EXCITED students from a city school have taken the first steps towards a career in photography and digital arts by taking part in workshops at Derby's Quad.
The budding photographers from Derby Moor Community Sports College are being given the chance to hone their skills during a year-long residency at the city's arts venue.
The partnership with Derby Moor Community Sports College is the first time Quad has created a school-in-residence project, which will allow the sixth form pupils to increase learning outside the classroom through partnership with a cultural organisation.
One of the main focuses of the project will be developing work and resources to be used during the Format Photography Festival, being held at Quad in March 2015, to help gallery visits for schools, children and young people.
Student Adoniah Haslam, 16, said: "I have always been passionate and fired up about fine art and photography.
"I believe that taking the photography A-level and working with Quad will aid me in the future when taking a career in interior design."
Fellow student Alisha Dorricott, also 16, said: "We will be able to work with professional artists and photographers at Quad, which will help the development of my work.
"We will also get the chance to travel off site around Derby to improve my level of photography."
Natalie Appleby is hoping to obtain a photography scholarship eventually.
She said: "I am looking forward to working with professional photographers at Quad, which will provide an insight into the industry."
Other activities planned for the students during the year include shadowing experts for a day, including curator and artist Debbie Cooper and digital artists Gibson and Martelli, who will be working on an exhibition at Quad.
Katie Mathews, Derby Moor learning co-ordinator, said: "The partnership will provide both staff and students involved with opportunities to develop their interests in visual media and to produce work of exceptional quality."
The project will last until July 2015 and students from the school will be having weekly visits to Quad.
Sandra Greatorex, Quad education curator, said: "We'd like the young people to challenge how galleries are used as public spaces, how they can be used as learning spaces and to propose new innovative work."