Last night we were honoured to welcome Kathleen Soriano, independent curator, art historian and broadcaster, to open our Annual Art and Design Technology Show. Ms Soriano is currently Chair of the Liverpool Biennial, and with over 30 years experience in the art world, she has been responsible for contemporary and historical exhibitions, collections and public programmes at the National Portrait Gallery, London and the Royal Academy of Arts, where she was Artistic Director (2009-14).

Herself an Alumna of Putney, Ms Soriano looked back fondly on her own time at the school, “I remember the incredible commitment of the staff at Putney, and also the camraderie.”

Speaking about the show she commented on the standard of the work on display, “It’s really strong and really diverse, and really brave some of it! GCSE and A Level is a time in your life when you have an opportunity to explore what is a complicated present, but also to consider a potential future…You can really feel from the work that there are a lot of emotions on display here, and that is a measure of its value”.

Ms Soriano reminded the audience that today, “one in 11 jobs are in the creative sector, which today is worth 92 billion pounds and growing at four times the rate of any other.” Underestimate the importance of the creative arts at your peril!