Harbour House and Kingsbridge Community College offer students’ unique opportunities - Harbour House is thrilled to continue its vibrant partnership with Kingsbridge Community College (KCC), showcasing the incredible talent of A-Level students in an exhibition at Harbour House Gallery. This year’s exhibition, curated by and installed by KCC students across a range of media, will open to the public on Friday 28 February and run until Saturday 22 March. Since 2022, Harbour House and KCC have worked hand-in-hand to offer students a unique opportunity to display their artwork in a professional, public setting. This ongoing collaboration not only provides invaluable exposure for young artists but also allows them to gain hands-on experience in an art curation process. Harbour House’s dedicated team of curators and art professionals generously share their expertise, guiding students through the intricacies of organising a successful exhibition. Education and Engagement Curator, Dr Beth Richards shares: “Through this ongoing partnership, we’ve seen how the arts can be a powerful tool for young people to express their voices, engage with their communities, and cultivate critical and creative thinking skills.”

This exhibition is just one aspect of the successful partnership between Harbour House and KCC. As part of KCC’s enrichment programme, Harbour House ran the Creative Leadership Group, where a select group of students worked alongside practicing artists from across Devon and Cornwall. Over the past two years, this programme has empowered students to take on leadership roles, curating and delivering a series of inspiring workshops and exhibitions in and around Kingsbridge. These exhibitions have included events such as; The Great Turning: Tidal Signals, Tidal Cycles (Oct 2023), Sixth Sense (March 2024), Crepuscular Creatures as part of Kingsbridge Nature Festival (June 2024), KCCreates (June 2024) and Community Programme Exhibition: The Bird and the Rhino (Jan 2025).

Previous sixth form student, Phoebe Carpenter, who has greatly benefited from this partnership shares: “I will be forever grateful for the opportunities Harbour House has created for me. ”Harbour House remains deeply committed to providing a free, inclusive programme of arts and wellbeing events that leave a lasting impact on the local community. Looking ahead, Harbour house is excited to continue its collaboration with KCC. Future plans include providing a continued exhibition space, working with sixth-form students on their enrichment programmes, and offering life drawing lessons supported by local contemporary artists. Together, Harbour House and KCC are nurturing the next generation of creative talent and empowering students to make their mark on the world of art.