As we enter the fourth year of our thriving Young Creatives project, a talented team have been working together to plan, develop and execute a creative project funded by Arts Council England.
Creative Careers for Change is a year long project aimed to pave the way for Newham’s young people to explore and establish careers in the arts. By providing a blend of mentoring, hands-on experience, and industry exposure, the project empowers young people to bring their stories to life through photography, spoken word, and audio-visual production.
The project is divided into several stages including mentoring and training delivered in collaboration with the media production company Iconic Steps. Last year, Iconic Steps conducted a Camera Operations course at our North Woolwich Academy, where 10 young people learned essential filmmaking skills and showcased their work.
As we entered the production stage we invited young people who participated on the course, and existing members of the Young Creatives to gain work experience creating and sharing inspiring stories which represent our rich and diverse borough of Newham.
Through the production of several art forms, the team set out to challenge perspectives and stereotypes of Newham, positively influencing the public and their peers, while increasing awareness of opportunities available to young people within the creative sector.
Today, the creative team are nearing the end of their seamless production phase, having successfully planned a series of community photoshoots, led by longtime Fight for Peace member and Young Creative, Aladdin Benberna. Each photographer will explore and capture themes through their shoots in Newham, from History, The Future, Location, and Heroes.
These images capture the rich history and diversity of Newham, championing key people and places that make it so special. These images will also be accompanied by behind the scenes content, an audio visual projection, and a collective spoken word piece.
This spoken word piece will be produced as a way to further enrich the work, and we were pleased to welcome former Fight for Peace team member and rapper, Richard Roach into our Academy to deliver a series of writing workshops to the group. The aim of these workshops is to provide a safe, creative space for young people to express their relationship to Newham and write a collective spoken word piece which will contribute to the final exhibition.
This exhibition will mark the end of the project, and will take place at the Good Hotel in Royal Victoria Docks at the end of March, with an additional showcase at Fight for Peace for our members. These exhibitions will not only celebrate the thriving artistic potential within Newham, but highlight the cultural richness of our community.
Distribution of the work within the community is about reaching wider audiences as well as allowing young people to experience what it’s like to see their work exhibited both publicly and internally, while inspiring the next generation through workshops in local schools.
We are excited to see the fruits of the team’s efforts out in the world, and can’t wait to provide a space for the community to come together and celebrate this creative endeavour and amplify some of the incredible stories that exist within a culturally thriving Newham.
To stay updated on exhibition dates and to see content from the project, follow Fight for Peace on Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
This project was made possible by funding from Arts Council England who identified Newham as one of its Priority Places for 2021–2024 – aiming to address historically low investment and engagement in the area, with a focus on increasing cultural opportunities and funding.