Art isn't just for the oligarchs

The challenge wasn't getting young people interested in art.

It was getting them through the doors.

For a lot of young people, galleries felt intimidating.

Not because they didn't understand art, but because they didn't feel like they belonged there.

Even exhibitions reflecting their own culture could feel out of reach.

The brief was to change that for Serpentine's 2021 James Barnor exhibition.

The idea started with a simple belief: art only comes to life when someone experiences it.

The Serpentine is you

That became the foundation for Serpentine Studios, a nine-week programme created with Break Comms that handed the gallery over to nineteen young multidisciplinary creatives.

Through workshops, mentoring and unrestricted access to the exhibitions, the programme positioned the Serpentine as somewhere to participate, not just observe.

Alongside mentoring the collective, I developed a new visual identity and social campaign designed to bring more young people into the gallery.

The identity was intentionally flexible, giving participants the tools to create their own work and publish it across Serpentine's channels.