Young Roots
Project Motorhouse is working to transform a derelict seafront site at Ramsgate into a community arts venue. With a National Lottery-funded Young Roots grant, it worked with students from the Royal Harbour Academy exposing them to old photographs from the South East Archive of Seaside Photography (SEAS) as a stimulus for their creativity.
Professional artists, sound engineers, a music producer, photographer and DJ mentored the students who produced a photographic exhibition and accompanying video with soundtrack. It was displayed at a local gallery and at a pop-up exhibition at the Turner Contemporary in Margate.
The results for individual participants, most excluded from school, have been described as a "life-changing event".
A project report noted: “As a direct result of the project, most (of the participants) are now going to take photography as a GCSE because they have found they enjoy it so much. Participants have told teachers that they have really enjoyed being treated as serious people by the professional mentors working on the project."