“Allow us to embrace failure, celebrate our identities and support our passions RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.”
This online zine is made by young people for young people in Peterborough.
Inspired by a quote from our Fierce Talent Project, “We’re not just the future, we’re right here, right now”, and co-created with our Sounding Board, this platform celebrates Peterborough’s young people, their creativity and their desire to embrace Failure, Identity and Passion in their lives and learning.
The young people’s responses were created through a series of artist residencies and workshops in schools and community groups across Peterborough. The Sounding Board worked as editorial leaders, with local design co-op Paper Rhino shaping how the zine looks and curating the content.
This time capsule, an amazing mixture of writing, drawings, videos and audio, reveals what is important to today’s young people.
Past Events
Freak Speak
ABOUT THE NIGHT
Peterborough's premier poetry & spoken word night. Featuring national headliners, local talent, and free party bags for all! Forget what you think you know about poetry…
Freak Speak is all about giving a stage and a mic to othered voices, voices that deserve to be heard, letting the poets freak and letting the poets speak. Freak Speak is, at it’s core, mix of celebrating who we are, having a grand night out in the company of friends, and basking in the power of poetry and spoken word. Oh and everyone who came got a free party bag full of sweets, and other little surprises too. Total party vibes!
THE LINE UP
We are so (x1000) excited for the line-up that's joining us. Expect to laugh, cry, and every splendid emotion in between.
FAITH FALAYI: is Peterborough's first Young Poet Laureate, aiming to encourage all young poets and creatives in the city. Particularly interested in the theme of identity, Faith believes words can, as a form of self-expression, can help individuals better understand themselves and others.
KAT BEETON: is a writer, poet, and singer. They love performing and dressing up for no good reason but most of their time is spent wrestling words into an order they are happy to send out into the world. Kat was crowned Peterborough Poet Laureate for 2022 with a passion for collaborating with other writers and artists and celebrating the beauty of difference.
MARK GRIST: Mark Grist is an award-winning poet, teacher (& unlikely battle-rapper) with millions of views for both his poetry and rap battles online. He's been on several live tours of the UK and overseas, gained two International Webby Awards and recently starred in a feature-length documentary (titled 'Mark Grist Battles the World’) for RedbullTV.
TALIA RANDALL: The “sublime” and “distinctive” Talia Randall is a writer, performer and podcaster. She’s performed comedy, poetry and theatre on stages across the UK including Wales Millennium Centre as part of Charlotte Church’s Utopia, The Southbank, Bristol Old Vic, Roundhouse, Glastonbury and the main stage at Larmer Tree festival. Talia’s recent projects include ‘What Words Are Ours?’ a Deaf inclusive poetry knees-up. An inaugural member of BBC Audio Lab, Talia’s podcast series ‘Blossom Trees and Burnt out Cars’ explores who has access to nature and who doesn’t.
WILLOW CAFE BAR, CENTRAL PARK - A BEAUTIFUL SETTING FOR AN EARLY EVENING EVENT
Youth Battle Lines
ABOUT THE EVENT
A new generation of street artists is taking the Battle Lines floor for a fast, furious and freeform art battle. From 1-3pm, 3 young artists were given 2 hours to respond to the theme of Right Here Right Now. The event was attended by over 50 people, all enjoying the street art battle and additional audience doodle table, dance crew and DJ.
The artwork by Korporate, in the Korp Studio, was also on full display during the event to inspire our battling artists as they worked, but also for our audience to get a real taste of the street art scene in Peterborough.
THE LINE UP
Jodie, 19
My name is Jodie Swepson, and I am a Peterborough-based artist soon to be moving to Lincoln to study fine art. I like working in a range of media, especially oils. My thing at the moment is portraits and creature artwork. My inspiration comes from movies and the people around me. I like to experiment in my work, so I am open to most things and don’t quite have my own style down yet. The most consistent thing through my artwork is connection, a theme that began appearing in my work at the start of my artistic journey in 2017 when I chose art as a GCSE option and started creating outside of school.
Fin, 14
I enjoy drawing detailed characters and take inspiration from cartoons and dark fantasy. Goblins, gremlins and rats are my particular favourites to draw - mainly using Posca and Pro Markers, and more recently spray painting. Instagram @art.by.tutu
Eva, 16
Eva likes to take inspiration from the natural world when drawing. Fish and plantlife are particular favourites and are incorporated into artwork using pencils, acrylics, alcohol markers and watercolour. Instagram: @idlevines
Right Here Right Now is supported by Arts Council England and Think Communities
