Community art project for excluded teenagers

Abstract

This article describes a study of the experiences of young people who took part in a community art project in an inner-city area after being excluded permanently from school. The study used descriptive phenomenology to investigate their experiences. Unstructured interviews were conducted and two main themes were identified: the teenagers' experiences of taking part in the project and their involvement in it. Personal and social benefits of the arts identified include enjoyment, achievement, interacting with peers and engaging with the wider community