What springs to mind when you hear the words ‘Youth Centre’?
I bet it’s pool, street art, dj-ing, chilling out… well, at Redcar Youth Centre, something completely different has been happening over the past few months.
Hartlepool-based glass artist Rachel Gretton has been working with students from Rye Hills School and young people who attend the Youth Centre to create work to be installed at the centre, giving the main room something of a make-over.
Youth Worker and Teaching Assistant Nicky Tucker contacted Tees Valley Arts to manage the project, as she wanted young people to experience professionally-led workshops and to create unique work for the centre, she said,
“…we didn’t just want canvases or street art – we wanted it to stand out, and what the young people have achieved with Rachel is fantastic”.
Before becoming Director of Tees Valley Arts, Rowena Sommerville worked as a freelance artist and writer and she delivered a couple of creative writing sessions with the group to inform the work with Rachel.
Jane Gray, Education Officer at Tees Valley Arts said,
“Rachel’s work is really interesting – she combines glass, glass techniques on other materials and creative writing to form totally unique pieces of work. The young people have been able to work with her to develop their creativity and skills and should be extremely proud of what they’ve created together.”