Made In Our Town

Who are we?

Rebels & Pilgrims exist to dismantle systemic barriers within the creative industry and make it more diverse. We do this by  providing opportunities to learn more about different creative career paths, facilitating access to networks and building a supportive network.

What are we going to do?

Made In Our Town is a creative design project where Raafaye Ali (a professional Illustrator) will work with young people to create their own unique t-shirts. The designs will be linked to their experiences of living in Ealing Town. During these workshops they’ll also learn more about the design process and what a career as an illustrator is like. Further supporting their careers education.

There will be 3 workshops held in June at Westside Young Peoples Centre, Churchfield Road, West Ealing, W13 9NF. We are just deciding on the days – but will update very soon!

The project will end with a public exhibition and networking event at OPEN Ealing in July, celebrating the work and bringing together families, creatives, businesses and local residents.

Why do we want to do this?

We want to do this because we believe everyone deserves to have access to try out creative activities and learn more about creative careers. Whilst 31 percent of young people are interested in creative careers only 49 percent know what skills or qualifications they need to work in the sector. This gap gets bigger when you take into account low-income families and those from a global majority background. And this is then reflected in the current make-up of the creative industry.

We also want show how creativity can be used as a practical tool to encourage self-expression and local pride. The final exhibition will bring different generations and communities together through storytelling and celebration, whilst the workshops offer a safe, supportive space where young people can explore ideas and see that their voices matter.

What are you most excited about the project?

We are so excited to see what the participants will create! As they’ll be guided through the design making process, it will be really interesting to see what part of their experiences and identity they choose to focus on and how they feel about what they’ve created at the end.

The final exhibition will be fun too! Young people are often stereotyped and it will be wonderful to have an opportunity to show how incredibly talents they are.