Nearly 18 months ago, we were asked by our friends at young person’s empowerment project Chilypep, if we’d be interested in collaborating with them on an exhibition. They explained that the town’s Cooper Gallery had offered one of the young people’s groups they support an exhibition in the venue’s Saddler Room space, to coincide with programmed main exhibition downstairs, John Ledger’s Straight A’s: Anxiety, Anorexia, Alcohol, Ageing, and Art. Just like John’s exhibition would aim to do, their exhibition would explore mental health and well-being, but through the lived experiences of local young people. We said yes, of course. Just come back to us when you’re ready.
Fast forward to July 2025, they were ready. Barnsley Civic was officially asked to come on board as delivery partner; managing the planning, finances and installation of their exhibition, and the sourcing of the artist who would collaborate with Just Us, the group of young people we’d be working with.
Just Us are a passionate group of young people from Barnsley Voluntary and Community Sector organisations, Chilypep, YMCA and the Youth Association. They work with Barnsley Council’s Public Health team to make a positive difference to children and young people’s emotional wellbeing and mental health. They’d already come up with the title of the exhibition, Expressing the Walls in My Mind – inspired by a song from the musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
During the summer Barnsley Civic held call-out to recruit the artist who would work with Just Us, using a poster designed by the group. The chosen artist would run eight sessions with the group, and create the artwork which would be exhibited collaboratively. 15 artists applied to take part in the project. Just Us shortlisted four applicants; each of which were briefly interviewed by young people and staff from the Just Us project. The four artists included sculptors, photographers and painters. The artist who was chosen by the young people in the end was Wakefield based multi-disciplinary artist Tony Wade.
Tony submitted an idea that explored the concept of brick walls housing diorama which represented the experiences of the young people. The bricks would come together to form a giant wall, which would become the focal point of the exhibition.
The workshops took place between September and December, with each session exploring a different creative skill; including wire work, ceramics and painting on silk. Each young person used these skills to bring to life a scene which either explored the toolkits they use to look after their own wellbeing, or moments from their own lived experience.
Meanwhile, local artist and illustrator Robyn Makings was brought on to design the exhibition posters, as well as templates for exhibition interpretation panels.
The final artwork came together in January 2026. It was monumental in size and featured seventeen dioramas. The exhibition opened on Saturday 17th January. The exhibition also highlighted previous work produced by young people from Just Us and Chilypep, including the animation Beyond Reflection. This was created with Barnsley College’s game design department and shows the importance of supporting each other to work through emotional issues as soon as possible. Another feature of the exhibition will be Talkin’ Tarn, the new public art which was produced with artist Robyn Makings and installed in Barnsley Interchange in January as well. We took a closer look at the two murals which form Talkin’ Tarn here. The exhibition will signpost to services for children and young people around emotional wellbeing and mental health.
We are always over the moon when different organisations invite us collaborate of a project that platforms the genuine voices of young people; especially ones that hands them the reins and let’s them choose which artists they want to work with and guide the outcome. Please do check out the exhibition while you still have time.
‘Expressing the Walls in My Mind’ runs during the Cooper Gallery’s opening hours, from Saturday 17 January to Saturday 21 March 2026.
