Art exhibition highlights problem of knife crime

Knife Crime Awareness Week runs from 19 – 25 May and is an annual campaign by The Ben Kinsella Trust

An art exhibition showcasing school shirts emblazoned with anti-knife crime messages will go on display as part of Knife Crime Awareness Week.

Created by young people in Bristol, the exhibition will be held at The Lord Mayor's Chapel on College Green, Bristol, on 19 May.

In the Empty Shirts, Lost Childhoods project, participants aged 13 to 25 were invited to decorate plain white school shirts with poetry, slogans, artwork, and memorials that reflect their feelings and experiences of knife crime.

The University of Bristol's Dr Jade Levell, who led the project, said the exhibition "shines an important light" on young people.

Knife Crime Awareness Week, which runs from 19 – 25 May, is an annual campaign by The Ben Kinsella Trust that aims to raise awareness of knife crime's devastating effects and promote preventative solutions.

Messages like "lives not knives" and "we want to feel safe," are among the slogans featured on the shirts

Dr Levell said: "[The project] aims to make people think about the experience of 'childhood' for those absent from school.

"Writing on school shirts is a rite of passage for many young people as they graduate from formal education.

"Children involved in youth violence often miss out on this milestone, due to being excluded from school, victims of violence, or perpetrators in custody."

The project represents the culmination of a unique creative project spearheaded by the University of Bristol in collaboration with local schools and youth organisations.

The exhibition will be held at The Lord Mayor's Chapel on College Green, Bristol

Inspired by The Clothesline Project, a global initiative that raises awareness of gender-based violence, this is the first time the concept has been adapted to address serious youth violence in the UK.

Organisers hope it will spark conversations and shift perceptions away from criminality and towards understanding and support.

The project also invites community members to respond by contributing to a "community manifesto" that will be shared with Bristol City Council and other partners to inform future youth violence prevention strategies.

Participating organisations include Barnardo's, Empire Fighting Chance, Youth Moves, and City of Bristol College.

Duncan Stanway, assistant director at Barnardo's, said: "It is important that we listen to what young people who are affected by violence say about their lives.

"We see too many young people who are seriously harmed through exploitation and violence."

The initiative is part of a broader citywide effort, led by the Bristol City Office, to address serious youth violence through collaboration between community groups, academics, police, and public health bodies.

Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner Clare Moody praised the initiative.

She said: "[It} powerfully captures the voices and experiences of young people affected by violence."

The exhibition will be held from 11:00 to 17:00 BST on May 19 and is free and open the public.