As part of the SPARK creative arts festival, young people at our Aldershot Foyer created fantastic pieces of artwork on the subject of self-expression and mental health. The finished pieces were displayed at the Farnham Maltings in an impressive exhibition showcasing youth talent and creativity.
The Training and Development team at Aldershot organised evening classes, inviting the young people to choose both the subject matter of their projects and the art form they wanted to use. Graffiti was chosen as the perfect means of expressing their feelings and the workshops were led by Tom from The Graffiti Kings, who brought a wealth of experience in engaging and inspiring young people.
Equipment for the workshops was paid for by Step by Step's Innovation Fund, which is targeted at improving the mental health and emotional wellbeing of vulnerable young people. The artwork evening classes proved a great success, not just because of the impressive artwork produced, but as social get-togethers and as an outlet for emotional expression.
The SPARK festival is an annual event in Waverley, showcasing various art and performance projects, and young people from Step by Step have been involved in several years.