Dale

In Dale, we find an intriguing, creative and resourceful young man.

Having moved from the South East of the UK to the North West, overcoming obstacles that stopped him progressing and being able to solely focus on his foundation of musical attributes (that later would become harnessed skills and assets as he ventured on a journey unbeknown) he found himself with a sharp tone, a straight to the point attitude in his song writing and a tenacious approach to creativity through resourcefulness.

Hannah

I am a multi-talented designer and enthusiast for all things creative.
From a young age, I have been fascinated by design. What first appealed to me about it is the philosophies behind the topic. How? and Why? are questions that I ask myself. Being able to deconstruct themes and individual elements of a concept enables me to understand each element. I believe that my portfolio demonstrates how this creative way of thinking has influenced my work. I aim to generate hidden meaning in my artwork, that will engage viewers and provide them with information on important issues in hopes of starting a conversation.

In September, I will be studying my Masters in Design, with the intent of diversifying my skill-set and establishing a career in the design industry.

Chloe

From getting tied up and painting myself in a mirror, to fly-posting satirical lost animal posters all over Carlisle, my work defines myself as an artist in a variety of ways. The core to my creative ethos, however, has to be approachability: I make work that can be appreciated, in some capacity, by everyone, whether that is done by using satire or absurdity as an access point. Audience engagement and experience are things I also consider to be incredibly important to my practise, taking inspiration from Olafur Eliasson, David Shrigley, Nathaniel Russell and Jeremy Deller to develop my approach to fine art. This is carried over into my projects for the festival, where I am looking to tackle the lack of creative opportunity for young people around my locality in both a visual arts competition and public art piece. Project-managing these activities is also helping me grow into my own as an emerging practitioner, acting as a springboard for me to go to university at Central Saint Martins in October.

Ali

I’m Ali. The six foot tall Gremlin that can be found in most metal shows around Carlisle. Have you seen a tall Goth lass walking around with brightly coloured hair and usually sporting something with a panda on? That is me.

When I was in my mums’ belly, she played Meatloaf none stop. When I was in the crib, my dad would sing Slade songs to me. When I would sleepover at my Grans, my uncle would play The Prodigy. When I was eight, Amy Lee was legally made the most hauntingly beautiful woman and you had to want to be her. Honest, they passed a mandate and everything.

With all this in my formative years…you could say I have always been destined to get into Rock and Metal.

My first gig was My Chemical Romance at the age of 15. I had a sign that said “I love Mikey Way”, it was mega cringy but since then I’ve been going to shows none stop. From The Brickyard and Club Rock (R.I.P) to Think Tank and King Tut’s Wah Wah hut, I’ve been trying to support emerging artists who are trying to get their music out there.

We have a rich history of music in Carlisle and I want to remind you of how much of a hotspot we were back in the day. I want to revive the Carlisle metal scene and get the fresh blood out there instead of the stale cover bands that seem to haunt our town.

Jess

As a visual artist exploring the uncanny and the paranormal, I am a lover of all things spooky. My aim in my artwork is always to make the viewer considered things in a different way, whether it be how the paranormal can be portrayed visually, or how the paranormal can be used to discuss other important issues. I am currently studying my Masters in Contemporary Fine Art, and I am intending to move onto my PhD, and working in museums or galleries to help people engage with our heritage and culture in new and exciting ways.

Mariana

My name is Mariana, I studied Film and Media at Carlisle College and I’m hoping to attend Northumbria University to study Media and Journalism in September.

I’m originally from Union City, New Jersey in America and I moved here to Carlisle 5 years ago.

My experience in the UK has been an eye-opening adventure into opportunities I may not have been able to have. However, with that of course came it’s struggles.

I’ve been able to get through this with the art I create and through photographs. I was inspired to do my short film on the different cultures of Carlisle because when I first came here, I didn’t see the diversity within this border city that I saw in America. After living here for a while, I can see all of that unfold and hidden within Carlisle are different cultures, and I can’t wait to show people.

Izak

I’m Izak, an art student studying at Carlisle College who hopes to become an illustrator, and perhaps an art director later on.

I’ve always had an affinity towards creating stories and putting familiar feelings into new settings. One thing that drives this is representation.

Being part of the transgender community has put me in a position where we’re hardly given the positive spotlight – that’s long overdue.

Why wait for someone else to include a trans character in their creation when I could do it myself. Now. So I’ve been trying to use my art to showcase my own experiences, thoughts and feelings. Hopefully it resonates with someone else, much like seeing another transgender person’s work would inspire me and make me feel less alone.

It’s this feeling that is the basis of my underREPRESENT Q&A series within the festival of hope. By giving a space for under represented individuals to make their voices heard ..I hope to inspire other young people, show them that they can make their voices heard, and use creativity as a way of representing ourselves and our experiences.