The Bentall Centre

Students from Kingston School of Art have worked continuously for the past 5 years in collaboration with the Bentall Centre and Blackline Creative to create free events for shoppers in vacant retail units in the Bentall Centre Kingston.

The students pitched their ideas to the Bentall Centre and Blackline Creative and won the commission for the takeover.

During April – May and October-December 2019, Kingston School of Art students curated residencies in vacant stores in the Bentall Centre. Activations included a 24-hour GameJam, 10 Minute Portraits-while-you-wait, Storytelling and LetterPress workshops, communal painting, poetry, performance art, life drawing, collage and one-hour choir and dance workshops.

The spaces were decorated with murals by final year Illustration and Animation students and children encouraged to draw on the walls to add to the designs.

The response from the public was phenomenal. Often people would just come and see what was going on and praise the use of the empty space. People couldn’t believe we were putting on the events for free.

“We wanted to provoke, surprise, delight, engage and immerse consumers in art and experiences that they wouldn’t normally have access to or happen upon in their daily travails. We challenged KSA to challenge the status quo and challenge it they did. They curated a showcase of talented performances and art installations, which struck a chord with all visitors.”

— Andy Bailey, Blackline Creative

“As a Design Marketing student at Kingston School of Art, working with The Bentall Centre and Blackline on the BCXhibition was an eye-opening experience for me. The PR & Marketing internship gave me a real insight into what working in the business is like”

​— Frida Skoglie, BA Design Marketing student

What we accomplished

“The outcome was truly astounding, merging innovation, creativity and expertise, taking a unique approach to engaging shoppers and providing them truly memorable experiences. This new and dynamic concept puts student’s talents centre stage for all to enjoy. What a fantastic partnership and this is just the start”

— Sam Eastwood, The Bentall Centre