Throughout summer 2006 Tate Liverpool will be hosting a series of drop-in events for young people, organised by young people. These activities, the result of a year-long partnership between Tate Liverpool and Merseyside Police, are designed to create a safe, enjoyable and alternative place for young people to meet in Liverpool city centre.
Young people involved in the Courts Project will be running free monthly TateSpace drop-in events (2.00 – 5.00pm 24 June and 22 July) and ArtPad, a free creative hang-out for young people. Designed as a canvas for ideas, the ArtPad space (16 – 28 August 2.00 – 5.00pm) will take the form of a studio apartment, with activities inspired by the current Bruce Nauman: Make Me Think Me exhibition. These events are open to young people aged 13+ and are part of a long-term commitment to provide safe and exciting events for young people in the city.
Inspector Karl Kneale of Merseyside Police approached Tate Liverpool in July 2005 for help to engage with groups of ‘goths’ who congregated around the law courts in Derby Square and at the Pier Head at weekends and during school holidays.
The goth sub-culture, which is usually expressed through music and fashion, is often perceived by the public as negative and intimidating. The word ‘goth’ is used as a term of abuse and the common perception is that the behaviour of this group is largely anti-social. Yet Merseyside Police were concerned that these young people were increasingly becoming the victims of crime and were choosing to meet in these public areas because of the increased security offered by police-monitored CCTV and the presence of the police and city wardens. Naomi Horlock, a Tate Liverpool Education Curator specialising in work with young people, met with local police at street level and recognised their strong level of support for this group.
In the weeks that followed, Naomi established a Courts Project consultation group that incorporated Merseyside Police officers and young people working with Tate as part of the Young Tate, the Gallery’s peer-led programme for 14-25 year olds. The consultation group met with the young people to canvass opinion, and used this to develop a series of activities for autumn 2005. From the initial ten young people invited to Tate Liverpool to take part in planning the activities, the group soon grew to over thirty.
TateFest 05, a music, visual art and drama event was hosted at Tate Liverpool in October 2005. Linked to Tate Liverpool’s vibrant assume vivid astro focus exhibition, TateFest 05 drew together graffiti art, local bands, fancy dress and interactive drama activities. For the young people involved, TateFest 05 helped them celebrate their achievements, and recognise that, by taking responsibility for change they could bring about a shift in public perception.
With funding secured from CitySafe, the group responsible for coordinating TateFest 05 established a pilot programme of regular activities for young people, making the work of the Courts Project a regular part of Young Tate. Meeting every last Saturday of the month for drop-in workshops, activities were inspired by the exhibition DLA Piper Series: International Modern Art. A series of activities for February half-term 2006 included a trip to Tate Modern and Tate Britain’s exhibition Gothic Nightmares, where the group were met by Tate Director Nicholas Serota.
The Saturday drop-in sessions have continued throughout 2006 and are now regularly attended by as many as fifty young people. They are still given the choice to drop-in to these sessions or take a more active role in co-ordinating these events as Young Tate leaders. Many young people have discovered that the opportunities provided by the Courts Project and Young Tate have helped them boost their confidence, work and socialise with other young people, develop transferable skills for the workplace and increase their commitment to the city and gallery.
Speaking on the project’s effect, Inspector Karl Kneale of the Merseyside Police said:
Between February and June 2003 robberies and muggings on young people on the streets in this area accounted for 34% of all crime. Young people and particularly this group are often seen as easy prey. Merseyside Police has seen a dramatic reduction in crimes against young people during the Courts Project.
Between October and December 2005 there was one robbery reported in the target area. In January 2006 there were no robberies reported in the target area. Reports of anti social behaviour by young people have reduced and the ambulance service reported a reduction in call outs in the target area.
If you are aged 13+ and would like to get involved with Young Tate at Tate Liverpool please come along to a Young Tate session or contact Naomi Horlock at Tate Liverpool on 0151 702 7400.
To find out more about Young Tate events visit www.tate.org.uk/liverpool.
The Courts Project is funded by Tate Liverpool, Merseyside Police and CitySafe.