UAL Extended Diploma in Photography student Katie Peacock is the winner of the Jan Secker Award for Overcoming Challenges. This award and the Tim Leah-Adams Award for Technical Excellence in Photography are named in memory of much-loved colleagues who we sadly lost several years ago Tim Leah-Adams and Jan Secker. The school community in consultation with the families have decided to award learners that show the outstanding qualities that our colleagues held dear.

Staff that nominated Katie for the award said “for the Jan Secker Award this student has developed themselves through multiple creative avenues to a level which has exceeded their own expectation. The student who receives this award tonight has travelled through anxious and adverse hardship; coming from a non-artistic family, this student has worked tirelessly to demonstrate to not just others but themselves that they can successfully pursue a career in the creative arts.

During their time at the School, they have grown in extreme confidence, exploring many varying materials and techniques whilst working alongside several industry professionals. Their success is also evidenced through their participation in multiple art exhibitions; Kirkleatham Walled Garden, Pineapple Black Gallery & The Redcar 500 to name a few.”

Katie from Middlesbrough joined us from The Kings Academy, Middlesbrough and is going on to study Fine Art at degree level, find out more about her work and next steps by reading on below.

Why did you choose to study at The Northern School of Art:

I chose to study at the Northern School of Art because it is the only college fully dedicated to the Creative Arts in the Northeast. I was apprehensive at first, however after viewing the college and meeting the lecturers I felt excited to study there.

When studying for my diploma, I found that it has improved my confidence and outlook on the creative industry. My lecturers were particularly helpful because they are also creatives who are experienced in their fields. The opportunities which The Northern School of Art has introduced me to have been helpful for my personal and academic growth as a young creative.

Tell us about your FMP:

My FMP project concept was based on relationships; I primarily documented the people around me, this was quite a personal concept to base my work around because I went into depth about why and how the relationships in my life affect me. I delved into analogue processes such as 35mm film and darkroom processes, which was the backbone of my project, and it strengthened my ideas and research I conducted.

You won the Jan Secker Award for Overcoming Challenges! How does it feel?

When I won the Jan Secker Award, I felt so nervous to be nominated but pleased to be recognised and win. I have faced hardships in my work, but my dedication to my photography absolutely paid off.

Tell us about your favourite memory at the school!

My favourite memory of my time at the Northern School of Art academically was when I conducted photoshoots with my friends and boyfriend throughout my FMP. It was amazing to combine my social life with my college work, it made the work feel less straining and more fun. Socially, my favourite memories all stem from the trips we went on, my personal favourite being when we visited Newcastle to view different exhibitions.

What are your future steps?

My plan for the future is to study Fine Art at Lancaster University, I am looking forward to integrating my photographic practices into a more contemporary and abstract setting.

Any advice for future students looking to study here?

My honest advice to students applying for Extended Diploma Photography is to not be consumed by stereotypes surrounding having expensive equipment and resources to be able to flourish as a beginner photographer. I had dived into this course with not much photography experience, coming from an Art and Design background, but I was instantly surrounded by support from the beginning, helping me to succeed in the practice.

You can see more of Katies work on her Instagram @kaytiekalopsia and her website: Katiepeacockportfolio@blogspot.com

Our diploma in photography offers students the opportunity to engage with the language of photography via a series of assignments, explore a range of darkroom and digital techniques alongside developing a technical understanding of the practice. Research and experimentation are key to this diploma which has seen it’s student go on to a number of exciting work opportunities and higher education pathways. Places are still available for a September start find out more about the course here.