Team Sculpture: Engaging Young People and Communities Through Sculpture

At Sculpture Placement Group, we believe in the power of sculpture to inspire, engage, and build confidence. Team Sculpture is our adaptable project framework designed for use in schools, community organisations, and care settings. It encourages meaningful connections with contemporary art through hands-on making, supporting skills development, creativity, and wellbeing along the way.

Our Pilot Programme at Govan High School

For our pilot, we partnered with Young Enterprise Scotland and Govan High School’s Positive Destinations Lead to deliver a 10 week programme shadowing our SPG Loan Project. Students visited contemporary art galleries and production sites, created their own artworks in workshops led by acclaimed artist David Sherry, and placed a sculpture in their school that was shared with and enjoyed by the school community.

Participants developed skills in project management, marketing, and public engagement, while growing their confidence and connection to the arts. The programme culminated in the students selecting Mohammad Plays by Rachel Lowther, highlighting the plight of young Palestinians.. The piece was proudly displayed at the school for a period of a year following an opening event attended by students and staff.

Expanding to Other Schools

Following the success at Govan High, Team Sculpture has expanded to Dunbar Grammar and Whitehill Secondary. Students participated in artist-led workshops exploring contemporary art and creative processes.

At Dunbar Grammar the project reached another milestone with the installation of Gerroff! (or User Feedback) (2021) by Mick Peter, a playful, narrative-driven sculpture chosen by students to become a lasting feature of their school environment.

Collaborating with David Sherry on wearable sculptures encouraged participants to step outside their comfort zones, fostering self-expression and helping them articulate perspectives on contemporary art.

Rachel Lowther with the Team Sculpture participants at Govan High School standing in front of Mohammad Plays (2015). 
Mick Peter's Gerroff! (or User Feedback) (2021) at Dunbar Grammar.

Community Partnerships with AMINA

Team Sculpture has also been developed for community contexts, first piloted with AMINA – The Muslim Women’s Resource Centre’s Friendship Group. Over six sessions, the group explored creative wellbeing, confidence-building, and connection through sculpture.

Working with artist Aqsa Arif, participants engaged in hands-on making and visited Sculpture House to meet artists in their studios. They also took part in a fabric printing workshop led by artist Laura Aldridge.

The group selected Manometry II by Elpida Hadzivasileva from our Loan Catalogue, now displayed in Amina’s Glasgow workspace from 2025–26. Created in collaboration with medical researchers, the work draws on advanced imaging techniques to reflect on the relationship between science, care, and the unseen structures that sustain life.

“I enjoyed the challenge and the excitement of all the women. Sitting together listening to the laughter and enjoyment trying to finish our artwork”
Workshop Participant
AMINA

Barnardo’s Gap Homes Programme

The most recent iteration of Team Sculpture was developed in partnership with Barnardo’s in relation to their new Stirling Gap Homes. The Gap Homes have been developed to support young people transitioning to independent living who can live there for up to 2 years with support from Barnardo’s staff.

Through Team Sculpture a small group of young people took part in 7 weeks of arts activity including a visit to Sculpture House in Paisley, four weeks of workshops devised and delivered by artist Greer Pester and selected an artwork to be installed in the shared garden at the Stirling Gap Home.

Their selected artwork, Old Ghosts (Archaeological Dig) by Mick Peter, was installed at Barnardo’s Stirling Gap Home thanks to the group’s creative vision and collaborative decision-making. The sculpture was originally part of Old Ghosts, a 2022 commission for the Holburne Museum Bath

Through this project the young people gained practical skills, built their confidence and had a chance to engage with culture. Importantly it shows young people how they can potentially use creativity as a positive emotional outlet.

From left to right — Megan Williams from Sculpture Placement Group; workshop artist Aqsa Arif; and Hina Ahmad from AMINA – The Muslim Women’s Resource Centre. Pictured in front of Manometry II by Elpida Hadzivasileva, selected by participants from Amina’s Friendship Group for display at Amina’s Glasgow workspace (2025–26). 
Old Ghosts (Archaeological Dig) by Mick Peter, selected by young participants from Barnardo’s Gap Homes as part of Team Sculpture. The sculpture was originally commissioned for the Holburne Museum, Bath, in 2022.
Participants from AMINA’s Women’s Friendship Group with their handmade artworks created during Team Sculpture workshops led by artist Aqsa Arif.

Looking Ahead

Team Sculpture continues to make a meaningful impact across schools, community groups, and care settings — opening up contemporary sculpture as a space for learning, creativity, and connection.

Building on recent successes, new editions of Team Sculpture are now taking place with Whitehill Secondary School, Barnardo’s Gap Homes, Maryhill, and The Daffodil Club in Easterhouse — expanding the project’s reach and impact across Scotland.

SPG aims to continue growing the programme through new partnerships, supporting more people to engage with sculpture in ways that are hands-on, accessible, and relevant to their everyday lives.

Interested in bringing Team Sculpture to your school or community group?

Get in touch to discuss developing a new edition of the project. 

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