College Arts Show Celebrates Creativity Across Disciplines
Now in its second year as a full College-wide showcase, the Arts Show once again brought together an extraordinary range of creativity across fashion, performance, and media.
Elliot Hall was reimagined into a dynamic arts venue, where over forty Wearable Arts entries shared the stage with auditioned dance groups, student short films, and interviews with young visual artists. The result was a seamless evening where disciplines interwove—choreographed movement flowed into bold costume design, while cinematic storytelling was punctuated by live commentary and artistry.
The Wearable Arts competition remained the anchor of the evening, adjudicated by alumna and former Arts Prefect Mackenzie Alley (2023), Head of Faculty Creative Arts, Rodney Stratton, and Shelley Ferguson, who brought over twenty years of industry experience in interior and fashion magazines to the judges table. Categories ranged from sustainability to world-inspired themes, each brimming with imagination and technical skill.
- Within Your World Winner: Painted Reality (Chloe Van Schalkwyk)
- Out of this World Winner: The Fragile Bloom (Ciara Manley, Emma Zhang, Louise Ling)
- Around the World Winner: Tears of Baihe (Yaren Hao)
- Light Up the World Winner: Luminescence of Bloom (Cortney Wong, Chelcey Tsui, Kayley Chai, Leanna Park)
- Sustainability Winner: Best Dressed at Okotoberfest (Helene Stoof, Amalia Stoof)
- Middle School Winner: Kracking Kiwi (Ellen Dimech, Zali Jeffery)
- Senior School Winner: Re: Incarnation (Beatrix Chau, Kate Sung, Victoria Lin)
Visual Arts competition winners were also announced during the evening.
- Year 7 to 8 Winner: Alex Zhong (Runner-up: Angela Chen)
- Year 9 to 10 Winner: Cindy Yu (Runner-up: Jessica Jin)
- Year 11 to 13 Winner: Lucy Lin (Runner-up: Yaran Hao)
There was no shortage of variety, on the night audiences enjoyed auditioned dance groups performing student choreography and Middle School performers showcasing fresh talent. Several of the College’s top short films were screened, giving students the chance to share perspective and ideas through story.
The Arts Show proved a vibrant showcase of the many disciplines at our College, bringing fashion, performance, film, and visual art together on one stage. It highlighted not only individual talent, but also those students who crossed multiple categories to demonstrate versatility in their artistry. What lingers long after the lights fade is the balance between boldness of ideas and softness in delivery. Creativity has a way of making complex or even taboo themes accessible; and that is what the College Arts Show left impressed upon each audience member.
