Over the last two years, Level 2 and 3 Creative Industries students at Kirklees College have been collaborating on various projects with the Dewsbury Arcade Group. The student’s work is centered around the Dewsbury Arcade, which is a focal point of Kirklees Council’s Dewsbury Blueprint regeneration project, and is currently undergoing major reconstruction. The historic arcade, which was once the epicenter of Dewsbury’s retail sector, will be reopened in Summer 2025 as the UK’s first community-run shopping centre.
To promote the Arcade’s reopening, the student’s work about the Arcade is currently on display in an exhibition at the Princess of Wales Shopping Centre in Dewsbury town centre. The artwork on display is from the last two academic years, and showcases the student’s individual styles and interpretations of briefs given to them by the Arcade Group.
In 2022/23, Level 3 Art and Design students produced artwork using a brief which challenged them to create pieces which reflected a ‘Sense of Home’, using The Arcade and the town centre as inspiration. In the same year, Level 2 Media Students produced ‘montage’ artwork using a brief which challenged them to produce pieces for the Arcade cafe walls, using the Arcade as inspiration.
Last year, Level 3 Art and Design students produced artwork using a brief challenging them to create pieces which reflected a ‘Sense of Community’, using the Arcade and the town centre as inspiration. This year, Level 3 Art and Design students are set to produce marketing and ‘mood board’ images, using the marketing plan and vision for the Arcade as inspiration.
Mike Mawson, Heritage Link Worker for the Arcade Group said:
“It has been fantastic to work with Kirklees College and its talented students on these projects over the last few years. Their artwork looks incredible in the exhibition space and is great promotion for the Arcade Group, helping the local community get excited about the work we are doing in Dewsbury.”
Mike has also created a 2025 calendar that includes the student’s artwork, which is available to buy from the exhibition centre and Greenwood’s, Dewsbury’s oldest shop. £1 from the sale of each calendar will go to Dewsbury Community Outreach, a charity which supports disadvantaged local residents.
Applications for Art and Design and Media courses at Kirklees College starting in September 2025 are now open. Click here to browse our offer apply now for an Art and Design course.
