Under Debbie’s guidance, the students delved into the field of entrepreneurship, brainstorming ideas and pooling their creative talents to create products for sale. The result was the creation of the group 'Hermitage Art Collective (by MOYA)', which seen them produce an eye-catching perspective design based on the school building. The pupils created postcards from four students designs, selling almost 200 sets at £2. The profit was then put towards their end of year celebrations.
Speaking about the experience, one student remarked, "The collaboration with MOYA taught me so much about entrepreneurship and working alongside other creatives. It gave me a peek into working in the creative industries and adapting ideas into one group response.
At first I was dead set on studying Fine Art at university, but after the collaboration with MOYA I realised my passion and interest in designing - and I'm off to study a General Foundation course. Thank you МОYА!
Another student expressed, "I really enjoyed participating in the MOYA course this year. It allowed me to build on my confidence and business skills. I would definitely recommend this course to younger pupils that are going into 6th year.”
Teachers at Hermitage Academy lauded the impact of the Creative Industries course on student success, with Joyce Ryan stating,
Their involvement and experience of creative industries has had a big impact on their success. It has really broadened their art experiences.
Rachel Paterson, also from Hermitage Academy, emphasised the invaluable experiences gained by students through the MOYA initiative, highlighting its role in equipping students with practical skills for self-employment and creative endeavours.
“West planned and adapted course material to meet the needs of all our students, offering and practical hands-on sessions and support where needed in creative projects, working for yourself and how to use social media for business.
Our students were equipped to plan, organise and action their creative ideas, seeing them make a profit from their postcard business and realise logo designs across multiple platforms, from stickers to hoodies.
Lecturer, Debbie Dennett, expressed her delight in witnessing the students' growth throughout the program. "The MOYA program aims to develop confidence in networking and entrepreneurial skills for students," she explained. "Witnessing their journey through decisions on content, style, target market, and price point was, for me, the standout part of the process."
The success of the Hermitage Art Collective not only showcased the students' artistic talents but also underscored the potential for creative thinking across various career paths.
‘I hope that these students can take away that their creative skills don’t necessarily have to be linked to the more traditional skills of art and design, that there is potential to harness creative thinking and talents on many different career paths."