REIN: What Did 2012 Mean To Us?

REIN’s graffiti workshop Image © F.Fiaz

Youth graffiti workshop and display

For Newham Heritage Month, REIN’s LGBTQ+ young people explored what London 2012 meant to them in a fun and creative way through art.

With a visit to the Stratford Archive and a collaboration with artist Harkiran Kalsi the young people worked on a series of graffiti workshops and Olympic related pictures.

The graffiti workshops resulted in a mural that encompassed the philosophies of a range of LGBTQ+ sports people, including Olympic gold medalist, Carl Hester MBE – one of the only openly gay Olympians competing for Team GB in 2012.

The mural will be displayed on the external walls that lead into REIN’s building, reflecting what the young people think about the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games – and their impact on the LGBTQ+ community.

REIN’s LGBTQ+ young people also produced pictures and posters relating to the 2012 games for display and facilitated discussions around what the games meant to them. 

To see the art project come to life, watch this short film:

Youth Olympic fashion show

REIN’s young people also showed off their design skills with outfits they inspired by the London 2012 with a fashion show. This gave young people the opportunity to research and deliver a fun, creative and educational representation of Olympians who openly identified as LGBTQ+ during the 2012 Olympics.

Including a dance and spoken word performance, the local community were invited to share in the inspired expression by LGBTQ+ young people through their Youth Olympic Legacy Offer (YOLO).

The unique event explored sartorial trends combining sports and fashion with an Olympic twist!

REIN’s Olympic-themed fashion show. Image © Anna Castleton Simmons