Digital artwork created by 13- and 14-year-olds at Carlton Bolling lit up the school as it was projected on to their Sports Centre at a celebration event with their peers, families and teachers.
“The Avocado Chase” stop-motion animation was created collaboratively by students at Carlton Bolling, with digital artist duo Virpi Kettu and Paul Miller as part of the Bradford Digital Creatives project, which empowers young people to express their stories through digital artforms. The project, which is delivered by Born in Bradford and the National Science and Media Museum as part of the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture programme, is funded and supported by Bradford 2025, Born in Bradford, Bradford Council and Arts Council England.
Ten students planned and storyboarded the animation, crafted each character from clay, directed and filmed the stop-motion, and designed the projection mapping onto their school building with the professional artists, learning new skills along the way.
Lindsay Wilson, Deputy Headteacher at Carlton Bolling said: “The students’ hard work over the last month was rewarded with a very special event at the school with their families and friends. The smiles on the faces of the students and parents said it all – what a wonderful evening and a celebration of outstanding work. A huge thank you to the Bradford Digital Creatives team, and Paul and Virpi for their creativity and enthusiasm. This is something the students will never forget.”
Sarah Charlton, Director of School Improvement at Carlton Academy Trust, added: “The highlight of the evening was seeing the students’ faces and hearing them explain their amazing work to their parents – what an absolute triumph.”
Clare Leavey, Senior Project Manager for Bradford Digital Creatives, said:
“Seeing these young creatives bring their ideas to life through digital art and projection mapping has been nothing short of inspiring. This project is about giving young people a voice, new skills, and the confidence to explore their creative potential in an increasingly digital world – and ‘The Avocado Chase’ is a testament to their imagination and hard work. We can’t wait to share their work with a wider audience at the National Science and Media Museum this summer as part of Bradford’s City of Culture celebrations.”
Follow the hashtag #ImADigitalCreative for updates.