Young Cambridge artists enjoy Arsenal away day

Art club run by Anglia Ruskin is set football-themed challenge at Emirates Stadium

Young artists who attend the Saturday Art&Design Club, run by the Cambridge School of Art at Anglia Ruskin University in conjunction with the Sorrell Foundation in London, were set a star-studded task during a trip to the Emirates Stadium in London.

The special masterclass was hosted by 20:20 Ltd, whose clients have included Arsenal Football Club. When the Premier League side moved from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium in 2006, 20:20 helped the club to update their brand.

On the back of this project, 20:20 set a brief for the Saturday Art&Design Club to come up with a name and badge for David Beckham’s new Major League Soccer team based in Miami, Florida, which has yet to be named.

Providing the students with the background of their own work at Arsenal, 20:20’s Managing Director Jim Thompson and Jon Lee, Creative Director at the company, inspired the Cambridge students to come up with some wonderfully imaginative ideas and designs.

Cambridge artist Jo Miller, who runs the Saturday Art&Design Club at Anglia Ruskin, said: “Jim and Jon were most impressed with the students’ work and the group had a fantastic morning.

Not only did they get to practice their creative skills, they also gained an insight into what it would be like to work for a real creative design agency.

Now in its third year, the Cambridge School of Art Saturday Art&Design Club consists of 30 Year 10 students (aged 14 and 15) studying GCSE Art & Design.

The young artists come from 10 Cambridgeshire state schools and attend sessions every Saturday from October until June. So far, this year’s group has enjoyed expert tuition from staff at Cambridge School of Art in drawing, printmaking, graphic design, interior design, animation, fashion design and fine art.

It is part of the National Art&Design Club, which was set up by Frances and John Sorrell in 2009 with the aim of inspiring creativity in young people, as well as developing their life skills and confidence. The Sorrell Foundation also arrange three London trips each year for the students.