• Target Keystage(s): Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Post 16,
• Curriculum Subject(s): Art and design, PSHE: personal wellbeing, Religious Education,
• Who Do We Think We Are Theme(s): Relationships, belonging and faith,

Above: 'Faith to Faith' project. Image taken from the Dash Arts website.

Faith to Faith is a pioneering photography project involving Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh teenagers from five London faith schools. The project aims to create links between schools and communities by giving young people the opportunity to learn about different religions from each other, through the medium of photography and inter-faith teamwork. 

More than 45 students, aged between 14 and 16, participate in weekly sessions with professional photographers and project organisers. They study technical skills and different forms of photography with a view to exploring the links between image and identity. 

The students document their lives and take photographs that reflect their views on themes such as faith, community and tolerance. Each term the participants from the different schools meet together for a day to show each other their pictures and work in small, mixed-faith groups. The schools' art and religious studies teachers also use the opportunity to collaborate together.

During the project the students produce portfolios of domestic and community life - family, homes, local streets - as well as more abstract images that challenge viewers' perceptions. Through participation in the project students come up up with ideas that teachers had not thought of and debate thought-provoking questions about issues of identity, diversity, faith and education.

Participating Schools: Guru Nanak Sikh School, Southall (Hillingdon), Islamia Girls' School, Brondesbury (Camden), King Solomon High School, Ilford (Redbridge), Mount Carmel RC Technology College for Girls, Archway (Islington) and Swaminarayan School, Neasdon (Brent).

For forther information about the Faith to Faith project please select the 'Participatory Projects' section of the Dash Arts website at http://www.dasharts.org.uk/participatory.htm.