Their creations were part of an innovative project, led by researchers at the University of Bristol in partnership with local youth organisations and schools, which invited 13-25-year-olds from across the city to decorate a school shirt capturing their thoughts and emotions on the subject.

‘Protect one another’, ‘Be brave choose safety’, ‘Stop the cycle’, ‘Love is freedom’, ‘Stay humble, stay safe, ‘Bullying isn’t always physical’, and ‘I see humans, but no humanity,’ were amongst the compelling messages shared on the shirts. Many designs featured poems, lyrics, and memorials for lives lost through serious violence.

Bristol Youth Council Member Ellen Sheehy, aged 16, created a shirt decorated with scores of pink and purple rhinestones representing the number of knife crime incidents, said: “I think it’s a really powerful way of saying goodbye to school and a way of expressing how you feel about youth violence.”

Project lead Dr Jade Levell, Senior Lecturer in Social and Public Policy at the University of Bristol, said: “The response has been overwhelmingly powerful and positive. At this time of year many young people will be writing on school shirts as they graduate from formal education.

“Children involved in youth violence often miss out on this important milestone and this exhibition shines a light on an issue which affects all young people in many different ways. Their creations so brilliantly show how the problem goes beyond knives and when you let them lead the conversation, there is so much for us to learn about how they feel and what they want to change.”

Project participants Luchia Avery and Eva Morne-Edwards gave readings at the ‘Empty shirts, Lost Childhoods’ exhibition opening event, held in the Lord Mayor’s Chapel, in Bristol, on Monday 19 May.

Luchia, aged 13, said: “I’m really glad I did it so it makes the community more aware. Children cannot relax because kids my age or younger are carrying knives. Change needs to happen.”

Eva, aged 13, who read a poem, said: “I found it really inspiring. My poem was about how carrying a knife can hurt others who aren’t involved. Knives cost lives.”

Messages about bullying, school exclusion, domestic violence and abuse, sexual violence, suicide, self-harm, and gender were also freely expressed on many shirts.

Barnardo’s, Empire Fighting Chance, City of Bristol College and YouthMoves were among the organisations involved with the project.  

Tatiana Powell, Research Assistant at the University of Bristol, said: “I’m really proud of young people who all took the task so seriously and put a great deal of thought and imagination into making such evocative works of art. I really hope their voices are listened to, as they have so much to say.”

Last year former Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees convened representatives from the police, community groups, public health bodies, schools and universities in the city, including the University of Bristol, to help tackle serious violent street crime. 

Researchers spanning a range of academic disciplines, including criminology, sociology, politics, policy, and law have been joining City Serious Youth Crime roundtable discussions coordinated by the Bristol City Office, as part of a holistic approach which includes community partners working with young people. The academic team has shared global evidence about effective strategies with the Council’s Serious Violence Prevention Board.

This artistic initiative drew inspiration from The Clothesline Project, which has been used globally to raise awareness of gender-based violence activism and give survivors a voice in countries including the US, Brazil, Mexico, and Kosovo. This is the first time the approach has been used in the context of serious youth violence.

Professor Palie Smart, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Civic Engagement at the University of Bristol, said: “As a global civic university we are proud to be part of this important work, in collaboration with our city and regional partners, to tackle an issue which affects young people everywhere today.

“These striking shirts put young people’s voices at the heart of the matter and it’s really important we find ways to listen to and interpret those voices for the better good. When people and organisations come together change is possible. Bristol has started something really special, which other cities everywhere can take inspiration from and join the conversation.”

Knife Crime Awareness Week, which runs from 19-25 May, is an annual campaign by The Ben Kinsella Trust to highlight the complexity of the problem, its devastating impact, and prevention work.

Clare Moody, Avon & Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “This exhibition powerfully highlights that too many of our children miss out on having a childhood, miss out on feeling safe.

“The University took an interdisciplinary approach and we, as partners, must do the same. Above all, we won’t achieve change if we don’t listen to our children. These shirts show us how powerful their voices are, when we listen with the purpose of taking action.”

Jon Yates, Chief Executive of the national Youth Endowment Fund, said: “Half of our teenage children say that they have changed their behaviour in some way because they are worried about violence. It’s on us as the adults to listen hard, find out what works to change children’s lives and make it happen. This exhibition is a brilliant way to start listening.”