Sixth-form students use art to explore the future of the planet

  • Published

More than 180 sixth-form students from 64 colleges in England reflect on sustainability and the challenges facing the environment, in online exhibition Planet Future.

An animated pictures of a woman and man showing two different versions of life. One with beautiful depiction of nature landscape and the other chaos and destructionImage source, Trinity Fairman
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Finding a balance, by Trinity Fairman, from Windsor College, Berkshire

"The sustainability agenda has never been more important and the exhibition highlights students' hopes and fears about the future, while also showcasing their enormous creativity and innovation," said the UK government's former minister for skills, Alex Burghart, who launched the exhibition.

Bill Watkin, chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA), external, which coordinated the exhibition, said: "These works indicate how young people are feeling about our climate and the environment.

"It is imperative that we keep the arts in education secure and flourishing.

"If young people are to make a truly valuable contribution to society, even if they are to be successful scientists, engineers, doctors and technicians, they need to develop their creative skills, their artistic sensitivities and their ability to interact with others."

Here is a selection of work from the exhibition.

Two girls, one is wearing a bright knitted garment and the other is in white holding a sign that reads 'protect our oceans'Image source, Dulcie Donaldson
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Botanical, by Dulcie Donaldson, from Cirencester College, Gloucestershire

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A tree broken in halfImage source, Eleigh-Mae Wood
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Broken, by Eleigh-Mae Wood, from St John Rigby College, Wigan

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An abstract picture of nature with grass and leaves.Image source, Sean Stobart
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Changing Landscape, by Sean Stobart, from Durham Sixth Form Centre

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A collage made of leaves and stringsImage source, Bethany Lipscombe
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Decaying Future, by Bethany Lipscombe, from Long Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge

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An animated man stares at a maze shaped as a clockImage source, Sai Earl-Beckley
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Doomsday, by Sai Earl-Beckley, from Durham Sixth Form Centre

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A picture of a block of ice with the words 'you can't freeze the clock, act now'Image source, Nathan Dixon
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Freeze, by Nathan Dixon, from Runshaw College, Leyland, Lancashire

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Two hands placed on a globeImage source, Bianca Osei-Owusu
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In Our Hands?, by Bianca Osei-Owusu, from Christ the King Sixth Forms, south London

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A picture of a plant without leaves with the moon in the backgroundImage source, Ellie Johnston
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Last Plant Standing, by Ellie Johnston, from Wilberforce Sixth Form College, Hull

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Collages made out of pollution found in the oceanImage source, Aliesha Bayliss
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Marine Plastic Pollution, by Aliesha Bayliss, from King Edward VI College, Stourbridge, Dudley

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An animation of a tree with a skeleton face coming out of the rootImage source, Peter Symonds
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Nature and Mankind, by Serge Wynne, from Peter Symonds College, Winchester, Hampshire

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Decaying plasticImage source, Anna Kinstler
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Plastic Growth, by Anna Kinstler, from Greenhead College, Huddersfield

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A shot of a fish in a glass of waterImage source, Deividas Bukauskas
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Plastic in the Oceans, by Deividas Bukauskas, from Havering Sixth Form College, Hornchurch

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A shot of a triangular art piece in the middle of the oceanImage source, Ellie Harling
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Rising Sea, by Ellie Harling, from Worcester Sixth Form College

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A shot of litter such as Coke cans under the seaImage source, Salem Ahmed
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Save Ocean, by Salem Ahmed, from Bolton Sixth Form College

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A shot of a housing estate and underneath is a view of fish under waterImage source, Sophie Ferguson
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Submerge, by Sophie Ferguson, from St Vincent College, Hampshire

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An animation of a tiger and the body shows a view of trees and wildfireImage source, Frankie Sharp
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When Will the Fires Stop?, by Frankie Sharp, from the College of Richard Collyer, West Sussex

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Three images side by side each depicting a way to hold the 'world' with the first one being insects, second an image of the earth and third plantsImage source, Victoria Ward
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World in our Hands, by Victoria Ward, from the College of Richard Collyer, West Sussex

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A young boy poses arms spread in a field of yellow flowersImage source, Flossie Hills
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Yell-o, by Flossie Hills, from Esher Sixth Form College, Surrey

Planet Future runs until 15 August, external.

All photographs subject to copyright.