Art & Design and Graphic Design Students Complete Artwork for Katherine of Aragon Festival 2026

Art & Design and Graphic Design students at Peterborough College have successfully completed and delivered their commissioned artwork for the Katherine of Aragon Festival 2026, marking the conclusion of a significant collaboration with Peterborough Cathedral.

The project, commissioned by Toni Morgan-Ray, Learning Officer at Peterborough Cathedral, formed part of the preparations for the Tudor banquet celebrating the life and achievements of Katherine of Aragon. Learners from Levels 1 to 3 Art and Design produced an extensive collection of Katherine-inspired artwork, which has now been collected and will be installed within the Cathedral ahead of the festival. 

In addition to the artwork, Level 3 Graphics learners designed labels for two commemorative meads produced by Iceni Meadery. Due to the exceptionally high standard of the submitted work, five designs were selected for use, exceeding the original brief of two.

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Speaking about the experience, Daniela Dobrota, Level 3 Art and Design student.“I found the live brief really interesting. It was challenging at first, particularly deciding how to approach the canvas, but as we learned more about Katherine of Aragon, and when staff from the Cathedral visited to share further insight, my ideas began to develop. Discovering details about her life helped everything come together and gave me a clear creative direction.”

On the evening of 24th January 2026, the completed pieces will form a gallery of work displayed along the south side of the Nave aisle, welcoming guests as they enter the Cathedral. The collection reflects a wide range of creative approaches and materials, demonstrating both technical skill and historical understanding.

Toni Morgan-Ray, Learning Officer at Peterborough Cathedral, said: “The creativity of Peterborough College students has been a real joy to see. Their responses to Queen Katharine of Aragon, across fine art and graphic design, are imaginative and skilful.  I am thrilled to be able to display their creative interpretations and mead labels in Peterborough Cathedral. Their work celebrates an iconic queen and showcases the impressive talents of these young artists. I would love to work with them again.”

In total, learners created more than 120 individual pieces for the project, gaining valuable experience working on a professional, real-world client brief. The work has been praised for the care, creativity and commitment shown throughout the process. 

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David Smith, Assistant Head of Faculty for Art, Graphics, Photography, and Games Design at Peterborough College, said: “We are extremely impressed with how seriously our learners approached this brief, and with the care and commitment they showed throughout the project. Creating over 120 pieces of work for a real-world client has provided them with invaluable professional experience, while producing artwork that celebrates the life and achievements of Katherine of Aragon.”

The collaboration highlights Peterborough College’s continued commitment to providing learners with meaningful, industry-facing opportunities and strengthens links with key cultural partners across the city.