With the support of Grants for the Arts from Arts Council England, we are collaborating with author Tony White and three groups of young people to create A Place Free of Judgement.

This work is a teenage takeover of libraries, aiming to re-frame and re-engage young people’s relationship to words, literature and libraries. We will all work together to write a book and then present it in the autumn at three different libraries on the same night. It may take the form of a reading, a performance, a walk, a meal or something else entirely.

As well as the event, the project includes 18 workshops with young people, a publication and a website. We will engage with a wider community of young people, working with Universities, other libraries and online communities.

This project is a partnership between Blast Theory, Tony White, the young people and Arts Connect Bridge Organisation for the West Midlands, the team at ASCEL – Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians, Southwater One Library – Telford and Wrekin Council Library Service, Dudley Library – Dudley Library Service. Chelmsley Wood Library – Solihull Library Service, Market Drayton Library – Shropshire Library Service, Staffordshire Library Service and Worcestershire Libraries and Learning Service.