Keynes college launched their Virtual Festival of Arts between the 15 May – 5 June, with the aim to engage with students, create something uplifting and feel a sense of community, in what has been a difficult time for us all.

The response was phenomenal, with over 90 students entering across the University, with the hope that sometime next academic year, they’ll be a post-lockdown major exhibition in Keynes. There were 3 overall winners, who won cash prizes and will have the opportunity for their creation to be permanently displayed in Keynes.

Here are the 3 main winners:

In FIRST place, we have Silvia-Raisa Simeria’s digital visualisation ‘Hometown’.

She describes her work: ‘my visualisation attempts to recreate a seer looking into a crystal ‘cube’. The cube can be seen to represent the fixed and rigid aspects of the lockdown. The inside creatively represents some of the activities that I feel the seer and all of us long for within lockdown’.

In SECOND place, is Katie Roger’s music composition ‘Nocturne in D flat’, which she composed during lockdown. This piece is soothing, emotive and beautifully executed – a mindful moment for us all.You can listen to this piece via this Facebook page.

Winning THIRD place, is Jess Patrick’s ‘Four Walls’, poetry combined with photography, which explores the isolation people are experiencing in lockdown.

She describes it as a shared experience that can and will be conquered. We particularly like how the piece tells a story of lockdown that may resonate with many of us, expressing frustrations, sadness and ultimately hope.

One of Bethany Chater’s (Masters Officer. & College Support Co-ordinator)  favourites, is this:

The sculpture, called ‘Let that sink in!’ is by Mila Morelli and it won a highly commended award of ‘Best Contemporary Sculpture’. The artist said: ‘Because no amount of hand-washing can remove the fear and uncertainty that currently bubbles beneath the surface of society.’

You can enjoy viewing all of the entries via the virtual gallery on Virtual Festival of Arts Instagram page.

The entries and announcements of the highly commended winners can also be viewed on the Keynes Facebook page.

The College Life Team is also proud to present their newsletter which went out to all Keynes students and Alumni, during lockdown. You can access all the issues here, and enjoy some delicious recipes, exercise regimes, and guess the year of the golden oldie photos!

Happy reading!