Goal: To give young people the chance to explore heritage through spoken word, rhyme and music
Funding: The project is supported by a Young Roots grant of 25,000
Using a mix of archive research and creative expression, Free Form Arts Trust's New Roots project was set up to celebrate the influence of global heritage in Hackney and unleash the talent of local young people.
New Roots worked with a group of young people drawn mainly from the London borough's Hackney Grove and Parkside youth clubs. The trust is a charity that aims to use art to improve communities. Young people also came from local drama groups and responded to adverts in the local newspaper.
The young people who signed up to the project first got to research the Hackney archives to find out more about the area's history. They then took part in a series of workshops that led to the recording of the New Roots: Young Hackney Voices CD, a collection of songs and poems written by the young people about their experiences of growing up in Hackney.
The CD was launched on 7 October, National Poetry Day. Local writer and performer Gemma Weekes was a lead artist and ran spoken-word, rap and performance-technique workshops.
One of the New Roots recording artists, 19-year-old Jamila, said: "This project has helped me to discover my poetic abilities."
She added: "There is a lot of talent out here, but I think the kids need someone to believe in them and motivate them."
An exhibition of the project's work is on show at Hothouse in Richmond Road, Hackney, until 16 November. The exhibition is open from Monday to Friday between 1pm and 5pm.
The New Roots: Young Hackney Voices CD is being distributed as a heritage and educational resource and to the wider entertainment and music industry.
- Got a project to share? Call Tristan Donovan 020 8267 4719, tristan.donovan@haynet.com.
