STUDENTS at two colleges created artwork that was displayed at Glastonbury Festival, George Gilliam reports.

Sidcot and Weston College students worked together to produce an art piece displayed at the world-famous Glastonbury Festival with the help of a grant from the Ganton Educational Trust.

Arcadia’s co-founder, Pip Rush Jansen, visited Sidcot school, and a concept of his was evolved by them after a careers talk.

Students were delighted to collaborate on a creative engagement project to be showcased at this year’s rendition of Glastonbury Festival.

The project brief was to help organize a series of hands-on workshops by exploring the exciting intersection of art, science, music, and engineering.

Private funding as well as a grant from the Ganton Educational Trust saw Sidcot School develop their unique product, not only including their own students but also those of Weston College.

The workshops were centred around a sustainability theme, with the challenge presented to students to reimagine used materials and metals; instead, they would have to rise to transform them into new, functional works of art.

Students delved into increasingly rare practical skills in today’s world, such as wielding.

Their creations weren’t designed for a shelf or mantlepiece, but the end goal was to create such an art piece collaboratively that would be displayed at the world-famous Glastonbury festival.

(Image: Contributed)

Hard work and collective brainstorming saw Sidcot and Weston students arrive at the brilliant concept of a large-scale solar system.

Applying themselves and using a range of metalwork techniques including plasma cutting, welding, cutting, hammering, and bending, this is how their vision was brought to life, pictured above.

Arcadia Reach CIC, who worked with Sidcot, are a non-profit initiative of renowned lightning and events company Arcadia, who are famed for their Glastonbury creations.

Saskia Key, Year 12 Art Lead, commented, having worked with them on this project.

She said: “We worked together with Weston College to try and bring our key shared values to the forefront in our final outcome – for example, developing the Sun, which we highlighted to show how global warming is affecting our world.

“The range of skills we learnt and needed to use required us to work closely as a team, trusting each other to develop our pieces in the short time available. I was so proud to see it on display at Glastonbury.

“Sidcot and Weston’s Solar System is currently showcased at Glastonbury Festival, alongside Arcadia’s new Dragonfly stage.

“Like the Solar System piece, the new Dragonfly stage reuses resources, repurposing military equipment as unifying structures and symbols of peace. The whole thing is powered by wind and solar energy, with bio-ethanol flames.”

Johanna Egan is the Head of Art at Sidcot School, who said: “Our practical workshops with Arcadia brought together students across our school community, but also the local community.

“They explored new techniques that encouraged creativity and helped to build their confidence.

“It taught them to look at ‘used’ or ‘waste’ materials in new ways, making a real difference as active citizens in society.

“I’m so proud of the work they have achieved, especially for their final outcome. Thank you to our donors and to Arcadia Reach CIC for enabling this to happen.”