Mansfield Palace Theatre and Zest Theatre empower young people of Oak Tree in pop-up installation

The first of which is a pop-up installation that will take place outside Oak Tree Leisure Centre.

Through a series of workshops, Zest has worked with young people aged 10-15 to give them a voice and empower them to make an impact on their community.

Running workshops at Oak Tree Primary School and The Samworth Church Academy, they gathered hundreds of quotes about the things young people felt were most important to share.

The result is a powerful selection of quotes exploring why it can often be hard to be yourself, inspiring the community with tips on how we could create a better, happier world together.

The pop-up installation, called The Forum, is a place to chill, be heard, and imagine the future. It uses quotes collected at the workshops and puts them on display in the Oak Tree community.

It is described as a colourful town square which gives the community a place to share their voice and be inspired by the words of young people.

The installation is free and will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, July 26-27, from noon-5pm daily. Young people are invited to come and explore, sit, relax, and socialise.

There will also be lots of other free and exciting things on offer for young people who come along, including free street food and bubble tea on offer from Boba Shack for all under 25s, while stocks last, as well as games and sports to get involved with.

Toby Ealden, Zest artistic director, said: “Young people too often go unheard. Through workshops across Mansfield, we have gathered hundreds of quotes from young people, exploring some powerful themes and sharing wisdom to make the world a better and happier place. Over the next few months, artworks will appear in Mansfield, sharing the words we’ve gathered in different ways to bring colour and conversation to the place our participants call home.”

The collaboration will continue with an exhibition in the October half-term, when the voices of young people will take over Mansfield with a vibrant display of quotes and messages. It is hoped that if young people’s voices are under the noses of grown-ups, some of them might listen.