'Voices Silenced, Stories Unveiled': Carlisle Exhibition Reveals the Raw Truth of Life in Foster Care
Have you ever wondered what it’s truly like to grow up in the care system? An eye-opening exhibition in Carlisle is giving young care leavers a platform to share their experiences—not through words alone, but through powerful art. But here’s where it gets controversial: while these pieces are a testament to resilience, they also expose the systemic challenges and silenced voices that often go unnoticed. Rewrite The Narrative, on display at Tullie until January 25, is more than an art show—it’s a call to listen, reflect, and question.
Curated by Cumberland Council, the exhibition features works by care leavers aged 17 to 26, each piece a window into their unique journeys. For Sinead Diamond, 23, seeing her painting Growing Up Between Goodbyes on the wall was an emotional milestone. 'Growing up in foster care, everything is decided for you,' she shared. 'You don’t have your own voice. This was my way to rewrite my story with my own feelings and intentions.' Her artwork captures the pain of being separated from her family, only allowed brief, formal meetings—a reality that left her feeling robbed of milestones most take for granted.
And this is the part most people miss: the internal struggles that often go unseen. Leo, 17, depicted his experience as a mask—half devil, half angel. 'I was good, but I was struggling,' he explained. 'Whenever I tried to talk about it, I was told others had it worse.' His piece highlights the pressure to suppress emotions, a sentiment echoed by an anonymous 21-year-old artist whose untitled collage conveys the anger she felt growing up in the system. 'The phone call in my piece is me wanting to tell my younger self things I couldn’t say then,' she revealed, adding it took weeks to feel proud of her work.
Art has long been a lifeline for Allie James, 24, who found self-expression in a sheltered environment where it was often restricted. 'Art was my way of being a child and expressing myself,' she said. She also emphasized the isolation many care leavers feel, noting how this project brought them together as a community. 'These creative spaces are so important to tell these stories,' she added.
Kimberley Jackson, 26, tackled a bold question in her piece Her Chasing Time: Why does mandatory support for care leavers end at 25? 'Challenges don’t stop at 25,' she pointed out. Her artwork reflects feelings of being judged, cursing missed opportunities, and the constant pressure of time. It also symbolizes her efforts to rebuild relationships, like the one with her sister, with whom she collaborated on Burning Bridges. 'We were separated young, and the piece represents the burnt bridges we didn’t choose, but also our attempt to make up for lost time,' she explained.
Jane Wheeler, assistant director for family help partnerships and youth justice at Cumberland Council, stressed the exhibition’s importance: 'This is about really listening to our young people—hearing their lived experiences. Too often, their stories are seen but not heard. This is raw, powerful, and real.'
But here’s the question we must ask ourselves: Are we truly listening? As you view these pieces, consider the systemic gaps and silenced voices they reveal. Do you think enough is being done to support care leavers beyond age 25? What role should art play in amplifying marginalized stories? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s spark a conversation that leads to change.
