How do you tell your story through pictures? Where do you begin, and which parts of your culture feel most like you?
These were the ideas behind our Culture Collage session at Bolton Sixth Form College on 30 September. With plenty of magazines to explore, young people were invited to find pictures that resonated with their cultures, interests and identities, then bring them together into a collage.
There was some hesitation at first. Getting creative with people you are still getting to know can feel a little daunting. But as the young adults began rifling through the magazines, something caught their attention, then something else, and gradually the activity drew everybody in. Pictures were chosen, ideas were shared and the collages began to take shape.
They really enjoyed it. What started tentatively became a shared activity in which everybody chipped in. The hesitation disappeared, conversations opened up and new friendships formed. Having something to make together gave the young people a natural way to connect, with their pictures offering a starting point for talking about themselves.
Our reflection on the afternoon:
“Every picture chosen was a chance to say, ‘This means something to me.’ Together, those pictures made room for stories, conversations and new friendships.”
Culture is deeply personal. It can live in the language spoken at home, the food we grow up with, the celebrations we look forward to and the everyday things that make us feel we belong. A collage gives young people space to decide for themselves which parts of that story they want to share. It also invites others to look, listen and discover something beyond their own experience.
One moment offered an important lesson for us. A couple of young women from Arabic backgrounds could not find much in the magazines that reflected their culture. They wanted to focus on the Arabic side of their identities, but the materials did not give them enough to work with.
That feedback deserves attention. The pictures available help shape what can be expressed, and we want young women and girls to have the opportunity to recognise themselves in the resources we bring. Their interests give us a clear direction to explore for the next session, with a broader range of images and more space for them to guide the activity.
Culture Club, part of Bollywood Bliss and supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, creates opportunities for young people to explore heritage, express themselves and build connections. Alongside the enjoyment of making something, there is room to practise listening, share ideas, make decisions and grow more comfortable contributing to a group.
Thank you to Bolton Sixth Form College and to all the young people who joined in. They brought the collages to life and gave us plenty to build on. We look forward to the next session, following their ideas and seeing where those conversations take us.
