Artwork by students from the University of Westminster have been selected for display at an exhibition in London’s Angel Central titled Our Power, Our Planet – this year’s Earth Day theme. The exhibition marks the second annual collaboration between the University of Westminster and Angel Central, celebrating Earth Day and emphasising the power of collective action in protecting the planet.
Earth Day has been held every year on 22 April since 1970 and has become an occasion to mark appreciation of the planet and warn of the unsustainable environmental degradation resulting from human activity.
The free exhibition launched on 1 May at the Central Piazza in Angel Central, where the work of 12 Westminster students will be displayed until the end of May. The work was selected following a competition by the Quintin Hogg Trust (QHT)-funded project Facing the Public, led by Professor Pippa Catterall, Professor of History and Policy. This project encouraged students to create art using a variety of forms including photography, craft, design and poetry to engage with the powerful messages behind Earth Day.
The exhibition reflects on the theme, focusing on climate action and collective responsibility, highlighting how communities, governments and individuals can harness their power to drive meaningful environmental change. This is the second annual arts collaboration between Westminster and Angel Central, following the successful exhibition in 2024.
Ranging from History BA Honours student Joanne Karbritz’s reflections on the relationship between recycling and supporting communities to the satire of Architecture Postgraduate Diploma Professional Practice (RIBA Part III) student Ollie Astley’s mock scratch card, the students’ creative responses serve to inform, engage and challenge thinking about the climate emergency.
Professor Pippa Catterall said: “It’s great to be collaborating with Angel Central again to mark Earth Day as part of my QHT-funded Facing the Public project. Facing the Public is very much what we are doing here, bringing a range of innovative, witty and moving artworks and poems by Westminster students into a busy shopping centre in Islington. Sustainability is such an important aspect of the mission of the University of Westminster and this exhibition really highlights the challenges of climate change as well as innovative proposals for upcycling.”
Hannah Stevens, Contemporary Media Practice BA Honours (now Creative Media Arts BA Honours) student, added: “Participating in this exhibition has been an incredible experience which I am very thankful for. As I prepare to graduate this July, this showcase serves as my first public display of work, opening the door for my near future. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to create for such an important cause and have my work exhibited. This is the beginning of many more exhibitions to come!”
The exhibition directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 13: Climate Action and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about Art, Design and Visual Culture courses at the University of Westminster.
