Being a Boy, the award-winning initiative launched by Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) to champion the voices of working-class young men, has brought its powerful regional tour to the heart of the community.
The exhibition is currently on display at the constituency office of Tom Hayes MP on Boscombe High Street, where it will remain until 3 July.
The flagship social mobility programme uses creative workshops to explore themes of masculinity, identity and mental health among young men eligible for Free School Meals. After a highly successful initial outing at the House of Commons in London earlier this year, the exhibition is touring Dorset to share the young men's poetry, design and visual art directly with local communities.
The choice of the Boscombe High Street location reflects a shared commitment to accessibility and engagement. Available to view by visitors coming into the office waiting area as well as passing members of the public through the window, the exhibition serves as a striking visual focal point on the high street.
Tom Hayes, MP for Bournemouth East, explains his decision to host the project:
“We really wanted to put an office on Boscombe High Street to make a statement, which is that politics is here for you. Often, people feel like they can't know, let alone access, their elected representatives.
“This exhibition is a statement of belonging, and I hope it will have an impact on people as they walk by. I work here in the office, sometimes quite late and I've seen young people looking in the window and looking at the exhibition, and I just think that's brilliant. It's something different, giving a new message that you wouldn't find in any other space here in Boscombe High Street.”
Tom, who first encountered the Being a Boy project in Parliament, emphasises the role of the arts in building trust.
“I think it's an interesting way for people to understand their role, their life, and the society they're a part of," he says. "It gives you a chance to step into somebody else's shoes, to experience the world as somebody else. And I think we need a lot of that right now.”
The Boscombe appearance marks a key stop on the Being a Boy Dorset tour, which launched at the Wimborne Council Youth Festival in April.
Following its final week in Boscombe, the exhibition will move on to several high-profile regional locations, including AUB’s own Festival of Creativity on 4 and 5 July as part of the Being a Boy Celebration on Sunday 5 July, before heading on to St Mark’s Church in Talbot Woods, Bournemouth University, and Poole Museum over the course of the coming months.
“We’re so proud to bring the voices of these young men directly to our local high streets after our launch in Parliament earlier this year," adds Eleanor Ball, Senior Access and Participation Officer at AUB and the Being a Boy project lead. "The project simply wouldn’t exist without the creativity, joy, and humour they've brought to every workshop over the years. Having the exhibition in a space like Tom’s office means their stories are directly visible to the community they belong to.”
