The YMCA young people art subculture scenes of Stoke-On-Trent
SCULPTURE & ART
EXHIBITION CENTRESPACE @ SPODEWORKS
Elenora Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 1QQ ymcans.org.uk
EXHIBITION CREATIVE YOUTH MINDS
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Introduction British Ceramics Biennial Creative Flamingo Letting in the Light South West Peaks Entrepreneurs Network Collaborative Prints Our Front Door Project
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Stained Glass Window Cultural Sisters Angela Ashton Edwin Mingard YMCA GO! Frank McGregor Bradley Ryles MSheldon Designs
ORGANISED BY
HOSTED BY
POWERED BY
The YMCA young people art subculture scenes of Stoke-On-Trent
EXHIBITION CREATIVE YOUTH MINDS
Welcome to the 2019 Creative Youth Minds Art Exhibition. The exhibit focuses and shines a bright light on the imaginative craft of talented young people of YMCA North Staffordshire. Young people of YMCA North Staffordshire have been working with local artists from across Stoke on Trent for the past five years. Throughout the Creative Youth Minds project, young people have the opportunity to attend numerous workshops, projects and sessions to explore their creative potential. YMCA North Staffordshire has a dedicated space to run such activities, and while lots of projects have taken place in this multifunctional space, we have also been able to explore community spaces, outdoor areas and local studios too. We are exceptionally proud of the dedication and commitment our young people have applied to their work and this exhibition. We extend a huge thank you to the artists involved for helping to make this exhibition a reality and their commitment to providing engaging sessions and projects. A special thanks to our loving friends from The Bertarelli Foundation who back the Creative Youth Minds project. YMCA North Staffordshire believes creative activities develop young people giving them opportunities to belong, contribute and thrive through experiences that can positively transform their lives. We hope you enjoy!
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EXHIBITION CREATIVE YOUTH MINDS
C E R A M I C S T H E
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B R I T I S H
C E R A M I C S B I E N N I A L
A compilation of experimental ceramic pieces made here at Spodeworks studios, taking inspiration from Stoke on Trent’s history in the pottery industry. Each week young people explored a new area of ceramics finishing which included decorative interior products such as tiles, sculptures, vases, candle-holders and tableware. This collection allowed young people to experiment with clay and slip, using moulds and throwing clay to form figurines. Afterwards, the pieces are hand-painted with glaze and fired in the kiln. britishceramicsbiennial.com
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C R E A T I V E F L A M I N G O
A combination of exploration ceramics made with the finest Valentines clay delivered by Emily Crabtree from Creative Flamingo. Emily’s workshops inspire, excite and help to build the confidence within their creative abilities. 2
During the six-week project, young people learned how to create and decorate elephants, vases, mugs and more using the techniques Emily taught. Each piece is individual and unique. Some of the workshops were held outside in the orchard garden at YMCA North Staffordshire where young people made temporary artworks of ceramic forest creatures. creativeflamingo.uk
EXHIBITION CREATIVE YOUTH MINDS
YOU CAN'T USE UP CREATIVITY. THE MORE YOU USE THE MORE YOU HAVE.
Maya Angelou
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EXHIBITION CREATIVE YOUTH MINDS
L E T T I N G
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YMCA North Staffordshire have worked with Letting in the Light several times and they never fail to deliver exciting and engaging projects which have included visits to the Art Stop at B-Arts in Stoke. Letting in the Light deliver creative projects that meet a need, explore a question, promote development through training, result in site-specific art, and through this process ensure exposure to a high-quality art experience. Our young people engaged in creating a series of silk flags made with dyes. The project explored photography by drawing carefully selected images that were relevant to represent YMCA. These were then projected onto the flags to be drawn, masked and painted. lettinginthelight.org.uk
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EXHIBITION CREATIVE YOUTH MINDS
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P E A K
This project encourages young people to get creative in a distinctive way and spend time in the vast outdoors by visiting local areas of interest as well as galleries and exhibitions within the Peak District. Anne from Letting in the Light accompanies young people to explore areas of the South West Peak such as The Roaches and Luds Church. Young people took cameras out on specific picture-taking walks, they looked at textures and patterns within the natural environment and produced a series of photographs and quotes. southwestpeak.co.uk
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EXHIBITION CREATIVE YOUTH MINDS
E N T R E P R E N E U R S N E T W O R K
Tom and Rob are experienced in the creative industry, highly recognised for their screenprinting business, studio and exhibition space in Hanley. In this fashion-forward project young people worked to design the YMCA's clothing brand: Thrive175. Thrive175 celebrates the 175th anniversary of YMCA. Workshops consisted of tie-dying and designing logos which were then screen-printed onto the fabric to create original branded garments. Young people learned about other brands and their target market and how to start up your own business. They modelled and photographed the collection using technology and social media to promote and push their brand and to sell a unique range of clothes. The money goes back to help fund more exciting and creative projects. ntrprnrs.com
C O L L A B O R A T I V E P R I N T S
Our secondary project with the team involved young people creating A2 size prints, making a large collaborative piece for the exhibition. This project started at the design stage, with participants thinking about what issues matter to them most and exploring what it means to belong, contribute & thrive. Young people were shown the process of screen printing from how to make the screens, to applying layers of ink and adding different effects using spray paint and stamps.
