University announces college creative competition winners

Launched in 2024 to an overwhelming national response, the competition returned this year with an exciting expansion, welcoming submissions from graphic design and illustration students alongside those studying fine art and photography. The initiative continues to highlight the exceptional creative talent within Southampton and across the wider region.

Reflecting the strong appetite for opportunities that champion early‑career creativity, this year’s Solent college competition received more than 250 submissions from further education students across the south of England, including Devon, Somerset, Hampshire, Sussex, London and Kent.

The winners were announced in Southampton’s Guildhall Square on Tuesday 28 April, in front of friends, family and members of the region’s art community.

And the winners are:

• The overall winner: Felix Preston from Brighton Metropolitan College
• First place Photography: Jayme-Grace Still Isle of Wight College
• First place Fine Art: Alexandra Jianu City of Portsmouth College
• First place Graphic Design: Kateryna Barabash Isle of Wight College
• First place Illustration: Malakai Hinton, Barton Peveril Sixth Form College

The ‘people’s choice’ - voted for by the audience during the well attended opening event on Tuesday evening - went to Amber Whitear from Southampton College, and  her abstract photograph of a water reflection.

Solent University Course Leader Photography, Nina Sverdvik, said: “It is so exciting to witness these emerging artists’ eagerness to share their creative vision. The exceptional quality of the entries has blown us away once again.

“We hope that this public exhibition experience in the centre of Southampton’s cultural quarter, just a short walk from the University will give the participating students confidence to pursue a career in the creative industries. This marks the first step of an incredible journey for every student that took part. Looking at the works in the exhibition, the future of the creative arts is bold and bright!”

To select the winning entries, Solent University once again partnered with ‘a space arts’ – an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation that has championed visual arts in Southampton for 25 years.

Daniel Crow, Chief Executive of ‘a space arts’, said: “It has been an honour to select the winning works again this year. Choosing from such a broad and high‑quality range of submissions was no easy task. It is hugely encouraging to see how talented the artists of tomorrow are, and how their work reflects the society we live in today.”