Creative resilience workshops with Hackney print artist, The Fandangoe Kid

Young Londoners are being invited to join a series of online workshops with Hackney print artist, The Fandangoe Kid, to explore experiences, challenges and issues faced during the coronavirus pandemic.

Open to 16-25 year olds, the workshops will experiment with typography, layouts and graphic elements, alongside mixed media and collage, to make bold and engaging statements. The aim of the workshops is to gather a collective voice in response to essential questions concerning young people. Participants will produce type driven artwork which reflect the many narratives of the current times, truthfully and honestly.

Research by Kooth has found that many young people felt unhappy and lonely during lockdown, while a report by Partnership for Young London and Good Thinking revealed that boredom and uncertainty are key concerns.

For those with existing mental health needs, the impact of coronavirus is likely to place even more pressure on young people in London. In a survey by YoungMinds, 83% of respondents agreed that the pandemic has made their mental health worse.

The Fandangoe Kid is a Hackney-based print artist who makes large-scale narrative driven pieces of art that seek to smash taboos around complex subject matters such as loss, trauma release, mental health and gender constructs. The insights and conversations from the workshops will become part of a larger visual art project as part of Thrive LDN’s World Mental Health Day 2020 Festival, taking place on 10th October.

The free workshops begin on Friday, 10 July. A full schedule and restoration details can be found on Thrive LDN’s website.

Lise Hansen, Thrive LDN culture lead, said: “We know that the coronavirus pandemic has had, and will continue to have, a big impact on the mental health of young people in London. Thrive LDN is delighted to be working with The Fandangoe Kid on a mini-series of workshops to offer a platform for young people to build their resilience by making bold and engaging statements, in a safe and collaborative environment. The workshops will also provide further insights and understanding of issues affecting young people at this challenging time.”