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The #OurFrontDoor project is brought to you by the Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID team in partnership with Entrepreneurs Network and YMCA North Staffordshire, which sees twenty of the city centre’s doors that required some tender love and care, they were transformed by a host of talented, local artists. YMCA young people designed and created this door pictured to honour Sir George Williams who founded the YMCA in 1844. This can be found on the car park just by the Airspace Gallery in Hanley Town Centre. During the design process, we experimented with lino prints and mark making to come up with this vibrant mural. stokeontrentbid.co.uk
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F R O N T
SDNIM HTUOY EVITAERC
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EXHIBITION CREATIVE YOUTH MINDS
S T A I N E D
G L A S S
W I N D O W P R O J E C T
We love our new stained glass window. Young people worked with our very own local artist Frank McGregor to design, build and install the five-section piece of art. Over 1,000 personhours were given from inception to completion during the 12-week project. The stained glass window features over 200 flags from around the world. It now sits proudly in our Chapel. The chapel is open for public viewing on Community Meal days - the first Friday of every month. ymcans.org.uk
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EXHIBITION CREATIVE YOUTH MINDS
T H E
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The Cultural Sisters are a group of local artists that deliver workshops across the city. Deb came into YMCA North Staffordshire to deliver six-weeks of printmaking with the young people. Everyone explored techniques such as calligraphic printing, rubber stamping, drypoint etching, stencilling and monoprinting that resulted in a series of prints that we collated to create personalised zines. theculturalsisters.co.uk
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Angela’s workshops enabled young people to explore with decorating glass, using small coloured pieces to create patterns which were then fused into individual artworks. Angela delivered six weeks of experimental glass making workshops and the finished products were stunning lanterns, decorations, dishes and jewellery. angelaashtonglass.com/
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EXHIBITION CREATIVE YOUTH MINDS
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A series of portraits taken by a group of young people during workshops run by artist-filmmaker, Edwin Mingard. Each 35mm black and white portrait has been hand-processed, with some containing ink, drawn onto negatives by the subjects themselves. edwinmingard.com
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The young people at YMCA GO! and PACE Education have completed an Art Club Project exploring and experimenting with painting styles informed by abstract art. They have learned about artists such as Robert Delunay, Joann Miro and Jackson Pollock developing skills and techniques artists used within the history of the creative industry and applying them to the conceived series of paintings. ymcans.org.uk/ymca-go
NOITIBIHXE
G O !
SDNIM HTUOY EVITAERC
Y M C A
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EXHIBITION CREATIVE YOUTH MINDS
F R A N K M C G R E G O R
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S E N B A Z U R U
SENBAZURU is Japanese for 1000 Origami cranes. The cranes have been made over the weeks during Frank’s sessions. They are made out of pattern paper by our young people, our staff members and their families. This is part of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons which uses the idea of folding 1000 paper cranes in its public awareness campaigns. The organisation tells the story of Sasaki, who is a World War II survivor. Her story is told in greater detail in the children's book "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" by Eleanor Coerr. The book is commonly read in elementary schools as part of the peace education curriculum. For this reason, it is common for groups of people to join together to make a Senbazuru because this activity brings people together.
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EXHIBITION CREATIVE YOUTH MINDS
B R A D L E Y
R Y L E S
Brad has recently been working on his own collection of artworks to showcase at the Creative Youth Minds Exhibition, by working independently in YMCA North Staffordshire's art room. His works have focused on the subject of Marvel characters, using acrylic paint on canvas. Brad is hoping to continue with his art through successfully gaining a creative bursary through YMCA North Staffordshire and the Bertarelli Foundation. Bradley hopes to go on and sell his work as an independent artist.
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EXHIBITION CREATIVE YOUTH MINDS
M S H E L D O N
D E S I G N
Melanie Sheldon, a surface pattern and textile designer from Stokeon-Trent has recently delivered acrylic pouring workshops at YMCA North Staffordshire, allowing young people to experiment with movement and colour to create beautiful painted canvases.
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EXHIBITION CREATIVE YOUTH MINDS
YMCA is the oldest and largest charity working with young people in the world. Across North Staffordshire, we have been serving children, young people and families for nearly 170 years. 'We develop young people, they develop their world.' There are 116 local YMCAs that work independently to support communities across England and Wales. Globally, the movement helps more than 65 million people in 120 countries.
EXHIBITION CREATIVE YOUTH MINDS
The Creative Youth Minds project seeks to give young people the amazing opportunities and experiences that can positively transform their lives. Creative Youth Minds Daily Activities is a uniquely designed programme that engages young people with meaningful, productive, and memorable activities and projects. Each day of the week is themed to ensure a rich coverage of diverse topics; from Health & Wellbeing, Culture, Training & Education, Sports, Social Skills, Civic Engagement, the Arts and so much more. Essentially, there are a minimum of two daily activities, one is delivered in the morning and/or afternoon and the other is delivered in the evening. This allows young people who are in employment or education the opportunity to engage in YMCA community activities.
ORGANISED BY
HOSTED BY
YMCA North Staffordshire Edinburgh House Harding Road, Hanley University Quarter Stoke on Trent ST1 3AE
POWERED BY
ymcans.org.uk
The YMCA young people art subculture scenes of Stoke-On-Trent