Jacob Briscombe - The Forge: Ourside 2025

The Forge: Ourside 2025 - An explorative exhibition at Ourside Youth Association

In October to November 2025 eight young people at Ourside Youth Association aged 12-17 took part in another of our Forge projects.

The young people held their own exhibition, and it was inspiring! They came with a range of artistic ideas, from representations of masculinity to addiction in teens. Our role was to provide the tools and materials to help them bring their ideas to life.

Two fantastic artists, Emily Marlowe and Mark Riley helped make this project a success. Emily, an established mural painter and illustrator, led a character design activity that helped the young artists plan their final piece. Mark arrived with a range of specialist tools and equipment, and supported participants to turn their plans into 3D sculptures.

None of this would have been possible without Creative Facilitator Donna Lawson. She helped nurture the young people and steer them in the right direction when needed.

The young people all worked super hard, and it showed. Family, friends, and the local council attended, leaving awestruck seeing the array of pieces and hearing the young artist's thought processes. It was a joy to see them express their voices in this way.

Surveys were filled in at the start and end of the projects to track their progress, and the results showed that most participants grew in confidence, developed friendships, and felt proud of their achievements.

Feedback from participants:

Helped boost my confidence working in a team.

Chance to do something like this outside of school... to full express what I want without restrictions from an exam with other people.

Liked the design and having my thoughts go wild.

Feedback from guests, artists and staff at Ourside:

Loved working with the kids and seeing their ideas come to life.

Jess Morris, parent/helper

This journey not only sparked curiosity, but also helped the young people grow in confidence. In the end, the project was as much about self-discovery as it was about producing art.

Donna Lawson

A real buss from the young people after the session.

Bev Wride, Ourside Youth Association Manager

We can't wait to see where the young people take their creativity next!

Read Vale Magazine’s article here!