Students were given the opportunity to design a standout poster and motion graphic storyboard to promote Movies to Musicals - A Night of Musical Theatre Magic, an upcoming event at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal in March.

This spectacular evening promises an unforgettable showcase featuring West End stars Tobias Turley and Lizzie Bea alongside some of Scotland’s brightest new talents in musical theatre.

Understanding the importance of hands-on industry experience, Ross Gunning extended this unique creative opportunity to graphic design students, providing them with the chance to work on a live project and enhance their portfolios. After reviewing several imaginative submissions, Ross selected two standout designs with great potential for further development, awarding first and second place to two talented students whose work will now play an integral role in promoting the highly anticipated event.

The Winners

1st Place: Valentina Donos from Chișinău - Valentina impressed judges with her creativity, earning £50 in cash and two tickets to the event, along with the invaluable experience of working on the professionally printed programme for the show.

Student Valentina Donos said,

Working on this project was an incredible experience.

'It pushed my creativity and attention to detail, and seeing the final piece come together was so rewarding. I’m thrilled it resonated with others, and winning first place was a huge honour!"

2nd Place: Jo-Ann Atkinson from Renfrew - Jo-Ann’s design skills earned her £30 in cash and two tickets to the show. She will also have the opportunity to fine-tune her poster design for the event.

Student Jo-Ann Atkinson said, "I really enjoyed working on the Movies to Musicals project. As someone who is really into musical theatre, it was exciting to design a poster for an event like this, and even more exciting to win 2nd place and tickets to attend.

I'm excited to edit my poster and make it perfect for the event, and to see the show in March."

Ross Gunning, Producer and Musical Director of Movies to Musicals, was delighted with the collaboration and the students' work. He commented, "It has been a pleasure working with the graphic design students on the 11th annual concert for Movies to Musicals.

Seeing the students creating new ideas and visions on what is a brand that has been going since 2015 really helps the company gain valuable input into how we can grow and achieve more.

'I thank all the students for their time and efforts."

This collaboration has provided a rare opportunity for emerging designers to bring their work to a real-world audience, setting them up with valuable industry experience and an impressive addition to their CVs and portfolios. The Movies to Musicals concert on March 2, 2025, at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal will undoubtedly shine a spotlight on West End talent and rising stars, with the designs by these talented students adding an exciting visual dimension to the event’s promotional campaign.