Celebrating Adult Creativity in Camden: WM College Learners Shine at Lowes Dickinson Art Awards 2026 

On Friday 20 June 2026, learners, staff, friends and family gathered in the WM College Library for the annual Lowes Dickinson Art Awards, celebrating the outstanding creativity and achievements of adult learners across the college.

The awards formed part of this year’s Open Exhibition, which showcased artwork from more than 135 artists studying across WM College’s art and design programmes. Throughout the exhibition period, artwork was displayed across the college, creating opportunities for visitors to discover the breadth of talent emerging from our courses.

The exhibition featured a diverse range of disciplines, including painting, printmaking, ceramics, textiles, jewellery, sculpture and mixed media. Together, the works demonstrated the skill, imagination and dedication of learners at every stage of their creative journey.

The Lowes Dickinson Art Awards recognise exceptional artistic achievement and celebrate the legacy of Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson, one of the founders of WM College. This year’s judges faced the challenging task of selecting winners from an exceptionally strong field of entries, reflecting the high standard of work produced across the college.

The awards ceremony provided an opportunity to recognise the artists whose work particularly impressed the judging panel, while also celebrating the wider community of learners who contributed to the exhibition. The event highlighted the importance of creativity, lifelong learning and artistic exploration, values that remain at the heart of the College.

Beyond the awards themselves, the exhibition offered visitors the chance to engage with artwork created by adult learners from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. Each piece told its own story, reflecting personal interests, technical development and creative ambition.

We would like to congratulate all of this year’s exhibitors and award winners. Their contributions helped make the 2026 Lowes Dickinson Open Exhibition a vibrant celebration of creativity and artistic achievement.

View the winning artworks and award recipients below.

Speaking about the awards, Dipa Ganguli, Principal, WM College, said:

“It was a real privilege to be part of the judging panel for this year’s Lowes Dickinson Awards. The standard of work submitted was exceptional, and selecting winners from such a rich field of talent was no easy task. I want to offer my heartfelt congratulations to all the learners recognised — and to everyone who submitted work — for their creativity, artistry, courage, and commitment. The imagination and skill on display was truly inspirational. Their hard work shines through in every detail, and the sense of community they’ve built around these awards is genuinely uplifting.” 

Visit the Exhibition This Summer

The Lowes Dickinson Open Exhibition remains open in the Ruskin Café Gallery throughout the summer whilst our bite-sized July Summer courses are up and running. We invite all students, staff, and visitors to drop by and experience the inspiring work created by our adult learners.

Interested in developing your creative skills? 

Explore our Arts and Design Courses in Camden – from printmaking and ceramics to drawing, jewellery, and fashion. 

Short courses across July: 

Need something to inspire and engage you over the summer? Check out our short courses running across July and experience our college community. 

Winners’ pieces included: