By Mickey van Tonder (Redbrick Newspaper), Katie Wain (Impact Magazine), Amelia Cropley (Impact Magazine) and Cassandra Fong (Redbrick Newspaper)
Whether orchestrating events, or bringing an exhibition to life, young creatives are shaping the cultural landscape in the Midlands with fresh perspectives and boundless energy.
Blaze Lyndon and Mària Konyelicska-Visky
“The impact students have on the arts is undeniable,” says Maria Konyelicska-Visky, Marketing and Communications Manager at Nottingham’s Lakeside Arts centre.
Click here to visit Lakeside Arts’ Instagram
“They don’t just participate; they innovate, bringing contemporary relevance to traditional institutions.
“Students are crucial to our arts scene.”
For Mària early exposure to the arts industry played a crucial role in shaping her career. Growing up immersed in music, drama, and poetry, she developed an affinity for creative expression.
And while studying for a masters in Art History at the University of Nottingham (UoN), a lecturer connected her with a local gallery and auction house.
That short-term placement turned into a five-year working relationship.
Another creative soul contributing to the Nottingham arts scene is UoN International Media and Communications student Blaze Lyndon.
Alongside her studies she works as a Digital Marketing and Admin Assistant at Lakeside.
An internship helped her develop the skills she now uses in her role.
“I did lots more than just marketing and communications,” she says. “I had to be aware of exhibitions and more… to be able to effectively market it.”
Her work required a deep understanding of audience engagement, exhibition planning, and cultural trends – skills that now shape their success in the role.
Many art institutions cater primarily to older, middle-class audiences. But student involvement is shifting that dynamic, making the arts feel more inclusive and representative.
Blaze stressed the importance of reliability and showing genuine commitment to a gallery’s mission, through professionalism, adaptability, and a proactive attitude to open doors to new opportunities.
Mària also points out that relevant experience doesn’t have to be strictly arts related.
She said: “I’ve interviewed and hired science students who clearly had a strong passion for the arts and made a compelling case for the transferrable skills they’d gained from other work experiences.”
Skills like communication, problem-solving, and project management are universally valuable and can help students transition into an art career, regardless of their academic background.
Katie Keddie
For many students and local artists, performing is an opportunity to exercise their passion without the pressure of uncertainty in the industry – but simply for the art of doing it.
For Katie Keddie, 29 year old UoN PhD student and indie folk musician, performing and researching go hand in hand.
She said: “What I’m doing in my studies aligns very well with community interests through not only entertaining, but providing an environmentally conscious atmosphere for all.”
Katie is currently exploring urban environmental transformation with a focus on social justice and emotion.
Katie came to Nottingham in 2019 to study for her Masters in Environmental Leadership and Management.
She describes the city as “a great place to have started out due to it being so community-focused, their grassroots, and a friendly place to be to make your way into the music scene and the industry.”
She is now a regular performer at Nottingham’s most popular festivals, including Dot-to-Dot and the Hockley Hustle festival.
The latter raised over £220,000 for charity by showcasing local artists.
She described Hockey Hustle as having done “a beautiful job of celebrating diversity and community spirit of the city.”
Katie is also an integral part of the festival’s sustainability initiatives which go hand in hand with her degree.
For Katie, Nottingham was the ideal city to start out with open mic nights and performing at venues. Everyone in the industry knew each other, which made it increasingly easy for Katie to become an integral part of the Nottingham nightlife and culture.
Katie soon achieved her headlining release at The Bodega, and supported Amber Run and Myles Smith at Rescue Rooms. Katie describes these venues as “the pillars of Nottingham’s music community.”
Although there is a struggle for creatives to be considered as credible artists, the city of Nottingham holds them in high regard and benefits from their vibrancy and creativity.
Katie’s performances in Nottingham opened up many opportunities further afield in Liverpool, Norwich, Bath and London.
Ella Moxon
Ella Moxon, student artist better known as Vulva Saint, discussed the challenges scholars face when entering the arts industry, and the importance of self-acceptance as a young person.
She said: “I was super-duper insecure before I became an artist and now I just don’t care.
“Art helped me to escape the expectations of the male gaze that I tried so hard to meet during secondary school.”
Ella spoke of her experiences of not feeling particularly connected to the culture-scene, but being prompted by one of her art teachers who showed her the work of English artist Sarah Lucas.
Click here to visit Ella’s Instagram
Originally from East Sussex, she said: “I actually used to hate art and I remember in GCSE I just didn’t get it.
“To me, it was about drawing the perfect eye and ‘oh, that looks nothing like me’ type of self-portraits.”
“I fell down a rabbit hole of primarily studying artist women.”
Ella describes herself as a “fat, queer, woman artist riddled with ADHD.” She only began to embrace these labels in recent years.
Ella emphasised the importance of self-nurturing when it comes to being both a young artist and person.
“I started to draw my body, looking at and focusing on certain insecurities. It was a form of therapy, I think. I got so confident in my fat hairy body that I was actually proud to show it to people. And that was the power of art.”
UoB Guild Drama
For UoB student creatives, theatre takes centre stage. The Guild Drama is a group made up of nine separate societies which contribute to a rich cultural scene on campus and beyond. They coexist within the student union, and range from classical to pantomimes and comedy.
Each produces several shows per semester, and have previously staged productions at various festivals such as the Edinburgh Fringe.
These opportunities allow students to showcase their work to a broader audience, gaining valuable experience and exposure. Open to all students of any experience levels, they are rewarding spaces for creativity to flourish.
Infinity Stage Company stands out for donating all its proceeds to charity year after year. Their performances are characterized by innovative storytelling that often tackles contemporary themes and challenges. By using the stage as a platform for social commentary, they engage students not only in the arts but also in broader societal issues.
The appeal of the improvisational comedy that comes from the parodies of student group Watch This cannot be denied. Their performances lie in a commitment to audience engagement and the spontaneity of improvisation, where no two shows are ever the same.
And, of course, the oldest society Article 19’s reinterpretation of classical works (including a yearly outdoors performance in the garden) continues to shine as students take on old masterpieces and make them relevant for a contemporary audience.
The process of reinterpretation is a collaborative effort, involving students from various disciplines such as literature, drama, and visual arts. This interdisciplinary approach enriches their productions, offering fresh perspectives on timeless texts.
Award-winning Panto society boasts elaborate stage sets and an enthusiastic committee. Their energetic performances blend humour, music, and audience interaction. The society’s commitment to quality is reflected in their meticulous planning and execution.
Importantly, these societies serve as platforms for varied voices and narratives. By empowering students to write, direct, and perform their own works, Guild Drama promotes an inclusive environment where all stories can be told as it continues to evolve, making it a profoundly vital part of the student experience and a cornerstone of campus life.
From the charitable endeavours of Infinity Stage Company to the irreverent humour of Watch This, each society adds its unique flavour to the theatrical landscape.