Young People Turn School Uniform into Compelling Anti-Knife Crime Art for Knife Crime Awareness Week
By Community Correspondent
More than 100 school shirts, emblazoned with messages reflecting young people’s feelings about knife crime, will go on public display to mark the start of national Knife Crime Awareness Week.
The exhibition is the result of an innovative project led by University of Bristol experts in collaboration with local youth organisations and schools.
Young people aged 13 to 25 from across Bristol were invited to decorate plain white school shirts with slogans and symbols expressing their views on knife crime.
Messages included campaign slogans like ‘Lives not knives’, calls for safety—‘We want to feel safe’—and messages of hope and solidarity, such as: ‘Save your life, it’s worth living for.’
The shirts also featured poems, lyrics, and memorials, voicing pain, resilience, and community spirit.
Inspired by The Clothesline Project—an international initiative to raise awareness about gender-based violence—this is the first time the concept has been adapted to address serious youth violence.
Dr Jade Levell, Senior Lecturer in Social and Public Policy at the University of Bristol, said: “Writing on school shirts is a rite of passage often missed by young people caught up in violence, whether as victims, those excluded from school, or those in custody. This exhibition highlights their experiences and invites us to reconsider what ‘childhood’ means for them.”
The artworks also addressed wider violence, including domestic abuse, sexual violence, suicide, and self-harm.
A 13-year-old participant from North Bristol said: “It was fun to do. I liked making the shirt—it felt like something for young people who didn’t get to finish school.”
Dr Levell added: “By using school shirts, we shift the focus from violent imagery to the everyday lives and losses of affected children.”
The project involved partners including Barnardo’s, Empire Fighting Chance, City of Bristol College, and YouthMoves.
Duncan Stanway of Barnardo’s said: “We must listen to young people affected by violence. This initiative gives them a powerful voice.”
Community members will also be invited to reflect and contribute to a 'community manifesto', which will be shared with Bristol City Council and partner organisations.
Last year, then-Mayor Marvin Rees brought together local agencies to address serious street violence.
University of Bristol researchers from fields like criminology and law have supported this effort, sharing global best practices and contributing to the Council’s Serious Violence Prevention Board.
Dr Levell said: “Reframing youth violence as a social issue rather than solely a policing matter is proving effective globally.”
Experts are preparing a policy briefing, with key recommendations including more support for grassroots organisations, improved mental health services, and stronger local responses.
The shirts showed a range of views—some depicting violence as linked to masculinity, others expressing fear, a need for safety, and a longing for community and hope.
Researchers stressed the need for positive role models and messaging to deter knife crime.
Clare Moody, Avon & Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Knife crime destroys lives. This exhibition is a powerful reminder of why we must listen and act.”
The ‘Empty Shirts, Lost Childhoods’ exhibition will be open to the public at The Lord Mayor’s Chapel, College Green, Bristol, from 11am to 5pm on Monday 19 May.
Councillor Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council, said: “This powerful exhibition gives young people a platform to be heard. We are committed to ensuring Bristol is a place where all young people feel safe and supported.”
Charlene Richardson of the Bristol Violence Reduction Partnership added: “We see great potential in developing this as an annual event that builds connections across communities and schools.”
Knife Crime Awareness Week, running from 19–25 May, is a campaign by The Ben Kinsella Trust to raise awareness of the issue and its prevention.
Jon Yates, Chief Executive of the Youth Endowment Fund, said: “Half of our teenagers say they’ve changed their behaviour out of fear of violence. We must listen, learn what works, and act. This exhibition is a powerful way to start.”
Professor Palie Smart, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Civic Engagement at the University of Bristol, said: “This creative project shows how interdisciplinary research can help tackle violence and support young people through meaningful collaboration with our community.”
If you have a positive story or uplifting news to share, we’d love to hear from you!
Just email us at news@goodnewspost.co.uk.
Whether it's a local hero, an act of kindness, or a personal win, your story could help spread joy and improve someone’s mental health. Let’s make the world a little brighter, one good news story at a time.
And don’t forget—you can sign up for free to get the latest feel-good stories straight to your inbox!
