Young artists secure funding at PB events
A group of young, care-experienced artists are delighted to have secured funding at our Wellbeing for All participatory budgeting events.
ArtClub? attended the voting events in Stewarton, Cumnock and Kilmarnock, and bid for a small amount of money to help them hold a visual art exhibition in the Young People’s Gallery in Kilmarnock’s Dick Institute. This is something they had been working towards and were supported in by the Exhibitions Team and East Ayrshire Leisure Trust.
The group was successful in winning enough votes to secure a third of the money they asked for. The young people were more than grateful to hear this news, which gave them a terrific sense of achievement.
Artist and PB participant Emma Kasper spoke about the importance of using art as a means of expressing herself:
“Sometimes I find it rather difficult to express myself through words, about how I feel in the real world. One way I get around this is by using a wide range of techniques in art to help express myself, mostly experimentally and random but unique to myself as they show who I am as an individual. Talking about ArtClub? at the PB Events was a significant way for me to articulate my own thoughts but also those of ArtClub? all at the same time.”
Fellow artist and PB participant, Jam MacKay, said the PB was a hugely worthwhile experience:
“The PB was a fantastic experience and helped us as a group to establish ourselves and our message. It helped to improve the confidence of the young people involved and overall we had a great time”.
Promise Participation Lead, Eòghann MacColl, was thrilled for the ArtClub? members and believes they all have a bright future ahead of them:
“Really pleased for our wee group of young people, who went up against the big local and national charities to champion their artwork as a means to tell their care experience stories. There is seldom ever equity for our care experienced young people but they still achieved despite that. It was not easy and they deserve a huge amount of recognition. I am looking forward to seeing what they do next.”
Congratulations to ArtClub? on their PB success. Keep up the amazing work!
All of us at EAHSCP wish you the very best of luck with your Dick Institute exhibition.
