More than 500 artworks by children and young people from across Cambridge are set to go on display in an exhibition at Kettle’s Yard titled ‘Paint What Matters!’.
The young artists responded to the prompt ‘what matters to you today?’in an open call by the museum to children and youngsters aged 4–21 who live, study or work in Cambridge.
The resulting exhibition has attracted 585 entries, which will all be displayed at Kettle’s Yard’s galleries from 26 February to 9 March 2025, capturing the hopes, concerns and insights of the next generation.
Project administrator Letty Pilgrim, who helped to collate the artworks, said: “It has been an absolute joy to open these paintings as they come in and see how colourful and beautiful they are. It was also great to see the children that made them and to see how nervous and proud they were and all the different emotions that they had bringing their work in.
“A number of people hadn’t actually been to Kettle’s Yard before, and that was really important to us to make sure that they felt very welcomed and were able to enjoy the space afterwards.
“So many of the pictures were really moving. There were quite a few themes that came up such as nature and the environment, gratitude for family, for schools and learning and education and for safe homes. Also both racial and gender equality are some themes that have come up, and sometimes the children have used a more abstract style, like using colors and symbolism and shape to create artworks that particularly relate to themes around freedom and justice and equality.
“We’ve also had artworks about music and food and playing in the park, and small moments that really matter to people, as well as portraits of grandparents or another person that really matters to them.
“One of the themes that came up very movingly is reflections on the gratitude and appreciation that people have for family and friends and for a safe home, particularly in contrast with other areas of the world that are experiencing conflict. So one example is actually a painting of the Blitz.
“I assume that the young person might have been learning about the Blitz at school, and they’ve got this amazing drawing of a Blitz scene, and then their statement says ‘The Blitz in World War Two reminds me that although this war was a long time ago, war is still happening, and it makes me feel grateful to have a peaceful home’.”
Featuring submissions to the open call alongside artworks produced with community partners and local schools, Paint What Matters! is set to be a testament to the diversity and imagination of the city’s young artists. Spanning painting, drawing and collage, the exhibition will journey through themes both personal and universal.
References to climate change and nature reoccur throughout the artworks. Maria Acosta-Rokkou, 8, calls for action in her work, Save the Earth!, while a painting titled Love the Ocean and Be Thankful by Lilly, 10, depicts the sea.
The latter was created in a Kettle’s Yard workshop organised with young carers at the Cambridgeshire charity Centre 33.
In her artist statement Lilly says: “I feel that people should respect the ocean because I have seen so many articles where people have thrown rubbish in the ocean.
“I want people to look at this painting and say ‘wow’ and then they will respect the ocean.”
The artworks are said to offer glimmers of hope as the young people tackle difficult subject matters with a sense of resilience.
Zebbie Halban-Taylor, 10, will exhibit a drawing titled Family. In his accompanying artist statement, he says: “Family matters because they complete the joy in my life.”
Similar sentiments will run throughout the exhibition, including in a 20-year-old University of Cambridge student’s painting (by A.V), Four Friends on Grantchester Street, which illustrates the friendships the artist has formed while studying in the City.
Letty added: “All of the paintings that were entered – as long as they matched our quite basic size and material requirements, and as long as they were produced by children that live in Cambridge city – were all accepted.
“We had no selection or judgment, even very early drawings by four-year-olds were accepted as well as artworks by 21-year-olds. There wasn’t any artistic value measurement. We wanted to accept absolutely everyone.
“The project came about because our museum director, Andrew Nairne, is really passionate about encouraging the creativity of children and young people, and it is his ambition to provide the highest quality platform possible for young artists in Cambridge, to express themselves.”
To that end, the museum has a community and learning programme that works with local partners.
Taking place both at Kettle’s Yard and in local schools and community settings, creative activities are often inspired by the house or the current exhibition and led by contemporary artists. The community partners were: Arbury Primary, Cambridge City Council community development team at Brownsfield Community Centre, Castle School, Church of the Good Shepherd, Centre 33, North Cambridge Academy and Romsey Mill.
“Paint What Matters! also builds on the legacy of Jim and Helen Ede, who created Kettle’s Yard,” says Letty. “They hoped the house and gallery would become a place of reflection, conversation and inspiration for all who visited, and especially children, young people and students in Cambridge.”
The Edes included artworks by children in their collection, treating their work with equal significance and value as every other painting, sculpture and object displayed in the Kettle’s Yard house.
For the duration of Paint What Matters!, a group of paintings by Amanda Hicks will be shown in the house. Her family were friends with the Edes, who acquired paintings she made as a teenager.
There will be a panel discussion at the museum on Wednesday, 5 March, in which Jane Sillis, director of Engage (National Association for Gallery Education), will invite a group of Cambridge experts to share and discuss positive ways forward for young artists.
Paint What Matters! will also be accompanied by a special guide created by North Cambridge Academy Year 8 arts ambassadors, inviting visitors to explore the artworks further through open questions, provocations and activities.
