Students from Cornwall College Camborne, part of The Cornwall College Group, are busy building their withy and paper creation for this year’s City of Lights parade in Truro, which takes place on Wednesday 18th November.

The theme for this year’s annual event is ‘The Museum of Lost Stories,’ curated in partnership with the Royal Cornwall Museum and the archives of the Royal Institution of Cornwall.

Further and higher education students from the College joined forces to research, design and build their sculpture, which is expected to take 10 days to complete. It is based on the forgotten story of the S.S. Minnehaha, which ran aground on the Isles of Scilly in 1910.

Lisa Mortensen, Curriculum Lead for Visual Arts at The Cornwall College Group, said: “This year we invited students on several courses to take part and to experience the work that goes on behind the scenes. Everyone has worked exceptionally hard, including the staff to get our idea together and we look forward to displaying the piece on the parade. ”

Although the final look and feel of the large sculpture will remain secret until the event, it promises to be very impressive and one of the main showcase pieces of the parade. Lecturer Suzy Sharpe said: “We feel that it is a very valuable, enjoyable and entirely positive experience for students and staff, from the planning stages through to the parade.”

Justine Walmsley, a first year BA Hons Contemporary Creative Practice student,said: "The City of Lights 2015 project has been a wonderful opportunity for the first year students on the BA Hons Contemporary Creative Practice course at Camborne to actively work together as a team developing an idea, then building and finally showcasing our lanterns in the Truro parade.

“For most of us, it has been a chance to work for the first time with withy as well as learn a new construction technique. The results have been amazing, the “Minnehaha" boat, cows, pianolas and car look fantastic in their representations."

As well as students from the visual arts faculty, the College also has students from dBs Music and their media departments taking part, adding extra dimensions to the annual spectacle.

The parade, which attracts over 20,000 people, starts at the top of Lemon Street around 7pm and heads towards the city centre along a pre-defined route, which is heavily sign posted.

As well as lit sculptures, this year the crowds will be wowed by digital elements, electronic music, QR readers and much more.

ENDS

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