Care Leavers Unite Across UK Through Art and Adventure

Young people who have left the care system are finding new ways to connect with others through a special art project that is traveling across the UK. The project, called Making Her Mark: A Celebration of Women in Art, brings together care leavers from Cornwall, Scotland, and Worcester. These young people are working with local art galleries to create and share art, while also learning about the important role women have played in the art world. The project is supported by the Art Fund, which has given over five million pounds to help galleries share their collections and make art more accessible to everyone.

In Cornwall, the charity Carefree Cornwall supports young people who have left care. Some of these young people joined the art project and worked with artist Kate Turner to create a colorful banner for the exhibition at Penlee House Gallery and Museum. The banner is filled with phrases and questions about identity and what it means to be a woman artist. Kate Turner encouraged the group to think about how the art world could be fairer for women and people from other marginalized groups. The young people also spent time drawing and learning about different artworks in the gallery. Emma Thomas, one of the participants, said she gained a lot of confidence from being part of the project and trying new things she would not have done before.

The project is about more than just making art. It is also about building friendships and understanding different communities. The group from Cornwall traveled all the way to Scotland to visit Kirkcaldy Galleries. They discovered that the people there also live by the sea and have a strong connection to their coastal environment, just like in Cornwall. The young people got to explore the museum’s archives and learn about history, which inspired Josie Bond to think about studying history in the future. Cameron Jones said the Scottish community was very welcoming and interested in learning about Cornish culture. He felt that sharing their stories and learning from each other was a beautiful experience. The project helps care leavers feel more confident, creative, and connected to others who have had similar experiences.