William Morris Gallery works with young people with an interest in art, design, fashion and textiles or those wishing to build skills for a career in the creative sector. Working with educational partners, artists and sponsors, the Gallery offers design courses, individual workshops and work experience opportunities, with the chance to work with artists and specialists within the field.
Young People’s Programme
2024: Curatorial Interpretation: Professional Development Course
William Morris Gallery, with support from National Heritage Lottery Fund, offered adults aged 18-25 the opportunity to take part in a curatorial interpretation professional development course, inspired by the temporary exhibition that was opening at the Gallery in November 2024, William Morris & Art from the Islamic World. During the summer of 2024, 20 young people with an interest in this exhibition were recruited for the course to enhance the interpretation of objects and stories in the exhibition. This five-day professional development opportunity was run by Shaheen Kasmani, artist, curator and educator.
You can read Object Stories produced by participants on this dedicated page.
2023: Fashion intensive – Ashish: Fall in Love and Be More Tender
In April of 2023 the Gallery ran a fashion intensive course and were joined by fashion, textiles and art students for a five day course exploring fabric manipulation and embellishment techniques. Inspired by the exhibition Ashish: Fall In Love and Be More Tender, the course was led by Jodie Ruffle, Senior Lecturer in Fashion Textile Design at Middlesex University. Specialising in embroidery and embellishment, Jodie has worked with designers including Ashish, &Daughter, Paul Smith, Mih Jeans and Kurt Geiger, as well as collaborating on bespoke pieces with product designers, stylists, illustrators and other embroiderers.
The course included a visit to Liberty’s textile studio as well as a chance to learn from industry insiders from London College of Fashion, Bricks Magazine and Urban Outfitters. Taking inspiration from Ashish Gupta’s practice and textile-led design approach celebrated in the Ashish exhibition, the workshop allowed the students to celebrate their individuality whilst learning surface design skills. The group was guided through the design and textile sampling process and developed their own fashion ideas to create a celebratory, upcycled piece from handcrafted textiles.
William Morris Gallery partnered with Bricks Magazine to offer the students a sponsored membership on their Alternative Education Platform. This platform features content including an opportunities board updated weekly with available grants, jobs and freelance roles. They also created a bespoke resource for the students, with tips for getting into the industry.
2022: Textile design programme – Althea McNish: Colour is Mine
In 2022, with support from Liberty Fabrics, William Morris Gallery was able to offer 20 young people aged 16-20 the opportunity to take part in a five-day textile design programme, inspired by the exhibition, ‘Althea McNish: Colour Is Mine.’ The course took place in April 2022 and was led by contemporary textile artist Yemi Awosile, who worked with students to develop their own portfolio of print patterns inspired by McNish’s work.
The course included workshops at the William Morris Gallery, a visit to a screen-printing studio to create a prototype print of their designs and a visit to the Liberty store to meet the Liberty Fabrics team. We hope to run a similar course each year.
If you’re a young person, parent or educator interested in the Gallery’s offering for Young People, click the Enquire button.
