A Primrose Hill schoolboy has been picked to judge the UK’s largest youth photography exhibition.
Entries to the Show and Tell #MyPhotoMyFeeling exhibition is now open and runs until January 13.
Adnan Islam won the competition this year with his picture depicting sorrow, and was at Primrose Hill Primary School when he submitted to the exhibition.
The 11-year-old will be judging alongside Syrian refugee photographer Hassan Akkad, TV presenter Anna Richardson, Akram Khan MBE and other creatives, to encourage 10-18-year-olds to express their emotions through photography.
Adnan said: “Taking the photos unlocked a different aspect of me that I couldn’t find before. I have continued to take photos and really enjoy it, and I believe it should be a subject taught in schools.”
Show and Tell, a project co-created by The Photography Movement and creative agency Constance, seeks to create a safe space for them to share their emotions in order to help improve their mental health.
It highlights how thousands of young people are really feeling today, with the photo submissions all available to view in an online exhibition.
NHS research revealed that more than half (53%) of 17-23-year-olds’ mental health worsened between 2017 and 2021.
Around 100 photos will be curated for a London gallery and online in February 2022, plus a final 15 selected by celebrity judges to put on billboards around the UK for millions to see.
Nicole Elias, one of the campaign’s founders said: “Our simple brief is carefully designed to allow safe self-expression and the work submitted always breathtaking, open and humbling.
"The next generation want and deserve a voice and it will be our privilege to share their #MyPhotoMyFeeling with you."
Writer and presenter Anna Richardson said: “After two years of lockdown, insecurity, and fear caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s no wonder that we’re all starting to feel the effects of frustration, isolation and anxiety."
She said the exhibition is "a way for young people to express their innermost feelings without fear or judgment, whilst also learning a creative skill".
"All of which is absolutely crucial for supporting good mental health," she added.
The winners will be announced in an online celebration in February 2022, sponsored by Cisco.
Registrations are open at www.showandtellphoto.com.
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