WestKing students explore local heritage and get inspired during Proud Places workshop

Art students from WestKing visit Guildford Place Fountain and take part in a creative clay workshop.

Students from Westminster Kingsway College’s (WestKing) King’s Cross Centre took part in a unique workshop facilitated by the youth engagement programme Proud Places. Proud Places is a London-wide programme run by the Heritage of London Trust aimed at inspiring young people using the hidden stories of the world around them.

Over two sessions on 13 and 14 June, a group of 21 students from Fine Art A Level and Art and Design – Level 1 Diploma courses visited nearby landmark Guildford Place Fountain in Bloomsbury with facilitators from Proud Places. 

The Guildford Place Fountain was built by architect Henry Darbishire in 1870. It was commissioned by the daughters of Mrs Francis Whiting in memory of their mother. The fountain features a sculptured marble figure of the ‘Woman of Samaria’ pouring water from a jug and combines themes of spiritual fulfilment, overcoming differences and maintaining meaningful connections with others. 

Originally, the fountain provided drinking water to local people but, after falling into disrepair, it was switched off. The historic fountain is currently being restored by the Heritage of London Trust and will soon return to its former use as a public drinking fountain.

Located just a short walk away from WestKing’s King’s Cross Centre, the visit to the Grade II listed fountain provided students with an excellent opportunity to engage with local history. During their visit, they learned about the fountain’s rich history and observed current restoration work. They met with the stonemasons involved to learn about their tools, materials and techniques. Students then completed a scavenger hunt and uncovered more interesting details about the fountain and the surrounding area.

Immediately after their visit, the students returned to the college for an arts-based workshop where they made coil pots inspired by what they had seen. They explored ideas and imagery to represent fulfilment as they designed their pots, creating a range of unique vessels. 

The visits and workshops provided students with greater insight into the practical applications of their subjects and allowed them to explore another potential career path. The students gained a great deal from the event and gave a range of positive feedback:

• “Exciting. Inspirational. It gave me an idea to learn new stuff.”
• “Connected with something that I didn’t have the interest in looking for – but now that I had people to share that with, I can really say I’m excited to learn more.”
• “You’re always around history so it’s important to understand it.” 

Oran Tarjan​, Employability and Progression Lead at WestKing said: “This was one of the most inspiring workshops that I had the pleasure of organising for our students. The students really gained so many new skills and knowledge throughout the whole experience – not just about local history but also about potential career paths they can go down with their artistic skills.”

Abbie Rise, Proud Places Coordinator, said: “It was a pleasure to work with the students and teachers at Westminster Kingsway College. They seemed really engaged during the stonemasonry demonstration and Q&A and made some stunning coil pots during the creative workshop.”

If you have an interest in Art and Design, take a look at our excellent range of Art, Design and Fashion Courses.

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