ gave the UCW <a href="https://www.ucw.ac.uk/courses/hair-make-up-and-prosthetics-for-producti…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.ucw.ac.uk/courses/hair-make-up-and-prosthetics-for-producti…; target="_blank">Hair and Media Makeup</a> students the chance to plan a project independently, considering budgets and time frames but also flex their creativity and have fun. It also gave Weston College students the chance to assist with the execution of the event, build up some work experience, and see first-hand what a university course in Hair and Media Makeup is all about.</p><drupal-entity alt="&quot;Performing Arts student with clown makeup by the beauty students&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c9705e04-752a-49c1-b595-93e2a6f88b02" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">Tara O’Hare, one of our Hair and Media Makeup lecturers, says, "I would like to say that the students work so hard in bringing this event to life!</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">They are professional and imaginative in their delivery of skills and techniques. They work to a pre-set budget (which isn’t always easy), and they work as a team to ensure everyone involved has a great experience.”</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">And finally, our <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/perfo…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/perfo…; target="_blank">Performing Arts</a> students gave outstanding performances, embodying their roles as scare actors in various roles in order to enhance the immersive, horror experience for the public.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">‘Phobia’ provided the <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/perfo…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/perfo…; target="_blank">Performing Arts</a> students the chance to practice high-intensity character work, improvisation skills, and guest interaction, improving their confidence and skills in a fun and expressive environment, whilst also giving them invaluable work experience.</p><drupal-entity alt="&quot;Performing Arts student dressed up as a priest to scare the public&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="188bdf7c-9ed4-4db8-bf38-7e4c91d2e94f" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p>&nbsp;</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">Jade Hicks, the Head of Performance and Production at Weston College, says, “all learners had to problem solve, be solution focused and think quickly on the spot and adapt to various situations.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">The students were eager to apply their skills in a real-world setting and enjoyed the challenge of working within a themed, immersive environment.”</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">For our students, Phobia allows students to develop industry-based skills, put their knowledge into practice with the public, make networking connections, and it helps them to understand the expectations and requirements of their desired field of work. Plus, it’s a lot of fun!</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">Well done to all the students who took part in the event, you were spook-tastic!</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">We’d also like to thank Puxton Park for providing us with opportunities for collaboration that will further enrich our students' education and professional readiness.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">If you are interested in joining our <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/music…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/music…; target="_blank">Music</a>, <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/perfo…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/perfo…; target="_blank">Performing Arts</a>, or <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hair-…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hair-…; target="_blank">Hair and Media Makeup</a> CEH areas in September, click here.</p>

<p>Last week saw Weston College and UCW's Creative Arts Summer Show - a vibrant event that showcased the creativity and talent of our learners! This event proved to be a fantastic outing, featuring live music, artwork, fashion, film, and delicious locally sourced food and drinks – demonstrating the artistic spirit and youthful energy of our Creative Arts learners.</p><p>The opening night featured a silent disco, live music performances, and food vendors, setting a vibrant tone for the days to follow!</p><p>Thursday continued the festivities with the same excitement as the opening night, enhanced by a radio masterclass, a music video showcase, and a Candar radio interview.</p><p>Friday, the longest day of the event, featured a media documentary showcase, another radio masterclass, a media short film showcase, community classes in ceramics and print, an LGBTQ+ prom, a pride silent disco and live music, along with the ever-popular food vendors.</p><p>Finally, Saturday wrapped up the event with professional industry talks at the Bristol Old Vic by Faye Elvin, who provided invaluable insights into preparing for drama school auditions and navigating the industry as a new graduate.</p><p>We received lots of positive feedback from learners, including Finn who expressed that he found the experience fun and was particularly pleased to see Shungite perform.</p><p>Dan said he revelled in the nice weather and festival vibes and enjoyed seeing Degree perform at the pavilion!</p><p>Festival goer Josh said that he and his family had a wonderful time at the event on Saturday, and he is looking forward to returning next year!</p><p>The summer show offered a unique opportunity to immerse in the dynamic arts scene of Weston College and UCW and support the next generation of creative professionals. Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating the incredible talents of our learners!</p>