Christ the King student art exhibition at Lewisham Shopping Centre — Lewisham 2026

Key Points

• Christ the King Sixth Form College will hold its annual student art exhibition at Lewisham Shopping Centre from Friday 26 June to Sunday 28 June 2026, 10am–4pm.
• The free exhibition features 2D and 3D artwork, showreels, video projects and moving-image installations from UAL Level 2 and Level 3 Art & Design students and BTEC Creative Digital Media Production students.
• Work from pupils at ten local primary and secondary schools will also be displayed: St James the Great, St Thomas a Becket RC, St Joseph’s Deptford, St George’s C of E, St Anthony’s, Our Lady and St Philip Neri, Bonus Pastor Catholic College, St Paul’s Academy, St Matthew Academy and St Michael’s Catholic College.
• The event provides students an opportunity to present months of creative work to the public, fostering community engagement and visibility for emerging local talent.
• Paul Redden, Centre Director at Lewisham Shopping Centre, highlighted the centre’s support for local young creatives and encouraged public attendance.

Lewisham (South London News) June 27, 2026 – Christ the King Sixth Form College is staging its annual end-of-year student art exhibition at Lewisham Shopping Centre, running from Friday 26 June to Sunday 28 June 2026 between 10am and 4pm each day. The free public event will showcase work created by students on the college’s UAL Level 2 and Level 3 Art & Design courses and BTEC Creative Digital Media Production course, offering 2D and 3D artwork, showreels, video projects and moving-image installations.

Which students and schools are taking part in the showcase?

As reported by the college’s publicity materials, the exhibition includes outstanding pieces produced by Christ the King students alongside contributions from ten local primary and secondary schools: St James the Great Catholic Primary, St Thomas a Becket RC Primary School, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School (Deptford), St George’s Church of England Primary School, St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School, Our Lady and St Philip Neri Roman Catholic Primary School, Bonus Pastor Catholic College, St Paul’s Academy, St Matthew Academy and St Michael’s Catholic College.

The college says the collaborations celebrate emerging talent across the local community and reflect months of preparation by participating pupils.

What types of work will visitors see and how is it presented?

According to the event description supplied by Christ the King Sixth Form College, attendees can expect a broad mix of creative disciplines.

Display items include traditional 2D pieces such as drawings and paintings, three-dimensional works, and moving-image formats: showreels, short video projects and installations designed for public viewing.

The college emphasises that pieces represent the students’ academic and creative journeys and are intended to illustrate technical skills, conceptual development and personal narratives.

What did Lewisham Shopping Centre say about hosting the event?

Paul Redden, Centre Director at Lewisham Shopping Centre, said:

“We’re delighted to once again support Christ the King Sixth Form College by hosting this year’s student art exhibition at Lewisham Shopping Centre, providing a platform for young creatives to showcase their work to the wider community. The exhibition highlights not only the incredible talent, creativity and dedication of local students, but also the important role that arts and culture play in bringing people together. We encourage visitors to take the opportunity to explore the exhibition and celebrate the next generation of artists right here in Lewisham.”

This statement was provided by Lewisham Shopping Centre in promotional material for the event.

Who can attend and what can visitors expect when they arrive?

The college has made the exhibition free and open to the public across the three days. Visitors should be able to view the range of student work during the centre’s published exhibition hours, speak with participating students and staff where available, and experience moving-image pieces that will be shown as part of the display.

The public setting within the shopping centre is intended to increase accessibility and community exposure compared with a traditional campus gallery environment.

How does the exhibition fit into the students’ courses and assessments?

Christ the King Sixth Form College has positioned the exhibition as the culmination of coursework and creative projects completed by students on UAL (University of the Arts London) accredited Level 2 and Level 3 Art & Design courses and the BTEC Creative Digital Media Production course.

The showcase allows students to present work developed across an academic year — work that in many cases contributes to formal assessment, portfolios, and onward progression to higher education or employment in creative industries.

What is the significance of involving local primary and secondary schools?

The college describes the inclusion of ten local schools as an effort to celebrate collaboration and nurture emerging talent within the wider Lewisham community.

By bringing primary and secondary pupils’ work into a public exhibition alongside sixth-form work, organisers aim to strengthen pathways between early arts education and post-16 creative study, and to give younger pupils experience of presenting work in a public venue.

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Background of the development

Christ the King Sixth Form College runs UAL-linked Art & Design programmes and BTEC media courses that routinely culminate in public-facing showcases and end-of-year assessments.

Hosting exhibitions in community venues such as shopping centres is a recurring strategy among education providers to broaden audiences, increase accessibility and provide students with real-world presentation experience.

Lewisham Shopping Centre has previously partnered with local arts groups and schools to host cultural events, reflecting a wider trend of using retail spaces as community hubs for arts and outreach.

Prediction: how this development can affect local students, schools and the Lewisham community

• For participating students: public exhibition of their work can strengthen portfolios, boost confidence and provide networking opportunities with members of the public and potential employers or course recruiters. It may also assist in A-level/UAL/BTEC progression evidence.
• For partner primary and secondary schools: involvement increases visibility for pupils’ creative achievements, fosters connections with post-16 providers and may encourage pupils to pursue further arts education.
• For Lewisham Shopping Centre and the wider community: hosting the exhibition can drive footfall, diversify the centre’s events programme and reinforce its role as a community space; local residents gain free access to arts programming without travelling to galleries.
• For local cultural education provision: the collaboration highlights pathways between early arts education and further study, which could encourage future partnerships, funding or coordinated outreach between colleges and schools.