Word2012 runs from 11-31 May 2012

For further information and to download the festival brochure click here

Festival images:
Read-In flash mob on Highbury fields, 12/5

See the Word Read-In Flash mob video here

Fortune Telling Book Launch, 14/5

Supported by Save the Children and All Change, young parents aged 14-19 have worked for 6 months to research and develop their campaign. In collaboration with artists Yemisi Blake, Leticia Valverdes, Belle Moore Benham and Sarah Ainslie, with support from Keisha Riley Douglas and Lydia Clarke, they have created powerful portraits and statements for a range of campaign materials to encourage people to Look Twice and Think Again when they encounter teenage parents.

The project is part of Save the Children’s In My Back Yard Programme, which aims to give children and their parents in the poorest communities the opportunity and skills to tackle poverty themselves – starting by children and young people identifying issues they want to address and developing projects in their local community to make changes that will help form a route out of poverty.

For more information visit

The B project is an exciting new initative for young women in Islington supported by Islington Council and Islington Giving. 6 young women aged 15-21 have been employed as Peer Leaders, to find out what young women want, to set up new creative projects for them, and to connect them to youth projects across the borough.

‘B’ Recommends is an initiative which will see the B Peer leaders visiting projects and awarding them a peer-recommendation. The soon to be live ‘B’ blog will signpost young women to projects which cater for their needs and interests and will be a place for young women to find out what’s out there and what they might enjoy.

More news coming soon….

3 brand new projects…designed for young women by young women

‘B’ Writing
Tuesday 6th March 5-7pm
at Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3GA
(Nearest Tube: Farringdon. Buses: 63, 19, 38, 341, 55, 243)
a creative writing project led by Sarah Butler and Aoife Mannix – have your say through poetry, stories, discussion and more
a fun workshop for young women about what you want to say!

Runs every Tuesday from 5-7pm through March, April and May 2012. FREE

‘B’ Photography
Wednesday 7th March 4.30-6.30pm
at Canonbury Project, Unit 3, St. Paul’s Road, London N1 2PY
(Buses: 30, 277, 38, 56)
a photography project led by Marysa Dowling. Learn about photography and create your own pictures.

Runs every Wednesday from 4.30 – 6.30pm FREE

‘B’ Dance – taster workshop
Friday 9th March 5.30-6.30pm
at The Healthy Living Hub, White Lion Street, London N1 9PW
(Nearest Tube: Angel). Buses: 38, 19, 30, 214, 205, 56, 43, 4, 476, 73, 341, 153, 274)

A fun dance workshop with Kate Scanlan – come along, learn new skills and have fun! FREE

B – brand new creative projects for young women
Designed for young women by young women
Led by Amazing female artists
Learn new skills and create your own work!
Express your ideas!
Meet new people!

Look out for B Recommends & the B Blog

Visit the Platform website for more info

Workshops have been taking place with young people across the borough, led by some of the best arts companies around, creating work for the festival which includes dance, theatre, visual arts and much more!

All Change will be presenting a range events as part of the festival including:

Transforming Buildings - Tuesday 26 July 2011, 7.30pm at Platform

Catch Up at islington Museum
Friday 29 July 2011
Workshops for 13-19 year olds 12-5pm, Event for everyone 5.30-7pm
Before you there was them – come and check how urban fashion and music came about. All Change Urban Arts Academy graduate, David Owode has curated this one-day music and fashion event at Islington Museum. This is your chance to learn abut and make urban styles that have been around longer than you might think! Book a free workshop with a professional music producer and fashion designer. Or come along to the end of event party to see our creations.

The Makespace exhibition
15-30 July at Platform
Throughout the festival, Platform will be brought to life with dynamic art works, cusomised furniture and much more. Young people have worked with Studio Myerscough, Cubitt Education, Craft Central and All Change to design and curate a show across the whole building. Discover unusual and creative work in the cafe, landings, stairwells and unexpected spaces throughout Platform.

Heart & Home – Tea Dance
Sunday 24 July 2011, 2-5pm at Platform
A tea dance with a difference – the cafe at Platform needs your help!
Over the course of one afternoon help us transform the cafe crockery with designs and decorations. Whatever your age, take to the dance floor and work with artists to make your mark on this extraordinary venue. Free refreshments throughout the afternoon. This may just be your ‘cup of tea’.
A partnership event with Studio Myerscough and Cubitt Education.

Identity
at Canonbury Project Youth Club
Wednesday 27 July 4.30-6.30pm
An exhibition of photography created by young women in the Canonbury area.

Fresh & Loud @ Platform
Friday 29 July 7pm
A night of spoken word, dance, music and more in partnership with Apples & Snakes and Free Word.

Friday 3 June – Saturday 30 July 2011
10am-5pm (closed Wednesday and Sunday)

The Transforming Buildings event takes place at Platform on the 119th birthday of Hornsey Road Baths

Tuesday 26 July 2011, 7.30pm

Transforming Buildings – the exhibition
Curated by young people, the exhibition celebrates the stories of two important community buildings – Hornsey Road Baths and White Lion Centre, as they prepare to transform into new youth hubs in 2011. Come along and add your memories to the exhibition over the next 2 months. This exhibition is part of the Transforming Buildings project – click here for more information

The exhibition closes with a special celebration

2-5pm, Saturday 30 July 2011

Islington Museum
245 St John’s Street
EC1V 4NB

Transforming Buildings – the event

On the 119th anniversary of the opening of Hornsey Road Baths, come and celebrate with us with this special site specific performance event. Exploring the story of the baths, this event shares the stories of young and old alike through magical performances, films and artworks -including some that will remain as a permanent legacy in the new youth hub.

7.30pm, Tuesday 26 July 2011

To book visit:

Supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Part of the Platform Festival

The event marked the culmination of a year long programme of workshops across Islington’s social housing estates, delivered in partnership with Sadler’s Wells, and supported by Homes for Islington, EC1 New Deal and Islington Council.

This free event, which was a great success was attended by over 130 guests including friends, family, youth and community workers, artists, council officers, members of the public and young people.

The Mayor of Islington, Councillor Mouna Hamitouche presented each participant with a Certificate of Achievement at the end of the show.

A small group of participants have been invited to perform extracts from the show at High Res, at Sadler’s Wells – a special evening of Connect projects and partners, on Thurs 17 and Fri 18 March, alongside other youth and community projects.

Pictured (left to right): Yemisi Blake; HKB FiNN; Robert Mitchell; Suzanne Lee (All Change); Felix Cross (Nitro); Zena Edwards; Arun Ghosh; and Alex Wilson.

This special afternoon event was streamed live on the internet and attended by members of the participating communities – older people from Alsen Day Centre; young parents from Inspire!; and people from migrant communities who use Islington Council’s NRPF service.

Images from All Change’s Painted Portraits project, led by Leticia Valverdes were projected as part of the event.

The artists performed pieces inspired by the stories of each group.