Level 3 Art students at TyneMet College have been celebrating the success of an inspiring community art project, Threads of Courage, which brought together people from across North Tyneside to explore the theme of courage through creativity.
Created as part of Refugees Week, the project aimed to break down barriers, encourage conversations, and shine a light on the courage and resilience shown by refugees as they rebuild their lives. Working alongside members of the local community, participants designed and created six striking kimonos, each representing different interpretations of courage.
The students became involved in the project through local artist and former college lecturer Tracey Affleck, who is a member of the Tynemouth Together with Refugees group. Throughout the academic year, Tracey worked closely with the students, guiding them through the design process and supporting them as they planned, developed and created the kimonos as a collaborative group project.
The project provided students with a valuable opportunity to apply their artistic skills to a meaningful real-world brief while engaging with important social issues. Through research, discussion and creative experimentation, they explored how art can be used to tell powerful stories, promote understanding and bring communities together.
The completed kimonos were first showcased at the end-of-year art exhibition in May, where visitors had the opportunity to admire the students’ creativity. The project then reached an even wider audience when the kimonos were featured in a special exhibition at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. As part of the event, TyneMet College students proudly modelled the garments in a fashion show, bringing each design to life and helping to share the powerful message behind the project.
The success of Threads of Courage highlights the impact of creative collaboration and demonstrates how art can inspire empathy, celebrate diversity and encourage positive change within our communities. For the students involved, the project was not only a chance to develop their artistic practice but also to be part of something that made a meaningful difference.
TyneMet College is incredibly proud of the students’ creativity, commitment and professionalism throughout the project, and of the inspiring contribution they made to this important community initiative.
Find out more about Art & Design courses at TyneMet here.