‘Exploring young people’s identity and wellbeing’ will be the theme of a young people’s exhibition at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery in Bradford, launching on Friday 1 July (after 3:15pm) and will remain open until Autumn of this year.
The exhibition has been curated by the Healthy Minds apprentices, working alongside project workers at All Star Entertainment (who break down barriers on young people accessing music making opportunities), and in partnership with Bradford Council’s Bradford District Museums and Galleries, it is an engaging and thought-provoking exhibition.
The Healthy Minds apprentices are a group of young people who educate children and young people to look after their mental health, and how to access support by visiting the Healthy Minds website (run by Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership, and Mind in Bradford). This exhibition gives an insight into how children and young people are affected by mental health, their coping mechanisms, and how they celebrate the small wins.
Therese Patten, Chief Executive for Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust and Chair for the Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership Board for Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Neurodiversity, said:
“The exhibition will use creative and personalised ways to capture children and young people’s opinions, thoughts, views, and experiences of mental health.
“The Healthy Minds apprentices have collaborated with a number of partners across the district, and I would like to thank everyone who has been involved and supported this exhibition.
“I would encourage people of all ages to visit the exhibition, it shows children and young people’s mental health journey in a visual way; which others might be able to relate to. If you’re planning on attending the launch on Friday 1 July (after 3:15pm), you’ll have the opportunity to talk to the Healthy Minds apprentices and partners who helped with the exhibition.”
Ali, Healthy Minds Apprentice, said:
“We’re looking forward to the opening of the exhibition. All the apprentices and people involved have worked hard to take the exhibition off the ground. We want to thank Bradford District Museums and Galleries for backing this exhibition and giving us this opportunity to showcase the work we’re doing around promoting mental health.
“There will be a number of exhibits for people to view, some of the exhibits include a poetry wall which features writing by young people across the district, LGBTQAI+ art installation, and a photography wall showing the highs and lows of a young person’s mental health journey.
“We’ve partnered with Born in Bradford: Age of Wonder, Young in Covid, Bradford Council’s Youth Service, Youth in Mind, primary and secondary schools across the district, these are only some of the partners that have helped with this exhibition.”
Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Healthy People and Places Portfolio for Bradford Council, said:
“Our young people are at the heart of everything we do and they played a key role in helping the Bradford district win the UK City of Culture 2025. This exhibition highlights the talent and creativity of our young people and why we value their unique insights on really tough topics. It’s really exciting to see how the Healthy Minds apprentices have teamed up with other children and young people across the district to help with this exhibition.
“This exhibition shows the reality of what children and young people experience and their mental health journeys. People visiting the exhibition, will have a unique insight into what mental health can look like for children and young people. It can be difficult to articulate what mental ill-health can feel like, and this exhibition will help people in discovering and understanding what others may be going through.”
Visit the exhibition at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Lister Park, Bradford, BD9 4NS.