College students celebrate Glasgow 2026 through inspiring ceramic creations

Creative students at City of Glasgow College are helping build excitement for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games through a striking collection of ceramic artworks inspired by the spirit, values and legacy of the Games.

Produced by NQ Applied Arts students, the hand-built ceramic pieces were created as part of the College's participation in All In: Campus to Commonwealth, a Glasgow 2026 initiative that encourages colleges and universities across Scotland to play an active role in celebrating the Games and creating a lasting community legacy.

The project challenged students to research the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games before developing and producing their own ceramic responses. For many, it was their first experience of working with clay, with just six weeks to learn new techniques and transform their ideas into finished pieces.

The resulting collection showcases not only the students' growing technical skills but also their creativity, individuality and ability to respond to a live brief connected to one of Scotland's biggest international sporting events.

The ceramics project sits alongside other Commonwealth Games-inspired work produced by Applied Arts students in glass, demonstrating how traditional craft skills can be used to celebrate contemporary events and tell stories that connect people, place and culture.

The work is part of All In: Campus to Commonwealth, which forms part of Glasgow 2026's wider All In campaign, a Scotland-wide movement inviting communities, schools, colleges, cultural organisations and businesses to create their own celebrations of the Games. The initiative encourages locally led projects that build pride, inclusion and community connections while contributing to the excitement surrounding Glasgow 2026.

Lisa McGovern, Curriculum Head for Craft & Design at City of Glasgow College, said:

"This project has given our students the opportunity to engage with Glasgow 2026 in a meaningful and creative way. Many of them were using clay for the very first time, yet they embraced the challenge with enthusiasm and imagination. Their work demonstrates not only the technical skills they've developed but also the confidence to interpret a national event through their own creative voices."

The students' work has also attracted the attention of the Glasgow 2026 team, who recognised it as an excellent example of how colleges can contribute to the cultural programme surrounding the Games through the Campus to Commonwealth initiative.

By connecting classroom learning with a major international event, City of Glasgow College continues to provide students with authentic creative experiences that reflect industry practice while encouraging them to contribute to Scotland's cultural life.

As Glasgow prepares to welcome athletes and visitors from across the Commonwealth this summer, the College is proud that its students are already playing their part, creating artwork that celebrates the energy, diversity and shared values at the heart of the Games, while demonstrating how education, creativity and community can come together to leave a lasting legacy.