The charitable organisation founded by Chelsea and England football player Raheem Sterling is to collaborate with the National Portrait Gallery on a new creative skills development programme.
The Raheem Sterling Foundation and the National Portrait Gallery today launch
‘Making of Me’ in London in a bid to raise the career aspirations of young people interested in expressing themselves through art.
Initially delivered in Sterling’s home borough of Brent, the programme is hoped to enable participants to produce a piece of art by collaborating with photographers, filmmakers and digital producers to explore themes of self-identity, representation, place and community.
It will give 30 young people from London the chance to learn career-advancing creative skills and explore themes from their own experiences and perspectives. They will take inspiration from the Gallery’s Collection, responding to portraits in order to develop their ideas.
Created in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery and funded by Raheem Sterling Foundation, the Making of Me project will consist of 12 workshops and masterclasses led by a dedicated Project Manager starting Autumn 2022.
Responses created by the participating young people as part of Making of Me will be displayed at the Gallery when the building reopens.
The project builds on the National Gallery existing Inspiring People project, which is designed to increase the Gallery’s reach and relevance during its closure. It will culminate in 2023, as the National Portrait Gallery makes its reopening.
Liz Smith, Director of Learning and Engagement at the National Portrait Gallery, said the project “will provide the project participants with access to the Gallery’s inspirational Collection, as well as exciting and creative opportunities within our sector.”
Clive Ellington, Chair of Trustees for Raheem Sterling Foundation added: “It’s important for us to keep developing innovative and engaging projects that will help encourage young people, support them to realise their full potential and give essential life lessons to help them grow, personally and professionally. We look forward to working with Liz and the National Portrait Gallery team and follow the young people as they embark on this incredible journey.”
