featuring ACCUMULATE
‘As part of the course, we also visit exhibitions.
I prefer to be hands-on and take pictures, and yet I really enjoyed walking around the galleries and reading the photographers’ biographies as well as the story behind each image. I found myself going home to research some of the artists in the gallery, their photographic style and their own personal story. I could feel passion for photography coming back to me.
This has helped me understand what it is I want to do later on in life.’
Lisa Louise MacGregor attends Accumulate every week and is 21 years old.
‘I have always had a passion for the media. In secondary school I studied photography; I went on to read media in college and I loved it – essays and all!
I planned to go to university, as many of my friends. Unfortunately, I found myself twice homeless.’
Homelessness comes in many forms. Lisa lived in uncertain housing and sofa-surfed with friends and relatives. It took a while until she got referred to a hostel for young people, where she could work through a plan to secure a permanent, rather than temporary home.
‘At the hostel we had activities, mainly sports, like boxing and fitness, but nothing creative. When I first heard of Accumulate, I was sceptical to start off with. At the same time, I was so excited to be getting back into something I had a passion for! I was convinced my career in the media was over when I didn’t go to university.
I started to attend photography workshops. Each workshop is in a different location, so you get to take a good variety of images. I do not own a fancy camera but at the course you can check a camera out for the week so you can practice.’
In time, I noticed I started to feel so much better!
When I first turned up I was so anxious and nervous I didn’t speak to anybody. I could not even answer my phone. Now I am comfortable with teachers and students and even more, the public, as I need to ask their permission to take certain photos!
I am extremely thankful for all I was offered. I am excited to see my final images all together at my own exhibition! It is amazing to think one day someone could be looking at one of my images discussing with another the meaning behind it, what my life story was, or what I was thinking while taking the picture.’
ACCUMULATE
Accumulate are a youth charity who offer creative workshops to young, homeless people in temporary accommodation in London. The workshops cover photography, film making, illustration, textiles and jewellery and are taught at Ravensbourne College.
An interesting feature of the course is that each workshop takes place in different locations across London, including Tate Modern, The Barbican, Somerset House and The Photographers’ Gallery.
Accumulate also fundraise for scholarships, so that their participants are able to continue their creative education and study at college. Last year, they raised money for 4 scholarships.
I have followed Marice Cumber, Accumulate’s founder and an artist in her own right, for a long time, and I am convinced of her real passion and also ability to carry things through to a real, palpable result.
What I most like about Accumulate is that the participants are offered a real opportunity. Not only do they learn techniques in the medium they choose, but their artwork also gets exhibited, and thus there is a real chance for them to be noticed. Accumulate artwork has been featured on TV and in national newspapers, shown at exhibitions and bought by the public.
Their latest exhibition, Displacement, will take place at the Guardian Headquarters, between the 18th of May – 15th of June (10am -6pm). The opening night is on the 17th of May 2018.
I have met many young people like Lisa in my career of working in the homelessness sector. They irradiate the light of enthusiasm and dreams. Have you got a similar story to tell? Was yours a happy-ending one?
StoriSSe a charity