<p>Weston College are delighted to announce the renewal of our partnership with <a href="https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome/">The Bristol Hippodrome</a>, strengthening our shared commitment to providing students with industry-relevant, inspirational learning experiences within the world of live performance.</p><p>This renewed collaboration builds on the success of last year’s partnership and has already seen Performing Arts students start the academic year with a trip to see<strong> The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe </strong>in September. The production also serves as a creative foundation for several workshops and skill-building sessions that are now in place for learners across the department.</p><p>As part of the partnership, The Bristol Hippodrome’s Creative Learning team will deliver a series of specialist workshops designed to broaden student expertise and deepen their understanding of the performing arts industry. These include:</p><ul><li><strong>Pathways Into the Industry:</strong> Offering real-world guidance from current industry professionals on employment routes, opportunities, and navigating the balance between exploitation and opportunity.</li><li><strong>Audition Techniques:</strong> Students will take part in professional-standard audition sessions, observed by industry experts, followed by personalised feedback.</li><li><strong>Directing and Facilitation:</strong> A new area not currently part of the curriculum, giving students additional skills that can support careers as freelance practitioners.</li><li><strong>Networking Skills:</strong> An essential workshop helping students develop the confidence and know-how to build connections and “get their foot in the door.”</li></ul><p>In addition, the Creative Learning team will deliver a <strong>bespoke puppetry workshop,</strong> giving students insight into the specialist techniques used in <strong>The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.</strong> This practical experience offers a rare chance to explore a performance discipline that is increasingly sought after in modern theatre productions.</p><p>The partnership also extends to the professional development of Weston College staff. Lecturers will continue to access <strong>CPD opportunities </strong>directly with The Bristol Hippodrome, ensuring their teaching remains informed by current local, national, and international industry practice.</p><p>Beyond the Performing Arts department, the collaboration continues to create exciting opportunities for other areas of the College. Our Photography learners have <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/news/photography-students-gain-work-experience… worked with The Bristol Hippodrome </a>and will do so again, giving students the unique chance to gain experience in a professional setting rarely accessible to learners.</p><p>The Bristol Hippodrome’s Creative Learning Department said:</p><p><em>“We are so excited to renew our partnership with Weston College. Expanding on the work completed last year, we are continuing to provide direct skill development into the College from our industry to help inspire the next generation of industry professionals. As one of the larger venues in the South West, we are invested in helping educational spaces engage with the live entertainment industry.”</em></p>

<p data-pm-slice="0 0 []">Students on Weston&nbsp;College’s&nbsp;<a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-adults/art-design-gra… Foundation Diploma in Art &amp; Design</a>&nbsp;have recently completed an impactful project titled “Visual Rebellion: The Rule Breakers”,&nbsp;showcasing&nbsp;their creativity and critical thinking through bold artistic exploration.&nbsp;</p><p>The&nbsp;<a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-adults/art-design-gra… Foundation Diploma in Art &amp; Design</a>&nbsp;is a&nbsp;1-year&nbsp;pre-degree course designed to give students the opportunity to trial a wide range of mediums before specialising. It is completely free to all students, allowing you to get a foundation diploma which you often get at university. It&nbsp;provides valuable time for learners&nbsp;to refine their skills, explore their interests, and prepare for progression into higher education or creative industries.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><drupal-entity alt="&quot;Students working on their individual projects&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c48fb3c1-71e5-41f8-8c00-51189af81eed" 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>The project encouraged learners to break formal rules in art and design, using their work to express authentic beliefs and challenge social, political, and personal conventions. Themes explored included political and social issues,&nbsp;personal experiences, and the boundaries of scale and material use.&nbsp;</p><p>Throughout the project, students investigated influential artists who&nbsp;cover&nbsp;topics such as propaganda, war, corruption, and exploitation. The aim was to provoke thought, foster creativity, and stimulate dialogue through art that carries personal meaning and relevance.&nbsp;</p><p>The first&nbsp;part of the&nbsp;project&nbsp;focused on research, including a trip to Bristol and seminars on research methodologies. Learners explored five avenues of “Visual Rebellion”,&nbsp;collecting imagery and presenting their findings digitally.&nbsp;</p><p>Over the following weeks, students rotated through specialist pathways including <strong>Surface &amp; Form</strong>, <strong>Interdisciplinary Fine Art</strong>, and <strong>Visual Communication</strong>, breaking the project down into three different outcomes of the Visual Rebellion theme across the 6-week period.&nbsp;Students also took part in practical workshops&nbsp;which&nbsp;offered hands-on experience in <strong>digital media</strong>, <strong>printmaking</strong>, <strong>3D design,</strong> <strong>collage</strong>, <strong>lens-based work</strong>, and <strong>illustrative sewing</strong>.