From September 2017 to January 2018, we met over 70 young people aged between 10 and 18, visiting various college and youth groups on their own turf. We introduced ideas around live art and art activism to them and over a few months, recruited a super-engaged group of young people.
These young people met with me regularly and were put at the heart of every decision on the project, eventually culminating in taking over an empty shop and a dis-used pub in Blyth town centre for an event called: ‘5 days of Art, Activism & Wellbeing’ to engage and talk directly with their community and explore the idea of citizenship in multiple forms.
I mentored and supported each young leader to make their own artworks, including installation, performance, video, craft, writing and interactive encounters.
This project went on to receive the Special Project award at the Journal Culture Awards 2019.
