Visual arts students raise the bar with annual art auction

Held at the Way Out East Gallery, this year’s event featured 103 pieces of original work, spanning painting, ceramics, sculpture, photography, print, and even artist-made books - a reflection of the diverse practices nurtured across UEL's Visual Arts programme.

Hosted by Julian Alexander, Lecturer in Film Production at UEL, the night drew an enthusiastic crowd of students, art lovers, staff, and alumni. With bidding taking place both in person and online, all 103 artworks were successfully sold. All proceeds will go towards funding the students’ End of Year Degree Showcase.

Along with funding the showcase, £1,000 from the total raised will be donated to two charities, chosen by the students. Last year’s beneficiaries were the National Deaf Children’s Society and Hopefield Animal Sanctuary - continuing a student-led tradition of giving back to the wider community.

Among the standout names contributing to this year's auction were Keef Winter, Amanda Francis, Elena Cristina Danescu, Maria Danilova, Parker Kenner-Kujath, and Emanuela Graziano - all adding their creative voices to the growing legacy of Ork-Shun.

Dr Keith Winter, Associate Professor in Architecture and Visual Art and Visual Arts Cluster Leader at UEL, said, 

The Visual Arts Cluster Auction is the continuing edition of a long-standing event held yearly by the Visual Arts Cluster at the University of East London. This year, we opened the auction to include more of our department’s courses, showcasing student, staff, and external artists’ work donated to the event. It is a moment to commune around the value of art and for buyers to collect a piece that captures their imagination.

Ork-Shun is more than just a sale; it’s a practical, student-led experience built into the Visual Arts curriculum. From curating the collection and managing the catalogue to operating the bar and advising bidders, students took on every aspect of the event. All wore their own customised, screen-printed t-shirts, giving the night a distinct identity and sense of ownership.

“Taking part in Ork-Shun was a great experience, we had fun, we had a chance to see our work being bid on and it was a lovely experience that brought us all together!” said BA Fine Art (Level 4) student Emanuela Graziano.

Elena Danescu, BA Fine Art (Level 2) student and main team leader of Ork-Shun, said, “It was a fantastic evening - the atmosphere, the teamwork, the buzz of the bidding - everything came together.

“It was an incredible experience to step behind the scenes and organise an event of such scale. I connected with artists from across London and felt the weight of responsibility on my shoulders, but I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. It taught me to truly appreciate the power of collaboration.” 

The auction was documented in real-time via the Way Out East Instagram account, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the setup, highlights, and creative energy that fuelled the event.

Professor David Tann, Dean of the School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, praised the initiative,

“This is what makes our programme special - we’re giving students the tools and real-world experience they need to become practising artists. The quality of the work this year has been exceptional, and the students’ professionalism really shone through.”

With another successful auction behind them, the students now turn their focus to the degree show, bolstered by both the funds raised and the invaluable experience gained through Ork-Shun 2025.

For updates and more visuals from the event, follow @way.out.east on Instagram.

Find out more about UEL’s broad range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Visual Arts.