&nbsp;This was a fantastic opportunity for them to trial a range of mediums&nbsp;and figure out which form of art was their preferred&nbsp;pathway.&nbsp;</p><p>Each learner&nbsp;maintained&nbsp;a record of their journey through sketchbooks and personal blogs, documenting research, workshop outcomes, and reflections&nbsp;which&nbsp;built their portfolios and&nbsp;showcased&nbsp;the effort and research gone into their artwork. The project concluded with a thorough evaluation of each pathway and the overall experience.&nbsp;</p><p>This course is&nbsp;a fantastic opportunity for students who are unsure what they want to do and who fancy exploring new ways&nbsp;to express themselves&nbsp;through&nbsp;art. Whether you have formally studied art before does not matter too much on this course, all you need is to have completed&nbsp;a Level 3&nbsp;course&nbsp;and have&nbsp;a passion&nbsp;for creativity.&nbsp;</p><p>Well done to all the students and the amazing work they have produced so far!&nbsp;</p><p>This project forms part of the <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-adults/art-design-gra… Foundation Diploma in Art &amp; Design</strong></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>Progress to the next level in <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.ucw.ac.uk/courses-by-subject/art-film-game-and-graphic-desi… Arts</a>! At <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.ucw.ac.uk/">University Centre Weston (UCW)</a> our students give us impressive feedback, with our latest National Student Survey results putting us above average in all nine areas! Find out more about our exceptional teaching, wellbeing services and learning resources by visiting our website. <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.ucw.ac.uk/">Click here!</a></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>&nbsp;</p>

<p data-pm-slice="0 0 []">Last week, our <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/music… and Production</u></a> students got the chance to sit in on a live performance from the band, ‘<strong>The Peripheries</strong>’, and help them record an album within our Michael Eavis Performance suite, which links directly to the HE Recording Studio at Loxton Campus. &nbsp;</p><p><strong>The Peripheries</strong> are an Italian New Wave band with 1980s influences and experimental sounds. With connections to a member of staff at the college, they visited our students and performed for them, giving them the chance to hear a new variation of music that they may not have previously discovered.  &nbsp;</p><p>Our students are trained on top-of-the-range equipment to ensure they are fully equipped with the skills and knowledge required for working in the industry. They not only learn to set up for performances and gigs, but they also learn what to listen for when recording so they can make the correct adjustments. Students were taking charge of the settings on the music decks while other students were behind in the recording studio ensuring that all aspects of the gig were recorded smoothly. &nbsp;</p><p>Giving students the chance to help record an album for the band gives them fantastic, real-world experience and practice working with clients. Not only this, our <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/creat…; and <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/creat…; students also got involved with filming the performance so the band will have a professional album with a high-quality music video created by our students. This provides them with great hands-on experience and allows them to build their portfolio with a new and dynamic project. &nbsp;</p><p>Some students will also assist in editing the raw materials to create the final album. This is a great opportunity to see how to fine-tune recordings to ensure high-quality products that are ready for external audiences. &nbsp;</p><p>Within our <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/music…; faculty, students are encouraged to get involved and learn the trade wherever possible. They will often perform at local gigs and festivals with students helping with the set-up and production, acting as sound technicians to ensure to event runs seamlessly. Also, by inviting a range of musicians into the college who have different requests and preferences to enhance their sound helps to broaden the students' knowledge base and better prepare them for working with clients in the industry. &nbsp;</p><p>Whether students are interested in playing music or working as a production technician, our <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/music…; courses enable students to be versed in every aspect, so they gain a holistic understanding of Music Production. This makes them an integral part of any gig or show as they have a level of experience working behind the scenes. &nbsp;</p><p>Thank you to The Peripheries for joining us on campus and working with our students to give them hands-on experience in the industry. Also, well done to our students for taking on all responsibilities with professionalism and maturity!&nbsp;</p><p>This live performance forms part of the <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/music…; and <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/creat…; 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>Progress to the next level in <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.ucw.ac.uk/courses/professional-music-performance-and-produc…;! At <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.ucw.ac.uk/"><u>University Centre Weston (UCW)</u></a> our students give us impressive feedback, with our latest National Student Survey results putting us above average in all nine areas! Find out more about our exceptional teaching, wellbeing services and learning resources by visiting our website. <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.ucw.ac.uk/"><u>Click 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 </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>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>