Cubitt Education: Picturing Democracy

During Summer and Autumn 2009 young people from Islington schools will be running photo booths in different locations of the borough. We want important local people: particularly Councillors and local politicians, to come and have their portraits taken.

Picturing Democracy is part of Cubitt People's Republic, a year-long project organised by Cubitt Education: bringing creativity and politics together through activities that are led by local people. A series of portraits of local people, particularly those who play an active, if often overlooked role in the borough, will form a central thread to the year-long project.

A team of students from Elizabeth Garret Anderson School ran two portraits studio sessions in June and July 2009, at Islington North Library (as part of Holloway Arts Festival) and at Islington Town Hall, during Cubitt Education's Creative Conference. They took a brilliant series of portraits of local Councillors and businesspeople, each time with an object that represented the individual's personal life, or reflected what they are passionate about in the borough.

The slideshow below includes portraits of Cllr Terry Stacey, leader of the Council; Cllr Ruth Polling, Executive Member for Leisure and Equalities; Cllr Catherine West, Leader of the Labour Group; and Diana Gibbs, local businesswoman and past president of the Chamber of Commerce.