Viewed from above, the scores of brightly painted tents in the Turbine Hall seemed like an interesting new installation. In fact, these tents were only there for one night – and 150 young people actually would be sleeping in them.
This was the first ever ‘sleepover’ at Tate Modern. It took place in May 2007, with young people from across England coming to voice their opinions about the development plans for the building.
After a day of consultation, the participants were let loose to paint their tents, followed by an evening of late-night workshops and films.
Young audiences make up a huge proportion of Tate Modern’s visitors. The sleepover kicked off an ongoing consultation with them, which in 2008 will culminate with From My Space to Your Space – a conference designed and prepared by the young people themselves.
