AN art gallery is exhibiting works by local students that reflect life growing up in Bradford.

Hillstart is a collection of work by students of Bradford College’s School of Art, and will run through March at South Square in Thornton.

Students from the college’s BA & MA Visual Arts, Photography, Graphics and Textiles were invited to present works from their time at the college that focused on the themes of Bradford and identity.

The exhibition, which began on Friday, features the work of 28 emerging artists in a variety of different medium, from textiles to photography.

The gallery has strong links with the college, dating back to its inception in the early 80’s, when college graduates came together to renovate and begin the journey of the unique community centre and gallery.

Since then South Square has helped young artists, offering support, tutoring and guidance in many forms.

For many of the students this show marks the first time they will be exhibiting work in a gallery outside the college, and is giving them a crash course on being a professional artist.

Some of the pieces on display were inspired by the groundbreaking Born In Bradford study.

The study involved researchers recruiting 12,500 pregnant women between March 2007 and December 2010, and since then the lives of their 13,500 children have been tracked through research studies and the use of and educational data.

Since September students at Bradford College have been using the study as inspiration for their artwork.

It has led to work that reflects the study’s various pieces of research, from obesity to the importance of play and the impact of growing up in polluted, inner city areas.

Last week some of the work was on display at the college’s Dye House Gallery.

Alice Withers, Programme Manager at South Square, said: “We invited students from a lot of different courses to submit something to show in the gallery. A lot of them have not had their work shown in an exhibition like this before.

“A lot of the work is Bradford based and relates the the students’ identities. The pieces are all very specific to that person and reflect things they have gone through. Some look at issues like mental health.

“They reflect a lot of different processes and ways of working.

“We’ve worked with the college a lot in the past. College graduates helped South Square get off the ground in 1982.

“It is fantastic working with the students. I hope everyone will come and see the exhibition.

“They have been up here installing the work themselves, so they have learned how to do that, which is an extra skill. It has given them good gallery experience.

“It is completely different displaying work at a gallery than at a degree show at a university or college. You learn things like how your work will look alongside other pieces and they have got to see the whole process of setting up an exhibition. It is great for an art student to see that side of things.”

The exhibition runs until March 31, when South Square starts installing its next exhibition, which again will celebrate the gallery’s links to Bradford College.

In April the gallery will be displaying work by the college alumni who helped the gallery in its early days. They will be showcasing the artwork they have produced in the three decades since the gallery’s creation.

Titled Bradford College Art and Design Re-United, the exhibition will see sixteen former students of graduating years ’86 & ’87 participating in a special reunion exhibition with an accompanying seminar series. The exhibition will contain a variety of art-forms from pottery, to sculpture, textiles, collage, costume design and printmaking.

It will also include archive photos from South Square’s history documenting events and parties such as the theatrical Titanic party, Chinatown Festival and Paris-Thorton event in 1985.

South Square is also currently exhibiting work by local artist Rosie McAndrew.

The Kind Of Girl I’d Like To Find In My Mirror, features artwork celebrating inspiring women from the world of music and film, and ties in with International Women’s Day, which takes place on Thursday.

ON Saturday she will host a free Zine making workshop at the gallery from 12-2pm.