Join us for an exhibition that captures the world of today's youth through the lenses of seven talented photographers, including one of Redeye's Graduate Award Winners of 2023 - Vania Fernandes. You can read more about Vania's work and winning our award here.

Vania's work that features in the exhibition is detailed below:
BOLTON YOUTH SEARCH FOR THEIR PLACE ' is a collaborative project that  investigates the lives, identities, and viewpoints  of 6 young people who live in Bolton capturing their portraits and conducting interviews with each participant the main objective was to gain a deeper understanding of Bolton's youth, and their perspectives on whether they plan to remain in the town or seek opportunities elsewhere. While Bolton's overall population is on the rise, there is a trend of young people leaving town. According to the 2021 Census results, there has been a decrease of around 8 percent in the population of individuals aged 20 to 25 living in Bolton in the last ten years. Changing and challenging living conditions including employment opportunities, along with recent developments such as student accommodations, and business closures are all potentially contributing to the exodus of young people. Through this project, I aimed to explore whether the people I encountered envision a future for themselves within Bolton shed light on the factors influencing their decisions, and contribute to a broader dialogue surrounding the town's circumstances.

Photo credit: Vania Fernandes

Collaborating with residents from Bolton, UK, and Kitwe, Zambia, each photographer explores a distinct aspect of youth culture, weaving a compelling portrait of a generation navigating the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

Discover more about the exhibition here.