The idea
This summer Bridge brings together the young residents of Bow to collaborate on a community photography project!
Bow’s young people will work together to break down stereotypes around race, class, religion, sexuality and gender through first-hand photography. Our core aims are to grow individuals' self confidence in expressing their identity as well as build empathy across cultures from a young age.
Working with Schools and Youth Groups in Bow and the surrounding area, Bridge will teach students specific photography skills such as lighting, composition and focus whilst documenting their personal identity and community. This will build their communication skills as well as confidence in their own voice. Participants will then openly discuss identity, culture and heritage, helping expose them to different perspectives, preparing them for the culturally diverse world they live in.
From these workshops Bridge will host a community exhibition documenting their group collaboration.
What we'll deliver
- Local Community Photography Project
- 5 Sets of workshops
- Small groups of 10 per workshop
- 2 workshops per young person
- Specific photography skills such as lighting, composition, focus etc.
- 5-10 images printed for each participant to keep
- Local Community Exhibition - featuring participants work
- Community Documentary Film
Why it's a great idea
Bridge's workshops intrinsically support arts, culture and heritage by harnessing the power of first-hand photography and storytelling to openly discuss culture and heritage with young people.
Our workshops help young people discover, explore and express their culture and heritage whilst teaching them extra curricula creative skills such as photography, creative thinking, group work and self-direction. The workshops also support cross culture discussion by providing a safe space to understand first-hand what others’ lives look like.
The community exhibition gives young people an opportunity to feel proud and confident in sharing their culture whilst also being directly praised for their empathy and understanding toward others. By inviting friends and family we can channel this empathy into older generations and bring local communities together, improving social cohesion.
We support the local Arts economy by sourcing our printing, gallery space and workshop venues in Bow.
Steps to get it done
- Purchase workshop materials
- Host Photography Workshops - Summer Half Term - Monday 31 May - Friday 4 June 2021
- Plan, shoot and edit community documentary
- Print Art Works
- Curate, install, host Community Exhibition in August
- Breakdown Community Exhibition in August
Youth centres provide crucial extra-curricular cultural education; helping children from all backgrounds exchange different perspectives of life. However, youth-service funding has been cut by 70% in the last decade. Combined with the rise of social media, young people are quickly adopting online communities. However, current social media algorithms often highlight sensationalist fake news. We want to help communities challenge these stereotypes.
With 50% of Bow West's population being ‘ethnic minorities' and only 30% identifying as Christian we believe that Bridge's workshops are a exciting opportunity to help the next generation express their own heritage and culture whilst understanding others from a first-hand perspective.
Bridge will not only benefit young people in Bow directly by providing them with clear creative skills and increased sense of self confidence around their identity, we will also help the wider community with better cultural integration.
