Brixton Wings at Tate Modern
Saturday 2nd May 2025
Sometimes a single comment from a young person can open a door you didn't know needed opening.
During our recent holiday activity programme, one of our participants mentioned, almost in passing, that she had never visited an art gallery. It stopped us in our tracks. Here was a young person who had just created artwork now displayed on a shop front for the whole community to see and yet the world of galleries and exhibitions had never felt like a space for her. We knew we had to change that.
Our Programmes Manager reached out to Tate Schools, who generously gifted us tickets to the Nigerian Modernism Exhibition at Tate Modern. On Saturday 2nd May, 12 of our young people walked through those doors and for the majority of them, it was their very first time inside an art gallery.
A Rich and Rewarding Experience
The Nigerian Modernism Exhibition gave our group so much to take in. Paintings, pottery, sculpture, and thoughtfully presented information throughout meant there was something to spark curiosity at every turn. Our young people explored at their own pace, asked questions, and engaged with work that was bold, beautiful, and full of cultural depth.
One of the most wonderful moments of the day had been shared with us even before we arrived. A parent had told us ahead of the visit that their great-great-grandfather had two pieces featured in the Nigerian Modernism Exhibition. Walking into that gallery knowing that connection existed made the experience all the more special not just for that family, but for the whole group. To see the work of a participant's ancestor displayed on the walls of one of the world's most celebrated galleries is the kind of reminder of why we do this work, and why representation in spaces like these matters so deeply.
Why This Visit Matters
At Brixton Wings, music, coding, sport, and STEM sit at the core of what we do. But we have always believed that broadening horizons goes beyond any single programme. A trip like this to one of the most iconic cultural spaces in the world is part of a wider commitment to making sure our young people know that these spaces belong to them too.
This visit grew directly out of Day 3 of our holiday programme, where participants created artwork using reclaimed bike parts at the upCYCLE LDN hub. That work is now displayed publicly on the upCYCLE shop front. Moving from creating art in a community hub to viewing internationally celebrated works at Tate Modern in the space of just a few days is a journey we are incredibly proud of.
A Huge Thank You
None of this would have been possible without the support of those who made the day happen. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Tate Schools for their generosity in providing tickets, to Tate Modern for hosting such an inspiring and accessible exhibition, and to Leebra Transport for getting our young people there and back safely.
To our 12 participants we hope this is the first of many gallery visits. The art world is yours.
