In September 2025, I was commissioned by Barnsley Civic and Barnsley Council Public Health Team to work with 20 young people to create a new artwork for an exhibition at The Cooper Gallery.
Each young person designed and made the content for an individual 1m x 0.5m brick that would be a part of a wall installation. Using aluminium wire, silk-painted backdrops, words, lights, and sculpture, they explored themes of mental health and wellbeing, and the steps they take to address concerns they have.
The exhibition runs from January 17th to March 21st 2026.
Information from the press release –
‘Just Us are proud to announce their new exhibition ‘Expressing the Walls in My Mind’, created in collaboration with young people, artist Tony Wade, and with support from Barnsley Civic. The exhibition will take place in The Cooper Gallery’s Sadler Room from Saturday 17 January to Saturday 21 March 2026.
Just Us are a passionate group of young people from Barnsley Voluntary and Community Sector organisations, Chilypep, YMCA and the Youth Association. They work with Barnsley Council’s Public Health team to make a positive difference to children and young people’s emotional wellbeing and mental health.
The exhibition’s centrepiece will be a new artwork, also titled Expressing the Walls in My Mind, which explores young peoples’ mental health and the experiences of young people today.
Tony Wade 