The Street Life Foundation delivers creative learning for young people from under-served, diverse communities in Liverpool. Its projects aim to raise the aspirations and opportunities of inner-city young people.

This project worked with up to 40 young people from refugee communities to help them discover and explore the creative works of Liverpool-born artist Walter Crane. This pre-Raphaelite English artist and book illustrator is considered to be the most influential children’s book creator of his generation.

The children also explored the pastimes of Liverpool’s Victorian children, who would have been very familiar with the nursery rhymes brought to life in Crane's books.

Many of the children are part of communities who may have fled war and persecution. This project provides a uniquely creative approach to helping children to integrate while creating a renaissance of this unique local heritage.

Through workshops and visits to local heritage organisations, the young people explored collections and shared their discoveries by:

• developing drama sketches enacting the nursery rhymes
• creating an exhibition celebrating the work of Crane
• making their own artwork for an illustrated booklet of their favourite tales which was distributed to libraries, primary schools and community groups