Documentary photographer Polly Braden was inspired by a significant report highlighting the adverse health conditions of coastal residents in England. “I was struck by the findings,” she noted. “It reflects the reality of England and impacts us all.”
As a single mother of teenagers, Braden also became increasingly aware of the challenges faced by young individuals who have navigated life amid austerity measures, the pandemic, and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Over the upcoming year, the Guardian’s Seascape team will undertake the Against the Tide initiative, focusing on the experiences of young people residing in coastal regions throughout England and Wales.
Research indicates that youths in many coastal towns experience a higher likelihood of poverty, substandard housing, and fewer educational and job opportunities compared to their counterparts in inland areas. In some of the most impoverished coastal communities, young people often contend with deteriorating public services and transportation options that hinder their prospects.
Throughout the next twelve months, accompanied by Braden, the team will travel across various port towns, seaside resorts, and former fishing villages, engaging with individuals aged 16 to 25 to discuss their lives and perceptions of their communities.
By amplifying their voices in our reporting, we aim to explore the changes necessary for them to shape their desired futures.
Braden believes that capturing the lives of young people in these coastal areas will narrate a story about our “island nation,” focusing on those 16 to 25 years old who exist on the peripheries of England and Wales, often unnoticed. “It’s about reaching the edges,” she remarked.
In collaboration with the Guardian’s Seascape section, Braden has developed the innovative Against the Tide series, which will provide extensive coverage of young people’s lives in coastal communities over the next year.
Braden’s work will culminate in a touring exhibition, starting at the Arnolfini gallery in Bristol in June and later moving to Colchester’s Firstsite gallery in October.
Among the featured works is a poignant photograph of Libby, a young woman from Whitehaven, Cumbria, captured on a beach under a dark sky, holding a bag of oranges. A faint rainbow appears in the background, lending her an ethereal quality as she gazes downward. “There’s beauty and bleakness in this image,” Braden reflects.
Another image presents Cohen, a young man from Grimsby, dressed as an Easter bunny. Braden explains that Cohen has a learning disability and has been seeking employment locally but ultimately created his own job as a party mascot. “He has become an entrepreneur,” she notes.
In Scarborough, Braden photographed three young men, Jake, Keane, and Charlie, overlooking the Yorkshire coast. “They showed me their favorite hangout spot,” she shares. The image conveys a sense of anticipation and curiosity, as one wonders what lies beyond the wall depicted in the photograph.
This exhibition represents the culmination of over a year of dedicated work, supported by the Arts Council and published alongside writing from the Guardian.
Braden, who is 51 and originally from Perthshire, Scotland, has made London her home and has no personal experience living on the English coast. However, her previous project, Holding the Baby, focused on single mothers in Brighton and Liverpool, where she explored the financial and social pressures faced by them in coastal settings.
Her past work also includes collaborating with young individuals with learning disabilities who have encountered the criminal justice system and with young Ukrainians striving to rebuild their lives in various European nations.
“I am drawn to stories that are often unheard or misrepresented,” she stated. “In this series, I aimed to challenge the stereotypes of youth as apathetic and instead showcase their creativity, resilience, and community engagement.”
Since receiving the Guardian Young Photographer of the Year award in 2002 and the Jerwood Photography Prize in 2003, Braden has exhibited her work internationally, including venues such as the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London and the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago.
The exhibition will also feature photographs taken by local young people during workshops organized by Braden. These images will be transformed into postcards that include messages exchanged between participants. “It’s fascinating to see Weston-super-Mare connecting with Blackpool and Blackpool with Whitehaven, sharing their experiences of growing up in their respective areas,” she explains.
These postcards illustrate the commonalities shared by young people living on the geographic and socio-economic fringes of England and Wales. “With a combined coastline of 5,581 miles, these voices can highlight the shared challenges young coastal residents face,” she adds.
Exhibition attendees will also have the opportunity to write postcards expressing their feelings about the coast. Additionally, a film will be shown, documenting a year in the lives of four young people at a dance and youth-culture center known as House of Wingz in Blackpool, emphasizing the challenges they encounter while pursuing creative careers away from their coastal homes and the resilience they muster to chase their dreams.
Support from youth organizations, charities, and educational programs will play a vital role in this initiative.
