Creative Citizens Weekenders
Having seen the success of our ‘Weekenders’ micro residency programme since 2017, UKNA sought to deliver a micro residency for young creatives (aged 14-18yrs). This project aimed to provide Nottingham’s creative young people with the opportunity to experience new art forms, meet professional artists and explore progression routes and creative career opportunities. The programme became a new date in the Talent Development calendar, offering an annual space in which young people can explore their creative ideas and a place where their voices can evolve and be heard.
This first iteration of the programme was delivered in partnership with the Young Creative Awards, with spaces ring-fenced for winners and finalists from the 2019 cohort.
The programme is made up of workshops, talks and tasks and social activities that provided opportunities for the participants to explore what their artistic future could/should/would look like. A space for participants to have fun, to learn something new, to develop their current skills, to meet other like minded young people and to spend time with creative professionals who live and work in their city. During the programme the participants worked towards their Bronze Arts Award.
UKNA felt it was really important for the participants to spend time with creative professionals that they could relate to and be inspired by. All of the artists programmed to take part in the project were Nottingham based and represented a balance of art forms and backgrounds. All of the artists were under 30yrs, with a number of them having lived, worked and studied in the city all of their lives. The artists were writer, Amelia Seren-Roberts, musician Aja Ireland (AJA), printmakers Dizzy Ink, and photographer Lamar Francois. The group also went to see a film at Broadway Cinema and went out for pizza together.
The second weekender was delivered virtually in November 2020, the programme included a masterclass with fashion designer, Navneet Virk, a photography workshop with Reece Straw and a creative writing class with Sarah Rain.
