For the past month young people from the local area have been photographing the artistic side of Boscombe as part of a project run by the Community Youth Project Shop in association with Boscombe Community Interest Company and the Sovereign Shopping Centre. An exhibition displaying the most popular photos is currently being held outside the shop until Monday 1st October.
The project provided young people, aged 11-19, with the opportunity to showcase their photography skills by taking photographs of the Boscombe area and submitting them to the Community Youth Project Shop where they were displayed to visitors who then voted for their favourite. The aim of the project was to provide an opportunity to engage young people with the regeneration project of the local area by giving them a voice within the community.
After entries closed on Saturday 8 September the top photos were printed onto canvas and large print by DPI Photography, also located in the Sovereign Shopping Centre. Following the exhibition, which went live on Saturday 22nd September, the winning photos will be available to purchase with half of the proceeds going to the photographer and the other half going to Community Youth Project Shop to fund the project for next year.
The young, aspiring photographers include Rosie Wilie (16), Jack Chisolm (18), Sarah Crispin (13),
Lois Martin (13), Lauren Clement (15), Ryan Derry (15), Angel Chisolm (11), Rebecca Mayes (15),
Alissa Stone (17) and Suzie Vincent (17).
Clare Belmont, Manager of the Community Youth Project Shop, said: “We were aiming to inspire young people in the area and encourage future qualifications, personal development and business networking and I believe we have managed to do that successfully.”
The Community Youth Project Shop was established to provide a central facility as a way of engaging young people into the regeneration of Boscombe. It offers support, advice, guidance, business advice and creative workshops with partner groups, which includes Bournemouth Integrated Youth Service, Young Enterprise, YMCA, Creative Kids, Guidance For Youth and many other children and young people’s services in and around Boscombe.
For further information please contact Clare Belmont on 07716 585411. For more information visit www.sovereignshoppingcentre.co.uk or call 01202 392721.