Hidden Voices at Towngate Theatre
We’re very proud to present the exhibition of Hidden Voices, our project in partnership with young carers charity, Kool Carers & funded by Essex County Council’s Arts & Culture Fund.
Young carers worked with professional artists, writer & director George Morgan & photographer Laurence Harding, to sensitively explore their own experience, aspirations and self-image. The group created original & innovative artwork that represents the complexity of their experience, sharing their stories with the wider community to raise awareness and reduce stigma.
“It has been wonderful to see our young participants grow in confidence as the project developed. ”
Hidden Voices exhibition is on from the 5 June to 14 June 2023 over Carers Week in the Upper Foyer of Towngate Theatre, Basildon.
Family, friends and invited guests enjoyed the launch event of Hidden Voices on 5th June.
“Beautiful, thoughtful work that shows so much maturity and grace.”
Hidden Voices has been developed with Kool Carers in response to their commitment to deliver impactful creative projects to support the young carers they work with.
The past two years have seen a significant rise in young people being referred to Kool Carers for support with a high proportion of those experiencing mental illness and/or neurodivergence such as autism.
Caring can have a drastic impact on children and young people, affecting their physical & mental health, social life, self-confidence & many struggle to manage their education and caring role which can cause pressure, stress, anxiety & loneliness.
“Taking part in the project made me feel normal.”
— Project participant.
Over a series of workshops young people worked with artists George Morgan & Laurence Harding exploring creative writing, digital & analogue photography to develop their own visual language. They explored portraiture and learnt to print their images using one of the earliest photographic processes, called Cyanotype. Participants have created striking & poignant images with text and spoken word to create personal portraits of their lives, sharing their often hidden stories.
Watch the Hidden Voices film created by participants combining still images and spoken word written by the young people themselves.
“It’s been extremely rewarding working with Laurence and Elevator Arts on such a relevant project that explores identity though creative writing and photography. The standard of work that the young people from Kool Carers have produced will resonate with audiences due to how bold and brave they have all been with sharing their personal experiences.” — George Morgan
Some of the young people from Kool Carers with their work.
“I enjoyed taking photos, being creative & making new friends. I felt happy & part of a team.”
— Project participant
Special thanks to Rachel Tungate & all at Kool Carers, James Ravinet at Essex County Council and Thomas Mason & staff at Towngate Theatre.
Hidden Voices has been gratefully funded through Essex County Council’s Arts & Cultural Fund.
The Essex County Council Arts and Cultural fund has been designed to help organisations and practitioners to deliver a broad and exciting range of work and activity to engage with and bring residents together.
The arts, cultural and creative projects supported by the Essex County Council Arts and Cultural Fund, will contribute to the Levelling UP Essex Strategy and plays an integral part in enabling the objectives of Essex County Council’s wider objectives as set out in Everyone’s Essex.
Photo credits: Film Free Photography
