Success at WOW event
BAFTA winner and Pet Shop Boy drummer in the spotlight as creative industries take centre stage during careers event.
One guest speaker went from Pot Black to headlining Glastonbury.
A BAFTA winner and a drummer from the Pet Shop Boys were two speakers at an all-day event that championed creative industry careers. The occasion (called WOW Festival) took place at West Suffolk College and the BAFTA winner (Jamal Green) and Pet Shop Boy drummer (Affy Green) (who first gigged at Pot Black in Bury St Edmunds before headlining Glastonbury this year) were both former students of the Bury St Edmunds educational powerhouse.
The two (Jamal and Affy) were joined by their sister (award winning journalist Tamika Green) and they all gave advice and reflected on their journeys during an occasion that took place at University of Studies at West Suffolk College campus. Jamal – who recently won a BAFTA for his composing role in a game Toem said: “I used to study music at West Suffolk College. It (studying at West Suffolk College) taught me a lot and it was cool to come back. My message to others is to get started right away and don’t be afraid.” Affy studied music performance at West Suffolk College in 2006. Affy said; “We need creative people so my advice would be to stick with it and believe in yourself.”
In addition to the Green family, other speakers included Lee Strickland, a photographer who has worked for Vogue - and around 20 exhibitors from various commercial and charitable organisations including the Benton End House and Garden Trust and Screen Suffolk were in attendance. Another of the visitors was Rebecca Harper from Suffolk Archives. Rebecca said: “I came along as I think it’s important to engage with lots of different people. In relation to advice, I’d say I believe volunteering is a big part of getting into careers. I volunteered in museums and I learnt you from other people and networked. If you volunteer you also have your ear to the ground when jobs come up.”
Claire Wallace is the curator at the Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Regiments Museum. Claire said: “I explained to young people what we do in museums and suggested that it’s good to find a passion and never pass up an opportunity.”
One of the organisers of the event was the Place 21 curriculum initiatives manager, Jonathan Boast. Jonathan – who started his career as a roadie for The Rolling Stones - said: “We had over 300 students from across the Eastern Colleges Group and more further afield. It was a phenomenal event. My highlight was the level of engagement and inspiration students got from interacting with such incredibly talented creative professionals of such a high calibre.” Charlie Saunders, 16, from Bury is studying on a film and media level three course at West Suffolk College. Charlie said: “I found (the event) really informative. It’s good to hear what to expect and not be thrown in at the deep.”
This WOW (world or work) Festival took place thanks to Place 21 and the European Social Fund (ESF). The next WOW Festival will take place on 12 January 2023 and will focus on health, education, psychology and social sciences. If you would like to get involved you can email jonathan.boast@wsc.ac.uk