Welcome back! We hope you had a great half term.
LEEDS ART GALLERY AND HENRY MOOR INSTITUTE
Over half term, I had a flying visit to Leeds to attend a gig, but before heading back to Bolton I managed to squeeze in a bit of arts and culture, though only really scratched the surface.
'Leeds is a city that stands as a cultural and commercial hub with a rich tapestry of history and modernity. Its vibrant streets, diverse neighborhoods, and thriving arts scene make it a must-visit destination for tourists and a beloved home for locals. The heart of Leeds beats in its city center, where historic buildings and contemporary architecture coexist harmoniously.'
Leeds Art Gallery and museum (situated in the centre of Leeds) isn't the largest gallery but it comprises of a good selection of art from traditional paintings to modern sculpture displayed in interesting spaces. The Art Gallery is also a part of the Henry Moore Institute, which comprises of galleries, an extensive sculpture research library and archive of sculptors papers - a space dedicated to sculpture.
A really interesting exhibition I saw was 'Fragment and Form': Emii Alrai, Mónica Mays, Dominique White, in the Henry Moore Institute
"The relationship between history, myth and materiality has been a central concern throughout the evolution of sculpture"
"From the enduring qualities of marble in classical depictions to the use of industrial and found materials more recently, sculptors have chosen materials not merely for their physical properties, but for their ability to deepen meaning and embody cultural, political, and spiritual narratives.
Fragment and Form will continue the dialogue between history and materiality in sculpture through the work of three contemporary artists: Emii Alrai, Mónica Mays and Dominique White. While distinct, the work of each artist converges in the exploration of heritage, displacement and the ways in which personal and collective histories are preserved, marginalised and contested through materiality.
The notion of history being both formed and fragmented resonates throughout the exhibition, finding parity in the artists’ material choices which so often serve as a metaphor for the complexities of representing history itself." - Curator Laurence Sillars
Follow Fragment and Form for more information.
This exhibition is now finished but keep your eye out for more. Leeds is a vibrant city only an hour train journey from Manchester, definitely worth a visit if you find yourself wanting to explore an interesting city filled with art and culture - Melissa
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BOLTON OPEN ART EXHIBITION
Bolton Open is back and returning to Bolton Museum in 2026! This is an exciting opportunity for artists who live, work, or study in Bolton to showcase their work.
- Submission dates are Thursday 29 January, 12 – 6pm and Saturday 31 January, 10 – 4pm. Download the Entry Form here for the Bolton Open. This contains information about submissions, exhibition, and prizes. Prizes to be won include: Winner’s Prize, Visitors’ Choice Award, Young Artist Award (between ages 16- 23). Shout out to students. This is a great opportunity for you to enter your work and have the chance of winning The young Artist Award, sponsored by Bolton At Home, and the Visitor’s Choice award is sponsored by Bromley's Art Supplies.
Here are some of our ex students and staff from the expressive arts department submitting their work 3 years ago at the first ever Bolton Open!
Exhibition Details
Good Luck - Melissa
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UCAS Creative Futures Fair. Manchester Central: Wednesday 12th Nov 2025
Important information about this year’s UCAS Creative futures fair held in Manchester on the 12th November 2025 .
PLEASE NOTE, this is not being run as a college trip however, learners can attend independently if they so wish. Learners will need to book using the link in the attached letter, provide proof of the booking to student information ( or myself ) and they will then be permitted an authorised absence for that day. This is a fantastic opportunity for learners to talk to a wide range of Creative Universities covering all the arts, from performance to painting, music production to fashion. There are also several opportunities to attend talks on a range of subjects, such as portfolio making and careers in the arts. If you have any questions about this event, please refer to your teams pages and emails sent out previously. Individuals MUST REGISTER THEMSELVES using this link. Select: 'Join group booking', enter the group booking reference, UCASBKN1307167 and follow the instructions to complete their individual registration. Learners should then book themselves onto any lectures and panels that will best suit their requirements. The college has been allocated a set number of tickets and want to make sure the people who need to be there get this opportunity. Therefore, please consider, this is an event for those of you who feel a career in the creative industries could be your chosen career path. Tickets are timed so you must aim to be at the venue as close to 10.30am on Wednesday 12th Nov 2025 at Manchester Central, Manchester, as you can. There is a 9.54 train from Bolton stops at Deansgate Station in plenty of time and costs around £3.15. Students travelling by bus can also make their way to Manchester Central, but please allow much more travel time including the journey across Manchester. The Citymapper app is full of great localised information and up to date route planners. Google maps is also a brilliant tool to use to get around town. The tickets allocation is 10.30-13.00 but we can stay as long as you need. Can I suggest you also make the most of being in Manchester with a visit to The Art Gallery or nearby Rylands Library or the Northern Quarter, would be my suggestions. Learners will then return to Bolton independently when they have finished. Previous Creative fairs have been excellent, with lots of advice and freebies to gather. So a fantastic opportunity to speak to potential Universities and courses. - Rob Here is a day in life video of someone helping out. To get a sense of what to expect....
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B6 EXPRESSIVE ARTS
🎄 CHRISTMAS STALL 🎄
- Debbie
This year our the Expressive Arts Christmas Stall will be ran in house at the Sixth Form. This will be a great opportunity for staff and students to support our expressive arts students as they showcase and produce specially made christmas cards, wrap, prints and other goodies for your friends and family. - Debbie
We look forward to seeing you at our stall!
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PHOTOGRAPHERS: QUICK LINKS
Here are a few links which might be useful for students that are interested in continuing photography in further education and/or wanting to pursue a career in the photography field.
Photographers, Audio-visual and Broadcasting Equipment Operators
Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators operate and assist with still, cine and television cameras, operate other equipment to record, manipulate and project sound and vision for entertainment, cultural, commercial and industrial purposes and operate drones to provide aerial video and photographs.
Photographer: job specification
What does a Photographer do? Photographers make pictures of a wide range of subject matter, often in response to a specific set of instructions (known as a ‘brief’) from a client (also known as a ‘commissioner’ or ‘buyer’). Traditionally, the photographer has only made still images, but more and more they are expected to be able to produce video (or ‘moving-image’) content too. - Tim
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🌿ANTHOTYPES🌿
Our Year 1 Art, Craft, Textiles and Design students have been looking at eco-friendly processes within their Botanical Project and this is one of them.
Anthotype is a natural photographic process, making photographs out of plant juices. It is a process that originated around the same time as cyanotypes. In fact the process was discovered by Mary Sommerville in 1842, who presented her findings to Sir John Herschel, who invented the cyanotype. In a nutshell, the process involves exposing a positive image on a surface coated with vegetable pigments to UV light in order to create a photograph. The parts exposed to the light will be bleached out while the covered parts retain the pigment. We used turmeric, but you can also use spinach, beetroot, berries, etc. Why not try it at home! - Gill