Bay Campus Photo By Dŵr-Y-Felin Student Shortlisted In St. Modwen 30th Anniversary Schools’ Competition

St. Modwen, the UK’s leading regeneration specialist, has announced the seven finalists in its national schools’ photography competition to mark the company’s thirtieth anniversary. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Among those shortlisted are Leanne Witts, from Dŵr-y-Felin Comprehensive School in Neath, with her entry (left) which features St. Modwen’s new £450m Bay Campus development for Swansea University. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

‌Entitled ‘Making Places’, the St. Modwen competition was launched in April this year to secondary schools across England and Wales, asking GCSE art students to capture the theme of place making through the medium of photography. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

More than 400 students from across the UK took part in the competition, which involved a series of individual schools workshops hosted by Stephen Burke, photographer for the Telegraph and the Financial Times and a member of award-winning, contemporary art organisation WERK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Between April and June, the workshops took place at individual St. Modwen development sites across the UK, including the University’s spectacular new Bay Campus. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

They provided the students with insightful guidance on how to encapsulate the theme of place making and a sense of community through photography, in addition to offering careers advice in this field. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In July, each participating school submitted their best entry, from which the seven finalists were selected. Dŵr-y-Felin Comprehensive School led the charge in Wales and Leanne’s entry beat submissions from students from 29 other schools to make the final shortlist. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Commenting on the competition and Leanne’s shortlisted entry, Stephen Burke said: “We have had an overwhelming response to the competition and a very high standard of entry. I have thoroughly enjoyed each of the workshops and engaging with the schools. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Leanne’s entry was shortlisted because it captured the essence of place making. The seven finalists should be congratulated on each their entries and we look forward to unveiling the winner on September 27.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Bill Oliver, Chief Executive, St. Modwen said: “Increasingly, St. Modwen is building new schools and colleges as part of our UK-wide regeneration programme. To date we have delivered a new University campus, three colleges, three new schools, and currently have 13 more such projects planned in our development pipeline. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We already have a schools engagement programme in place, but we wanted to use our thirtieth anniversary to link education with regeneration, art and urban design. Not only has the photography competition achieved this, but it has also enabled us to capture what regeneration looks like in 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Furthermore, the participating students are growing up with live regeneration projects on their doorstep and the competition has helped them to explore their community whilst appreciate the history of their community and understand what it is that gives a true sense of place to any community.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The winning photograph will be judged by a panel of industry leading judges and announced on September 27, at a ceremony hosted by the Prince’s Foundation for Building Community. The ceremony will follow a morning ‘place making workshop’ by Max Farrell at Sir Terry Farrell’s architectural practice in London. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The winning prize is state-of-the-art camera and £3,000 towards the school’s art department. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​