Bar Park Creative Project: A Safe Space for Youth Expression and Engagement

The Bar Park Creative Project is a transformative youth initiative born out of a collaborative partnership between CHIPSA and The Venture Centre, funded by the National Lottery’s Million Hours Fund. This programme is designed to offer young people in Gloucester a safe, engaging, and inspiring environment during the October half-term (28th-31st October 2024). Through this initiative, young people will have the opportunity to participate in open-access, drop-in sessions that blend creative arts, physical movement, and music, all while fostering community connections and empowering young participants to express themselves.

Addressing Key Challenges

The project stems from the need to provide young people, particularly those aged 11 to 18, with meaningful and positive alternatives to anti-social behaviour in areas where they may be most at risk. By offering accessible, fun, and interactive sessions, the project not only engages young people in constructive activities but also helps develop their creative and physical skills, all within a safe and supportive environment. The Million Hours Fund, supported by the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) and The National Lottery Community Fund, specifically aims to extend the reach of youth work and provide spaces where young people can thrive.

Creative Arts & Physical Activities

The project features two dynamic strands, each designed to resonate with different interests and passions:

• Picture That: Creative Photo Sessions – Led by Georgia Williams, this 4-day workshop encourages young people to develop their skills as visual creators. The sessions explore various tools and techniques, from disposable cameras to mobile photography and cameraless processes like cyanotypes, empowering participants to capture and present their unique perspective on their city and environment. These sessions culminate in a collaborative exhibition where their work will be displayed throughout the Bar Park space.

• Physical Arts Sessions at Bar Park – Running simultaneously with the photo workshops, these sessions offer young people the chance to explore high-energy physical activities such as calisthenics, parkour, dance, and acrobatics. Participants are encouraged to build confidence, physical coordination, and creativity in a dynamic, music-filled setting.

Impact and Community Engagement

The heart of the Bar Park Creative Project is the idea of turning Gloucester’s Bar Park into a vibrant cultural hub where young people can express themselves through multiple art forms. By giving youth a platform to co-curate their work in an open, community-facing exhibition, the project highlights their voices and perspectives, transforming their urban environment into a space of creative expression.

On the final day, the project will culminate in “Concrete Narratives: Bar Park Pop-up Gallery”, an immersive exhibition open to the wider community. This event showcases the photographic and physical artworks developed throughout the week, hanging them across the park’s bars and structures to create visual walkways. The exhibition also features live performances of the physical arts, inviting the community to experience the energy and creativity of Gloucester’s young people in an entirely new way.

Aims & Long-Term Impact

The Bar Park Creative Project aims to:

1. Provide Positive Alternatives – Offering young people engaging activities that steer them away from anti-social behaviour.

2. Foster Creative and Physical Development – Encouraging participants to discover and refine skills in visual arts and movement-based activities.

3. Build Community Bonds – Strengthening connections between young people, local artists, and the wider community.

4. Promote Youth Empowerment – Giving young people the tools, skills, and platform to express their unique perspectives and contributions to the cultural life of Gloucester.

By creating opportunities for young people to engage in creative exploration and physical activity, the project promotes personal growth, community cohesion, and the development of a vibrant youth-led cultural hub in Gloucester.

Sustainability and Future Goals

The project not only provides immediate benefits through its October half-term programming but also aims to leave a lasting legacy within the local community. By engaging local youth, artists, and community organisations, the project seeks to foster ongoing collaborations and inspire future initiatives, ensuring that young people in Gloucester continue to have access to safe spaces for creativity, physical activity, and personal development.

This initiative has the potential to be scaled and replicated across other parks and communities, encouraging a culture of engagement, self-expression, and mutual support that can positively shape the lives of young people and the city as a whole.