Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Leeds Beckett University students scoop cash prizes in short film competition marking city-wide partnership
The competition was organised by Columbia Threadneedle Investments, who launched a call-out for digital content to display on the new LED screen in the reception at 8 Park Row. The competition received 25 entries from Leeds School of Arts students, all of which were custom-made short films for the unique, five-metre-high screen. The entries spanned across three subjects: Fine Art, Games Design and Graphic Design.
To celebrate the amazing work submitted, Columbia Threadneedle Investments offered three prizes of £250 each to the award-winning students whose films will now be on display. The winners are BA (Hons) Fine Art student William Gallagher, BA (Hons) Graphic Design student Abin Wilson and BA (Hons) Games Design student Katherine Jackson.
Arts Project Manager Simon Bushell, who coordinated this unique collaboration, said: “The standard of work across the three subject groups was incredibly high, with all students submitting unique and thoughtful films.
“Selecting three prize-winners from such quality was not an easy task, but William, Katherine and Abin are worthy winners and should be very proud. This is the first collaboration of its kind between Columbia Threadneedle Investments and Leeds School of Arts, and I think we can look forward to many more!”
The three students who won the prizes will now have their films displayed in a showreel on the media screen at 8 Park Row throughout the summer, an opportunity for them to take their work further at city level.
William Gallagher said: “I am extremely grateful for receiving the prize and will be investing it in a camera. When creating my short film, I was thinking about regeneration, recycling and renewal and I am so happy it received an award.”
Abin Wilson said: “I am overjoyed and grateful for Columbia Threadneedle's exciting offer. I saw this brief as an opportunity to demonstrate my editing and creative abilities. I did some study on the company and discovered that they are concerned about sustainability and the environment. So, I wanted to make a connection between investment and nature. The unifying thread between these two is 'growth' and this became my main idea for the video.”
Katherine Jackson said: “I feel honoured to have been chosen when there were such amazing entries. It was a great creative experience. It was my first time entering my artwork into a competition; I wanted to use it as a way to build my confidence and seeing it on the screen in front of so many people helped me achieve that.”
Dr Alan Dunn, Reader in Fine Art at Leeds Beckett University, said: "This has been a fantastic opportunity for our students to get out into the city and create works for this stunning new screen. They all responded to different aspects of the Environmental Social Governance theme with a shared interest in the notion of 'care' - for each other, for animals and the planet.
“We had Fine Art entries from all three years, many of whom have had Covid-affected studies, so for them it was extra special to be able to express their empathy for others through this project."