Young Cultural Changemakers – Working with East Kent College Dover and Kent Wildlife Trust

Since November 2023, Artswork’s Young Cultural Changemakers have been working with EKC Dover College and Kent Wildlife Trust. Students from different departments such as Art, Hair and IT have participated in a series of workshops from natural dye-based textiles and fashion to cyanotypes, curation, DJing and graphic design. Young people who took part in these workshops created a nature and wellbeing-based exhibition and trail. They also worked on designing and creating their own outfits for a fashion show. All these skills were showcased at our reveal event on 4 July 2024 and held throughout Dover at different local venues.  

One of the main projects of the Young Cultural Changemakers was with  art students who designed works for a nature and wellbeing workshop, where they met with Kent Wildlife Trust and a series of artists working with nature and wellbeing practices. Each of the young people involved created an artwork which was displayed in the St James Shopping Centre Dover. They also showcased some of their work in busy places in the town such as a charity-based cafe supporting homeless people, a busy cafe in the centre of the town and the new arts club.  

The other workshop included sewing, which some of the young people had never done before. After the workshop, some of them mentioned that they are now considering pursuing sewing as their career. 

“I didn’t think I could do this (Skill), I always wanted to but didn’t think I would be able to do it, now I know I can, and I want to keep doing it.” 

“I am proud of this, I am proud of what I have done.” 

All the fabrics that were used in the workshops were supplied from charity shops and were dyed using natural dyes. Young people were happy to work alongside artist Eirinn Hayhow; a fashion designer who works with natural materials, creating sustainable clothes. 

The finished pieces of clothing and accessories that were made were presented in a catwalk show and the young people did their own hair and make-up. After the catwalk, the audience went to the Exhibition, where the young participants talked through their artworks. One of the young people said that the training Artswork provided really helped her as she was worried about the communication elements. 

“This has really helped me with communication and confidence.” 

 She talked to everyone that evening and continued for the week we held the exhibition, which ended up with people wanting to buy her work. 

The other workshop we ran had a nature trail throughout different busy places in Dover, including the Sunrise Cafe – a cafe that supports homeless people, The Arts Club (a music, performance & events venue)  and Le Salle Vert (a local coffee shop). These venues were decided based on where the young people wanted to showcase their artworks which were based on wellbeing. This programme is still ongoing and in this month of September, we are creating a wellbeing wall in the student union. 

This exhibition is one of fifteen creative commissions resulting from the first year of our Young Cultural Changemakers programme, supported using public funding by Arts Council England. The programme runs across five areas in the South East; Arun, Dover, the Isle of Wight, the New Forest and Slough. The project empowers young people through training and creative opportunities, supporting them to lead creative projects that they feel will positively impact their communities. It centres youth voice and utilises creativity for change.  

This project is supported by public funding from Arts Council England