Kirsty McCarrison
English Heritage
Drawn from History: amplifying youth voice through illustration
Panel: Institutions
The project celebrated the work and perspectives of young volunteers at English Heritage through vibrant, diverse illustration. This offered volunteers the opportunity to engage with the ongoing, active process of heritage beyond their regular duties; shaping their own experiences through visual story-telling, weaving their personal experiences into the broader context of the sites they work to care for, and offering fresh perspectives on their chosen historical narratives.
The aim of this work was to platform youth voice within English Heritage, encourage youth volunteering across the organisation, and to celebrate the work of young volunteers who perform a variety of roles at sites across the country. Additionally, it introduced external young illustrators to a range of diverse heritage narratives that were previously unknown to them, inspired them, and enabled them to participate in the process of heritage-making by employing their creative expertise.
Chanté Timothy was commissioned to highlight the stories of two fascinating women connected with English Heritages sites. Volunteer Anne was inspired by a portrait of Dido Belle, who lived at Kenwood. Anne, 19, and Volunteer Explainer at Kenwood House said:
“Dido’s story is an inspirational one and holds great importance in promulgating an awareness of black portraiture in the history of art… The inclusion of the original portrait in the fan is a brilliant addition; Dido visually holds on to the authentic work whilst simultaneously, through this innovative response to the work, asserting its new life in our society today.”
Encouraging broader, more diverse audiences, including illustrators, to engage with heritage sites and stories as sources of creative inspiration, will shape future histories of culture and identity associated with heritage.
Dr Kirsty McCarrison is Senior Youth Engagement Manager at English Heritage. English Heritage’s national youth engagement programme, Shout Out Loud, provides a platform for young people to explore heritage sites and collections across England, helping them to uncover untold stories from our past. By amplifying their voices, Shout Out Loud puts their ideas and stories at the heart of English Heritage.
English Heritage cares for over 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites from world-famous prehistoric sites to grand medieval castles, from Roman forts on the edges of the empire to a Cold War bunker. Through these, we bring the story of England to life for over 10 million people each year.