University of Plymouth student Gary Cedeira is embarking on the journey of a lifetime this summer encouraged by the win of a top art award, writes Natasha Heard.

The fine arts student was one of five students to win one of the new Beth Levinsky Art awards on April 17.

The Arts Awards have been created to mark the opening and launch of the Roland Levinsky Building, which will house many of the university's arts programmes and facilities, and highlight the contribution the arts make to the life of the university.

Gary's imaginative and innovative concept won him the recognition and funds for his summer journey.

Gary Cedeira: "What has made me want to do this is the ambition to document my travels as I have done in recent practice."

He plans to spend his time from June to September driving from Plymouth to Dover, crossing into Europe and travelling through France, Germany, Albania, Croatia, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Morocco, producing art work inspired by his trip along the way.

The 20-year-old artist explains: "What has made me want to do this is the ambition to document my travels as I have done in recent practice.

"From my past journeys here I have been successful but I feel that I am limited within the UK.

"I want to venture outside of the boundaries of England and gather art from other countries."

Gary hopes to promote Plymouth as a cultural centre point through using the city as a base for his vivid art display, making it a focal point for the project.

"I will use a range of different mediums, including SLR and digital photography, drawing, diary keeping, paintings, ground prints and capturing sound clips; I will also collect 'found objects'," he said.

"I then want to display these materials entitled, 'A collection from Europe in summer 2008', in my van via the 'travelling studio'- that is I want to use my van as a touring art gallery."

The work will be exhibited in installation format on October 31 with the van parked in a gallery space.

The art work created will be placed inside the van and the ground prints placed on the floor with sound clips being played.

The audience will be encouraged to engage with the work by reading the diary, looking through sketch books and having the freedom to look around the van.