London based artist El(ena) Hoskyns-Abrahall (they/he) shares their debut solo exhibition exploring gender through the lens of the trans-masculine experience. El(ena)’s practice sits in a place of transition, finding and excavating what it means to be in progress or in the midst of process. When a transgender person begins medical transition it is almost as if they are transported to a point of adolescence again. Voice cracks, skin changes, body odour, new hair growth and more emotions than you know what to do with are all textbook for the adolescent experience, but pair this with choice, with wanting, with needing, and you have second-adolescence. Where often there is embarrassment or shame, instead you find bliss.

The students at South Molton Community College present their work ‘Through My Eyes’: a collection of portraiture, of themselves and prominent artistic figures. This work is inspired by their current study surrounding identity and the way we express and view ourselves through art.

This exhibition invites young people to display art related to fandoms, digital communities, pop culture and subcultures. The exhibition, curated by Orla Davey, is making an argument for more internet culture representation within museum and art gallery institutions. Calling for art, cosplay and shared memories, the work in this exhibition sheds a light on how young people find kinship through internet culture, and use fandoms to find their communities.

Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, our three commissioned artists in our Back To The Market project, Cecily Jervoise, Graham Taylor and Jessica Akerman, have been making work inspired by the heritage of Barnstaple Pannier Market, concentrating on three key areas of research: Oswald Mosley's talk that took place in Barnstaple Pannier Market in 1934, Jeremy Thorpe's wedding reception that took place in Barnstaple Pannier Market in 1968, and The Beggar's Opera written in 1728 by John Gay who was born in Barnstaple. These three topics will be used to investigate a range of contemporary issues in North Devon and beyond.