Young Glasgow Talent Exhibition All Set for Kelvingrove!

2016 has been a spectacular year for Young Glasgow Talent. Over 500 young people across the city are now getting the support they deserve. The 1000th volunteer has pledged to help our young people. And with Glasgow City Council, more YGT Pioneering Partners have committed to one simple ambition – that care experienced and disadvantaged young people have the same education outcomes, career opportunities and life chances as any other young person.

Going above and beyond, Glasgow Life are hosting the YGT event and space in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. From November until the new year, you’ll be able to visit our “Bridge to the Future” Community Exhibition event. Our exhibition will celebrate the diversity of phenomenal volunteer mentors. Inspiring more people in Glasgow to get involved. Truly fulfilling its role as “the caring city”.

We’ll showcase the success of our resilient YGT young people, our truly motivated YGT volunteer mentors, and committed partners such as Wheatley Group, SECC, City Building and the University of Strathclyde. Just a few of the many Glasgow organisations fully behind YGT. Together, transforming the life chances of so many young Glaswegians.

Our opening night will be a spectacular celebration on 10th November. The inspiration behind the evening and the exhibition is the incredible “Bridge to the Future” painting by Gerard M. Burns. A Scottish painter of world renown and a graduate of Glasgow School of Art, Burns is one of Scotland’s best known portrait artists. He has been heralded as one of the country’s leading artists of the human condition, straddling the world of representational painting and the world of conceptual art.

Similar to his other works, the painting is highly realistic, perhaps even photographic. However like all Burns’ work each of the pictorial elements contains a deeper symbolic meaning. The intention is to provoke an emotional response and that the whole becomes much greater than the sum of the parts.

Burns’ piece captures the spirit of Young Glasgow Talent from our young person’s perspective. The painting’s models are Liam and Nicole. Former pupils of St. Andrew’s secondary in the city’s East End, they were among the very first young people to join the YGT programme. It depicts two young people who have overcome multiple challenges and disadvantages to find, grow and use their talents. They create a human bridge and strong relationship bond. They point the way to a brighter future whilst beckoning to others to join them. The Glasgow backdrop, sharp contrasts and dividing river are bridged, representing MCR’s passion and commitment to connect all talent with opportunity and overcome inequality.

Other special objects will be celebrated in the Community Space of the Kelvingrove. The exhibition encompasses all that is unique and special about YGT. Young Glasgow Talent is delighted to premiere an artwork by YGT young person Wali at the event. A phenomenal artist, he will introduce his work on 10th November. It will reflect the incredible relationship between a young person and their mentor.

The objects within the exhibition tell the story of YGT mentors and how they engage with their young people. Supporting them to find, grow and use their talents. Mentors really do change lives. Their motivation, commitment and resilience inspires. The everyday objects in this exhibition became a focus, an escape, a way to build confidence. They shine a light on the simple but innovative ways mentoring matters.

Young people’s artwork from the different participating schools will also be on display, showing the creative talents among the mentored young people in the programme.

Films will showcase both artists, Gerard and Wali, mentors and young people. Meeting the people that make a real difference to the city. And the origins of the charity.

Glasgow Life has made an invaluable commitment to MCR Pathways’ Young Glasgow Talent programme. This major Pioneering Partnership will reach YGT young people in multiple ways. Firstly, Glasgow Life are actively encouraging staff to mentor, offering young people dedicated and caring support. Someone that is there for the young person, listens to them and supports them through their education. Helping them find, grow and use their talents. Secondly Glasgow Life offer a fabulous range of invaluable experiences to the YGT young people through the Talent Taster programme.

Finally they will provide additional opportunities for young people to access arts, culture and sport events and activities across the city. Ensuring YGT young people enjoy and can participate in a wide range of experiences they would never have accessed before.

A huge thank you to Glasgow Life for their commitment and to hosting a Young Glasgow Talent exhibition space at one of the city’s finest venues.

It is a wonderful opportunity for YGT to share the amazing stories of our young people and mentors. And to encourage more people in the city to join us in transforming the lives of the city’s young people.

We have many more young people signing up for Young Glasgow Talent’s help. They need mentors to make a huge difference to their confidence, educational outcomes and future life chances. Can you help them? You’ll guide disadvantaged, but utterly deserving and ambitious, young people through their education. Find out more about Becoming A Mentor.

Can your organisation help? To become involved in our Talent Taster programme, alongside our partners such as Glasgow Life and The Herald, simply GET INVOLVED! We can’t wait to work with you to offer our city’s most disadvantaged a gateway to an expanding menu of opportunities and tasters of university, college and employment.

We’re always looking for new mentors to reach all the new young people who are coming on board with the programme. Help us spread the word by letting your friends and family know how worthwhile mentoring can be using the ‘share’ buttons below!

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