Young people in Tadcaster create exhibition celebrating creativity and community

A new creative project in Tadcaster is giving young people the chance to express themselves through music, photography and movement, and to showcase their work in a public exhibition running on the 22nd and 23rd November.

The project, Young in Tad (“YIT”), brings together three professional artists and a group of young people who attend Tadcaster Barn, a community setting that provides a safe space, clubs and activities for young people in Tadcaster aged 5–18. Over a series of weekly workshops, they have been exploring different artforms to tell their own stories and challenge perceptions of young people in the town.

Delivered as part of a partnership between Now Then!, Tadcaster Barn and ARCADE, the project forms part of a wider programme of creative activity across Selby, Tadcaster and Sherburn-in-Elmet. Working with a musician, dancer and a photographer, the participants have developed new skills in beatboxing, breakdance-inspired movement and visual storytelling. The result will be an exhibition in a new space, 43 Kirkgate, an unused building which North Yorkshire Council has allowed to be used for the exhibition, with a view to the space becoming a community asset of Tadcaster and Rural CIC, who run Tadcaster Barn.

The exhibition is curated by the young people themselves and features powerful portraits, spoken word and film that reflect their creativity, pride and individuality. Visitors will encounter a series of outstanding photographs taken in locations and places chosen by the group. They will also feature movements learned from dancer James TheRobot.

It also features a sound and projection installation, alongside a postcard and spray paint wall, giving the feel of moving through a young person’s personal space. Visitors finally arrive in Underground Tad, a basement lit up by UV light with lyrics glowing on the wall alongside a soundtrack recorded by the young people.

The project has been developed in response to a local need for arts provision for young people, thanks to investment into a Story of Change process from Now Then!. It follows a successful street art project which engaged young people, some of whom had been excluded from mainstream arts provision.

Young in Tad features three established artists, commissioned in response to the young participants’ interests and ideas: writer, rapper and Guinness World Record-breaking human beatboxer Testament, whose work spans spoken word, theatre and music; dancer and facilitator James TheRobot, who explores how Hip Hop can empower communities and inspire social change; and photographer Matt Storm, who has worked with the group to capture portraits that reflect strength, identity and confidence.

The exhibition opens on Friday 21st November at 6pm to a private audience and is then open to the public throughout the weekend at 43 Kirkgate in Tadcaster. Entry is free and no booking is required.

Speaking about the project, Kirsty Perkins, Lead Youth Worker at Tadcaster Barn, said:

“This has been one of the most rewarding projects I have ever worked on. This particular cohort of young people would previously have never seen themselves as creative or artistic, so watching them throw themselves into this work to create some truly stunning pieces of art has been a joy. Communities often view young people through a negative lens, so I hope this exhibition shows them that there is so much more to our young members of the community.”

Now Then! is a cultural programme for Selby, Tadcaster and Sherburn-in-Elmet, supported by Arts Council England, North Yorkshire Council and Selby District Council. It works with artists, schools and communities to deliver free creative activity and events.