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Our Creative Technologists have graduated!

Hello, Rachel here, with a story that’s best told through images – warning, LOTS of photos ahead!

Happy Raspberry Pi Creative Technologists celebrate by dancing

When I explain how I started working at Raspberry Pi, it ends up being a pretty long story, with lots of interests that became jobs, unexpected opportunities and chance meetings. At the time it didn’t seem very connected – I just followed what I was interested in at the time, found like-minded people, and tried to share what I love with new people too. Before I joined Raspberry Pi as Artist in Residence in 2013, I ran a small arts venue focused on celluloid film with a darkroom and film lab – I wanted everyone to try shooting and developing their own photos!

I’ve now been at the Raspberry Pi Foundation for three years and I’ve had the chance to meet loads of people involved in digital making, from lots of different backgrounds: computer science professionals, teachers, engineers, design agencies, musicians, artists, tinkerers, makers. The thing that every one of them has in common: they follow what they are interested in, don’t worry too much about what label they have, and just concentrate on doing interesting things they enjoy and sharing them with others.

I had an opportunity last year to run an ambitious programme for a small group of young people. Raspberry Pi Creative Technologists was a one-off project to see how a (mostly) online digital-making mentor programme might work. I wanted to make sure people from lots of different backgrounds were involved.

We had loads of fantastic applications – although almost everyone left it until a minute before the deadline to submit, leaving my nerves in shreds!

We picked a great group of young people:

They all wanted to explore how digital technology could enhance their creative pursuits, and their enthusiasms spanned everything from storytelling to animation to circus skills.

Over the next 12 months, they developed their interests and skills through mentoring and field trips, starting in Cambridge at Raspberry Pi HQ:

Then in Newcastle for Makerfaire UK:

In Sheffield with the Pimoroni crew:

In London at Hellicar & Lewis for an openFrameworks masterclass and Tim Hunkin’s Novelty Automation:

Back in Cambridge again for Raspberry Pi’s fourth birthday party, where they ran and supported workshops and gave talks:

In Manchester at the FutureEverything festival, where they ran more workshops:

As the creative technologists began to dig into the programme, some found that it challenged their perceptions of their own interests and strengths, and drew on this experience in making decisions to change direction, both within the programme and in their lives outside it:

The programme culminated with the group’s New Works exhibition, where they revealed the varied and accomplished works that they have developed. They announced it at the Raspberry Pi Big Birthday Bash!

The exhibition was hosted at the new Raspberry Pi HQ:

One of the best parts of the programme for me was seeing the creative technologists share their work and their new skills with others. They ran workshops at MozFest, FutureEverything and our Big Birthday Bash, as well as meeting with school groups.

https://twitter.com/connorbanona/status/663061377737715712

And, as if that weren’t enough, four of the group also completed an Arts Award Gold qualification – worth 35 UCAS points – as part of the programme!

I’m incredibly proud of our newly graduated creative technologists and I can’t wait to see what they do next. We’ve gained a great deal from the understanding the programme has given us of working with young people, introducing digital making to an audience from diverse backgrounds, and delivering online mentoring and support. It’s been a hugely valuable experience, and it’s one that will help to shape the work we do in future.

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5 comments

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Great stuff, Rachel. It’s been really inspiring to hear all about the CTs’ exploits and was wonderful to be able to come and see their projects at the Exhibition. Congratulations all round :-)

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:) thanks.

They are a very inspiring bunch!

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I’m going to miss these guys! It’s been really great having them around.

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A superb overview of this inspiring programme. I only wish I had had such a great opportunity when I was this age (but then computers were mahoosive back then). Working with teenagers myself, I know how inspiring, creative and vibrant they can be and having met the Creative Technologists at the PiParty and in their New Works exhibition, they did not disappoint. I left both events encouraged by hearing of their experiences with all the partners involved and a true sense that they valued this chance to ‘do something different’. Thank you to the CT team at RPF for offering such a valuable experience. Can’t help but wonder, will there be anything similar anytime soon?

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It was great meeting these folks at the birthday bash. I wish them all the best in what ever they go on to do. I know it will be good.

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