Kingston Christmas Snowball 2012 for a good cause

This year’s Snowball at Hippodrome will have a King and Queen.

Federica Baggio

Third year arts students are asking Kingston University fellows out on a Christmas date this month, which will help them to raise funds for their final year exhibition.

As times get more and more challenging for students’ pockets, illustration and animation, along with graphic design students have set up a fund-raising University Christmas night, Snowball, which will take place at Hippodrome on Tuesday December 11.

“All the money that we raise from the ball will be very helpful,” said illustration and animation student Giorgia Chiarion, 22, one of the event planners.

“We are going to decorate the venue and we will be electing Snow King and Queen for their clothes and party vibes,” she said.

 “A group of us organisers will go around during the night and pick the people who stand out the most to us. So best gowns and dresses and party attitude.”

The King and Queen of the Ball will be crowned at 1 am and prized with free drinks, Miss Chiarion explained.

Want to be really christmassy 

A similar fund-raising Christmas event took place in Hippodrome in the past, but this year the organisers have tried to enhance its popularity and Christmas gist.

“Two years ago the ball was pretty average,” she said. “It wasn’t very christmassy. We want a Christmas tree and we will be selling polaroids at the entrance, so when people get in they can have their picture taken. We will also be selling cakes and biscuits.”

The provoking poster

After launching a poster competition, the organisers chose to promote the event through what they defined a ‘funny’ and ‘controversial’ branding image: a Christmas tree sticking around a man’s testicle, which is barely recognisable under a layer of glittery paint.

The posters have been distributed in the University campuses. A lack of reactions so far could be read as a proof that people have not figured out what it is yet, the organisers said.

Fighting for a cause

As University funding for final year projects dwindled in the last few months, arts students are left with little help to face expenses for over £10,000 for organising a core three-days exhibition in central London, where they will be exposing and possibly selling their work.

The money raised through the Snowball will help students in the illustration and design departments to deal with the costs of the exhibition, which will take place in July 2013.

“Though there is increasing financial pressure in studying for a degree the answer is not ‘don’t learn’ but ‘learn to survive’; a valuable lesson,” said Geoffray Grandfield, Kingston University’s course director for illustration and animation.

“I think it’s a great idea,” said Mr Grandfield. He added: “You see what normally happens is external entrepreneurs set up events and make a profit on student sociability – it makes excellent sense for our students to gain those profits and invest in exhibitions and events themselves.”

Tickets information

Tickets for the Snowball cost £6six pounds if they are bought in advanced, and £8eight pounds on the door. They can be purchased at the Penrhyn Road and Knights Park receptions, or online at: http://kingstonuniversitysnowball2012.eventbrite.co.uk/.