Young Critics was our project for young women, running 2014-2016. Young Critics was three small, diverse groups who came together at GWL to attend arts events, thoughtfully review and critique art and make lasting friendships.
The group engaged with theatre, film screenings, art exhibitions, dance pieces, opera and an academic symposium, all of which were created by and featuring women. Young Critics also interviewed women artists and authors and met inspiring women. Young Critics were supported to explore interview skills, review-writing, making podcasts, creative writing, film-making and zine-making.
The group was challenged to create some form of art in response to the art we had seen together. Young Critics wrote and published reviews, a podcast, and a final exhibtion of work at GWL featuring written reviews, zines, textile art, a photo series and films. The exhibition was curated and hosted by the young women themselves!
One participant said: “Young Critics has had a massive impact on my life. I am more confident, have more friends, feel comfortable speaking within large groups, and I can now speak comfortably about the arts. I have learned so much and discovered some real role models.”
You can read and listen to some of the work created by the Young Critics here.
Though Young Critics has come to an end, we are cooking up exciting plans for women under 25 in our birthday year at GWL. To be the first to know about new projects, make sure you’re on the GWL mailing list, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!
