Students take part in Scottish Homecoming Sculpture Competition

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As part of the Scottish Homecoming celebrations, students from Ayr College are taking part in a sculpture competition to produce a design that represents local legend, Robert Burns.

The winning design, which, ideally, will be constructed from purely recycled materials, will take pride of place at the entrance to Ayr Central shopping centre. The design will be put together from the student’s blueprint by a local practising artist in time for Burns’ Birthday celebrations in May.

Ayr Central Management approached the college in November to ask if students would be interested in taking part in the competition. Twenty students from HNC Art and Design have already signed up and must submit their designs by the end of January.

The 20 students taking part in the competition will work in partnership with Ayr College’s media students. The media students will be required to collect information from their peers and the general public to find out how they perceive Burns. Their results will then be passed over to the Art and Design students to apply to their designs.

Ayr College’s Curriculum Manager for Visual Arts, Ian Downie, said: “It’s a great opportunity for our students to engage in a piece of public art like this. The sculpture will be here for years. The competition will also provide our students with a great opportunity to enhance their future portfolios. We wish all our students taking part the very best of luck!”

The top three designs will be chosen by staff from the college and will feature in the college’s exhibition taking place at Ayr Central early next month. All three students will receive cash prizes, courtesy of Ayr Central, and the public will decide which of the three should be winning design. The free exhibition, provisionally named ‘The Gathering’, will run from February 6th for one week and will feature additional art work by current and former students.

Art and Design courses at Ayr College are available from levels NC, HNC and HND on a full-time basis from the college’s Dam Park Campus.

For further information on Art and Design courses or any other course offered at Ayr College please contact 0800 1997 98 or visit www.ayrcoll.ac.uk.

Pictured (from left to right): David Gallagher, Ayr Central Manager, handing over the artistic brief to Ian Downie, Curriculum Manager for Visual Arts, and some of the HNC students taking part in the competition.