The Best of Us offers an art installation produced by 120 local primary and secondary students from Crawley working alongside West Sussex sculptor Helen Solly, Creative County West Sussex and Chichester Festival Theatre, on display at County Mall, Crawley until April 15.

The installation, led by youth and outreach project manager Angela Watkins for Creative County West Sussex and Chichester Festival Theatre, was created out of an identified need for students to reflect, celebrate and share their hopes and dreams for the future.

Angela said: “Last year we worked in a school where the students told us they didn’t feel they had much of a future. Working with the students and schools involved has been a joy and we hope will now be enjoyed by their families and the wider community and we feel shares their collective message of aspiration and community celebration.

“The Best of Us champions identity, voice and is an opportunity for children and young people to come together and share a common voice. This collaboration involving students from Year 5 at Broadfield Primary Academy, arts leaders at Manor Green College and art, design & media studies students from Crawley College features a sculpture created by Helen Solly who then also worked with students creating self-portrait masks.”

Helen said: “All the children at Broadfield Primary were very creative and made individual masks representing their own identity and personality. Some were realistic and others imagined their future selves, adding beards, moustaches and earrings.

" The children really enjoyed being creative and were very supportive of one another.”

“The lovely original poetry from students at Manor Green College, which focused on expression and creativity with words was supported by freelance practitioner Luke Osborne and the short film created by students at Crawley College is a wonderful celebration of what community means to them.