May: Knife crime awareness week exhibition | News and features

It marks the culmination of an innovative project supported by University of Bristol multidisciplinary experts in partnership with local youth organisations and schools. Children and young people aged between 13 and 25 from across Bristol were invited to decorate plain white school shirts with messages and symbolism capturing their views and feelings about knife crime.

These included slogans from campaigns such as, ‘Lives not knives’, voicing a need for safety and compassion: ‘We want to feel safe’; ‘I see humans, but no humanity’; as well as peer support messages like: ‘Save your life it’s worth living for I promise I know it’s hard but it is worth it’. These messages of pain, hope, and solidarity were among the expressive words used on their vibrant creations, which also featured poems, lyrics, and memorials.

The initiative drew inspiration from The Clothesline Project, which has been used globally to raise awareness of gender-based violence activism and give survivors a voice in countries including the US, Brazil, Mexico, and Kosovo. This is the first time the approach has been used in the context of serious youth violence.

Dr Jade Levell, Senior Lecturer in Social and Public Policy at the University of Bristol, who led the project, said: “Writing on school shirts is a

Jon Yates, Chief Executive of the national Youth Endowment Fund, said: “Half of our teenage children say that they have changed their behaviour in some way because they are worried about violence. It’s on us as the adults to listen hard, find out what works to change children’s lives and make it happen. This exhibition is a brilliant way to start listening.”

rite of passage for many young people as they graduate from formal education. Children involved in youth violence often miss out on this milestone, due to being excluded from school, victims of violence, or perpetrators in custody.

“This exhibition shines an important light on these young people and aims to make people think about the experience of ‘childhood’ for those absent from school. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with participants really embracing the opportunity to express themselves freely and creatively really letting rip with their emotions.”

Their artwork showed that knife-crime was not the only form of violence they experience and care about, with messages also focusing on domestic violence and abuse, sexual violence, suicide, and self-harm.

A 13-year-old project participant, from North Bristol, said: “It was fun and nice to do; I enjoyed making the shirt. I like doing art and this concept was a great idea. Many young people who are victims don’t get to finish school, so it was nice to make one for them.”

Dr Levell added: “By using school shirts, it aims to emphasise the domestic and mundane aspect of everyday childhood. Whereas lots of ‘knife crime’ focused work foregrounds imagery of violence and knives, this project hopes to shift the focus to typical childhood experiences that many young people miss out on.

“This exhibition is an important step in ensuring the voices of children affected by violence, and the community around them, are being heard.”

Barnardo’s, Empire Fighting Chance, City of Bristol College and YouthMoves were among the organisations involved with the project.

Duncan Stanway, Assistant Director at Barnardo’s, said: “It is so important that we listen to what young people who are affected by violence say about their lives.  We need to properly understand what their lives are like and how they feel, if are to do anything that will improve things for them.

This project is an innovative way of involving young people and giving them a chance to have their voices heard. At Barnardo’s we see too many young people who are seriously harmed through exploitation and violence and are pleased to be part of this project.”

As part of the installation members of the community will be invited to get involved and share their reflections to form a ‘community manifesto’ which will be delivered back to Bristol City Council and other partner organisations addressing the issue.

Last year former Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees convened representatives from the police, community groups, public health bodies, schools and universities in the city, including the University of Bristol, to help tackle serious violent street crime. 

Researchers spanning a range of academic disciplines, including criminology, sociology, politics, policy, and law have been joining City Serious Youth Crime roundtable discussions coordinated by the Bristol City Office, as part of a holistic approach which includes community partners working with young people. The academic team has shared global evidence about effective strategies with the Council’s Serious Violence Prevention Board.

Dr Levell said: “Reframing youth violence away from being primarily a policing and crime issue and instead focusing on supporting vulnerable children who are often facing multiple forms of harm has proven a successful approach in many contexts.”

As part of the work, experts are preparing a policy briefing which highlights ways forward. Key recommendations include developing a hyper-localised response, where grassroots organisations are more empowered to be part of the solution. Mental health was also identified as a concern and the gap in accessible support for those in immediate need and directly affected by violence in its various forms.

Some of the shirts portrayed violence and fighting as an acceptable part of masculinity, while others expressed fear and a desire for safety, calling for more safe spaces. They also showed participants value a sense of community as well as having hope and ambitions. Given these findings, researchers highlighted a need for positive messages and role models to help deter people from carrying knives and perpetrating crime.  

Clare Moody, Avon & Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Knife crime destroys lives. During Knife Crime Awareness Week, we are shining a spotlight on the preventative work being done by the Violence Reduction Partnership, Avon and Somerset Police, and our commissioned services. These collective efforts are vital to ensuring families and whole communities don’t have to experience tragedy, and young people can have the future they deserve.

“I am honoured to attend the ‘Empty Shirts, Lost Childhoods’ exhibition, which powerfully captures the voices and experiences of young people affected by violence. This creative initiative not only raises awareness but also fosters community engagement, reminding us of the importance of listening to and supporting our youth.”

The public exhibition, called ‘Empty Shirts, Lost Childhoods’, will be held in The Lord Mayor’s Chapel, College Green, Bristol from 11am until 5pm on Monday 19 May.

Councillor Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council, said: “The ‘Empty Shirts, Lost Childhoods’ exhibition serves as a powerful platform for young people impacted by knife crime to be heard and supported. Bristol City Council and One City Partners are committed to working with young people and their families to make sure Bristol is a safe place where everyone can have opportunities to prosper. My thanks go to all of the young people who have contributed to this moving and thought-provoking exhibition and to Dr Jade Levell and her team at the University of Bristol for supporting the work.”

Charlene Richardson, Extra Familial Harm Partnership Lead in the Bristol Violence Reduction Partnership, added: “We are supportive of the project and envisage working in partnership with the Bristol City Youth Council to develop it further, including using the shirts in our outreach work in schools. We have visions of it becoming an annual event which grows and brings together different community voices.”

Knife Crime Awareness Week, which runs from 19-25 May, is an annual campaign by The Ben Kinsella Trust to highlight the complexity of the problem, its devastating impact, and prevention work.

Jon Yates, Chief Executive of the national Youth Endowment Fund, said: “Half of our teenage children say that they have changed their behaviour in some way because they are worried about violence. It’s on us as the adults to listen hard, find out what works to change children’s lives and make it happen. This exhibition is a brilliant way to start listening.”

Professor Palie Smart, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Civic Engagement at the University of Bristol, said: “As a global civic university we are proud to be part of this important work, in collaboration with our city and regional partners, to tackle an issue which affects young people everywhere today.

“This creative initiative demonstrates how our interdisciplinary team of experts have been working tirelessly to pioneer proactive, engaging methods to listen to and support them. We hope this research provides useful learnings and insights for partners to understand the many different dimensions of serious violence and evidence-based ways to help everyone feel protected and safe.”