The pair have been chosen to perform the drama solo performances they devised for their final exams to the judges putting together Top Acts - the cream of the crop of performances from across the spectrum of VCE studies.

If selected they will perform to audiences, and current year 12 drama students, at the Melbourne Recital Centre in May.

They have been busy recreating, rehearsing and polishing their solos and look forward to the audition in Melbourne on Sunday.

"Mine is The Drifter - he's a cowboy who goes through town and claims reward by doing work for people," Patrick explained. "He's a morally ambiguous character and people don't really know if he's good or bad."

Students were given one of 13 different 'structures' upon which they had to write and create a performance piece that included several compulsory elements.

"I got an email from Jack and he sent me a screen shot saying OMG I got in to Top Acts so I said congratulations but ... I didn't check my own email until about half an hour later and I got in too," he said.

Despite his obvious strength in theatre performing, Patrick has a very different 2021 in mind that doesn't involve a lot of stage time. He will begin studying a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at Federation University before taking a gap year from July which he will spend in the navy.

If he returns to Ballarat in 2022 after his gap year he plans to return to the stage and audition for amateur theatre productions in town.

Jack was also lucky enough to be accepted into Top Designs for his podcast piece, which will be on display at the Melbourne Museum.

"It is an exciting opportunity and I can't wait to check out the fellow exhibitors' work and to possibly inspire VCE media and arts students to create a podcast or audio product," Jack said.

Damascus College year 11 2020 student Charlotte Grimes was also successful in having her Studio Arts photographic artwork accepted into Top Arts, and her work will be featured in the exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria in March, which showcases the best artwork from the state selected by the VCAA.

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Charlotte said that in Year 10 her class visited the Top Arts exhibition and it ignited a passion in her, and she soon realised that she wanted to aim towards her work being celebrated in this way.

"It feels awesome to be able to achieve this two-year dream," said Charlotte.

Charlotte's photographic artwork will also be on display at the Art Gallery of Ballarat as part of the Next Gen exhibition, commencing February 19.

The different performances and exhibitions in Melbourne are part of the VCE Season of Excellence showcasing outstanding senior secondary student work from Victorian schools, in design, technology, research, multimedia and visual arts.