A nail artist who has worked with Wicked star Cynthia Erivo helped inspire students at the sixth annual Culture Festival celebrating identity, heritage and belonging at a sixth form college in Ipswich.
Students and staff at One Sixth Form College – part of Eastern Education Group – came together on Friday March 13 for a day of performances, workshops, and exhibitions celebrating the many cultures represented across the college community.
One of the festival’s special guests was nail artist Shea, who has gained recognition for her work with award-winning actor and singer Cynthia Erivo during the filming of the ‘Wicked’ franchise. During the festival she delivered a live nail art demonstration, sharing insights into her work in the film industry and the creative sector with students in a VIP session limited to just 20 places.
The event, themed ‘Belonging’, featured a packed programme of activities designed to explore culture and community.
Music filled the campus throughout the day, with a carnival-style entrance procession, a steel band performance, and a lively set from BBC Radio Suffolk DJ Angelle Joseph. Students could also take part in a session with Bopper, a former member of the entourage of reggae legend Bob Marley, helping to build a sound system while hearing stories from his extraordinary career.
Across the day, students explored identity and heritage through a wide range of creative sessions – including storytelling workshops capturing migration stories with Aspire Black Suffolk and Youth Ambassadors, which will contribute to a children’s book, as well as virtual reality art sessions exploring culture and migration. A live podcast hosted in partnership with This Is Ipswich and the BBC captured conversations and stories from across the festival throughout the day.
Social media creator Dean Commerado – a single dad known online as DIY Dad, with almost half a million followers across Instagram and TikTok – also took part in the festival.
Dean worked with Built Environment students from West Suffolk College to build wellbeing benches live during the day, which attendees then signed with personal messages of hope and support. The benches will now be placed at construction sites across the region, creating somewhere workers can sit, talk, and reach out if they are struggling.
The initiative reflects the spirit of Dean’s online series Dad Showed Me, which he launched after noticing a growing skills gap among younger people.
Dean said: “We’ve become so tech‑literate and screen‑focused that we’ve skipped the practical stuff. Young people today desperately need a bit of guidance, and there’s this stigma – especially for men – that they “should” know these things.
“Men especially are told to toughen up and hold it all in – so much that we lose the ability to communicate. Building the wellbeing benches gives young people those practical skills, but more importantly, it creates a space for real conversation about mental health, pressure, and what they’re going through.”
One of the highlights of the festival was the Cultural Fashion Show, where students proudly took to the stage wearing outfits representing their countries and cultural heritage. With flags waving, music playing and hundreds of fellow students cheering them on, participants celebrated their identities in a joyful and colourful showcase of cultures from across the world.
Wellbeing activities including Chinese acupuncture sessions were available throughout the afternoon, and the day closed with a lively ‘Rep Your Country’ five-a-side football tournament on the pitch, where teams representing different nations competed in fast-paced mini matches.
Stalls from a wide range of organisations were present throughout the day, including Aspire Black Suffolk, Sickle Cell Suffolk, the Phoebe Centre, Outreach Youth, Suffolk Archives, ISCRE, the Romeo Romanian Community, the Windrush Stall, Ipswich Jobcentre and Volunteer Matters, among others.
Jake Robson, Group Sixth Form Principal at One Sixth Form College, said:
“For me, the key value of this event is that, as an educational organisation, it’s our job to inspire tolerance and to counter prejudice. And right now, there are negative influences and vested interests in wider society that are seeking to create division. We need to stand together because our students face a future filled with existential challenges, and being a unified society is going to be critical.”
Ellisha Soanes, an equality, diversity and inclusion consultant who worked with the college’s Culture Board to help organise the festival, said: “This is my fifth year supporting Culture Day and it gets more amazing every year. We’ve been sponsored by Constable 250, which has really helped elevate the event. But for me, it’s about what we do next. It’s so important to have a Culture Board where students are the decision‑makers and shaping the approach. They’re not only doing this – they’re with me at the Houses of Parliament, they get opportunities to visit Alexandra Palace, they get to speak to MPs. They’re really pushing social mobility forward.”
Among those taking part was Omran, a 19-year-old refugee from Afghanistan who now lives in Bury St Edmunds and studies with Eastern Education Group. He said Culture Festival was an opportunity to share his culture and challenge perceptions of his home country.
He said:“Everyone should learn about other cultures. Our life becomes easier if you know something about other cultures and languages. It helps you more to communicate with people. This is my wish: to see other people, other languages, other cultures.”
Luna Leite and Margarida Santo, both 18 and active members of the college’s Culture Board, played a central role in planning the day.
Luna said: “Culture Day makes a really big difference. Confidence-wise especially, because some people really struggle with that. When they’re given a chance to embrace who they are freely, it helps so much. Being able to be 100% yourself, without people judging, especially when you live in an area without much diversity, is powerful.”
Margarida added: “I wanted to create a community for people who aren’t very represented. I think that’s really important – creating that space for people. Even a small bit of representation is important, especially in Ipswich.”
The Culture Festival forms part of the college’s wider commitment to celebrating diversity and building a strong sense of belonging among students from all backgrounds.
