The exhibition titled “Rewrite The Narrative” is now open to the public at Tullie in Carlisle and will run until January 25. This impactful showcase features artworks created by young care leavers aged between 17 and 26, aiming to amplify their voices and experiences often overlooked in society.
The exhibition provides an opportunity for these young artists to express their feelings. They highlight their stories through a variety of stunning art forms. Each piece tells the individual story of the journey of their makers, telling of the pain, trauma and difficulties they experienced whilst growing up in care. For others, art was a process of self-expression and healing.
One of those featured artists is Allie James, whose work “Chasing Time” is shown below. Her work poses a critical question regarding the support system for care leavers: why does mandatory assistance cease at age 25? This is a question plenty of young adults can relate to. They too frequently move through the world under-resourced in their pursuit of freedom.
Kimberley Jackson, 26, expressed her sentiments through her artwork, stating that it represents the overwhelming feelings often experienced by those in the care system. “It’s feeling like I’m running out of time and there’s a time schedule in having to figure out everything, but kind of keeping hope,” she shared about her creative process.
23-year-old Sinead Diamond told BBC Look North she was overcome with joy to see her artwork on display at Tullie. She reflected on her journey of growing up in foster care. It angered her to understand that she never had an individual say in those critical early developmental years. “Growing up in foster care you don’t have a voice,” she stated. Her art powerfully communicates this feeling of not only figuring out your own strength, but finding the power that exists around you.
Leo is a 17-year-old artist with lived experience of care who shared a drawing, “The Mask I Wear” to represent his time in care. He explained, “I kind of had that mask; I was good but I was struggling at the same time.” His drawing features a yellow emoji-like face with dark brown hair and a black horn, reflecting both his struggles and his façade.
A third hit home through its subtlety, an untitled piece by the 21-year-old artist. This full-day central theme art creation captures the magic of public space and placekeeping, featuring a black horse in front of bright blue circles. The artist explained that she created her work to reflect the rage that lived in her growing up in the system. “It’s very personal to me and growing up in foster care everything’s decided for you. You don’t have your own voice so this was kind of a way to rewrite my story with my own feelings and my own intentions,” she explained.
Jane Wheeler, assistant director for family supports partnerships and youth justice at Cumberland Council, spoke to the importance of the exhibition. She says it creates a really important platform for young voices to be heard. “This exhibition is all about listening, really listening – listening to our children and young people, listening to their lived experience,” she remarked. Too often, Wheeler continued, the experiences of care leavers are visible but not listened to. “This is about them expressing themselves in a real way that’s really raw and really powerful,” she added, encouraging community members to engage with the artists’ stories.
Today, the exhibition “Rewrite The Narrative” brings to light the creative skills in the hands and hearts of these young artists. More importantly, it highlights the huge hurdles they face as they grow up and move into the adult world. With themes of hope, struggle, and empowerment woven throughout each piece, the exhibition invites viewers to reflect on the systemic changes needed to support care leavers beyond age 25.
