SHOPfACE is a challenging photography project to engage disadvantaged young people from Shirebrook with their local community.
Participants from Shirebrook Academy spent a day working with a multi media artist to create a series of portraits photographs of the local shopkeepers from the shops around the market square in Shirebrook town centre.

Their brief was to create an image that captured the individuality and character of their subjects.  They began by introducing themselves to the shopkeepers and then explained what the project was about. In turn, we hope that this will be the beginning of a positive relationship that will be sustained longer term.

The young people then worked closely with the artist to learn how to use  editing software before enhancing and editing the images themselves. The final photographs will be exhibited in a number of venues, including the shop windows of Shirebrook for the wider public to admire.
The participants learnt new skills from the professional artist and by engaging fully with the workshop they grew in confidence and produced a body of work to be proud of.The SHOPfACE project is part of the bigger Youth Engagement Scheme currently being delivered by Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Project Planning with the fire crew