Annual Research Report 2023/24

This document is a summary of the first year of research activity funded by the Mildred Fund (2023/24). The research asks: what are the vital ingredients within the Mildred Fund programme that can support young people in developing social, personal and creative wellbeing? It explores the process of focused art programmes and the affordances they bring to young people. 

The report includes insights from youth programmes with schools and communities created at Tate St Ives (Cornwall), Camden Art Centre (London) and Turner Contemporary (East Kent). It highlights the significance of trust-building, a specific form of attentiveness, the multi-dimensional factors of confidence, as well as the quality of processes themselves and their sustainability. 

• Trust and relationships: Building trust early in the art project and maintaining it through consistent support and engagement, even after the project ends.
• Attentiveness: Emphasizing individualised approaches that give a hyper-focus on the needs of young people, teachers, and youth workers, as well as the importance of creating supportive environments and using art as a medium for engagement.
• Confidence and wellbeing: Exploring the relationship between confidence and wellbeing, and how confidence in personal, social, and creative contexts can enhance overall wellbeing.
• Artistic processes: Highlighting the importance of slow, process-led, and judgment-free artistic activities that encourage collaboration, creativity, and personal expression.
• Sustainability and continuity: Considering ways to sustain the benefits of the programme by maintaining relationships and providing ongoing opportunities for engagement and development.