TWO student-led art projects designed to celebrate the anniversary of a community structure have culminated with shining success.

Pupils from The Academy at Shotton Hall and Dene Academy in Peterlee have been working with artists throughout the year to mark 50 years for the town’s most unique and iconic landmark, the Apollo Pavillion.

Designed by the artist Victor Pasmore and completed in 1969, the pavilion is a Grade II listed structure which acquired its name in reference to the Apollo 11 Moon landing that year.

Rochelle Charlton-Lainé, from Dene Academy said: “It’s been really good having our students going out to explore the Apollo Pavilion and seeing how the community that lives there interacts with it.”

The first project saw 12 different schools and community groups of all ages meet with artist Theresa Easton to make Zines, a term derived from Fanzine, an artistic practice which can involve using a whole range of hands-on techniques, such as collage, printmaking, drawing and writing.

A commemorative 16-page community newspaper edited by students capturing the spirit of everything that has gone on to mark 50 years since the opening of the Apollo Pavilion was produced.

Another project, Playful Places, involved pupils making their own artistic response to Steve Messam’s art installation Apollo, which saw the pavilion totally transformed for four days earlier in September this year.

Working with Steve and fellow artists, Sara Cooper and Vicky Holbrough, the pupils explored developing creative interventions within the built environment, designed to transform the character of places and alter the ways in which we engage with them.

Joanne Gunn, from The Academy at Shotton Hall said: “One of the great values of the project has been getting together lots of kids from different age groups to work together.

“They all share a passion for art, but they would never normally get to mix in this way and interact with professional artists.”