A selection of Year 13 students from Tottenham have had their work shown at one of the most highly regarded art foundations in London.

A-Level art students from the Club-sponsored London Academy of Excellence Tottenham (LAET) marked the culmination of their studies with a Private View exhibition at Sarabande Foundation on Tottenham High Road.

Sarabande recently expanded to Tottenham, London N17 – with 15 new, heavily subsidised studios and a new exhibition space – in its mission to help more artists, craftsmen and designers realise their bold visions. The foundation sits on the High Road as part of Paxton17 – the new creative quarter in Tottenham.

Paxton17 sits alongside Tottenham Hotspur’s world-class stadium, which opened in 2019 and is providing a catalyst for the regeneration of North Tottenham. As part of this, the Club is working to restore Northumberland Terrace, a historic row of Georgian properties dating back to the 17th Century, in which Sarabande High Road is based, alongside the Club’s own charitable Foundation.

The event was a celebration of the talent and creativity of this inspiring group of young artists.

The LAET is bringing a first-class academic curriculum to young people from one of the capital’s most underprivileged areas. The state-funded Sixth Form is delivered with the financial support of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club in partnership with Highgate School, who provide educational support. Based on the stadium campus, the LAET brings expert teaching from top independent schools to its students.

Using an academically selective recruitment model, the LAET prioritises local students most likely to benefit from an academically rigorous curriculum and those from disadvantages socio-economic backgrounds.

One young artist whose work was featured in the exhibition is Maya, who has received an offer to complete a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design Studies at Camden Working Man’s College.

Maya described the opportunity to exhibit her work publicly as “very exciting. Looking around the art classroom, especially when we were working together, it made me realise how talented everyone is, and then to see everyone’s work together and my work as part of that, it made me feel really proud.”

Levent, who holds an offer to study Fashion Marketing at Manchester University, exhibited a mixed media work that involved weaving, sewing, dyeing and painting titled ‘Courage from Scraps.’ This work was inspired by the LGBTQ Community’s history and how far the community has come from the 1950s to present day. Levent describes Art as “a good release – it’s very therapeutic. It gives you a chance to let out your emotions.”

Jan Balon, Head Teacher at London Academy of Excellence Tottenham, said: “LAET is all about aspiration, endeavour and community, and the exhibition embodies these core values. Here, ambitious and hard-working LAET students have created an exhibition that has inspired not only their peers but also members of the public, including students and parents from our local feeder schools.

“I’m very excited to see what this next generation of leaders in creative fields is able to accomplish once they graduate from LAET and head off into institutions that will enable their creativity to flourish even further.”

Trino Verkade, CEO of Sarabande, said: “We were very happy to give these talented Year 13 students a showcase for the day. It’s a great experience for them to know what it feels like to show artwork in a professional gallery setting. Tottenham is bursting with artistic talent, and we are delighted to support the local area and our neighbours in this way.”