New Afro-Caribbean are centre looking to inspire the next generation opens in Peterborough's Queensgate Shopping Centre

Queensgate in Peterborough city centre has its latest new arrival and perhaps its most unique yet.

Award-winning local artist Roland Burt, with the help of a team of volunteers, has opened up RB7 Art Centre CIC in a previously vacant unit close to the centre’s doors that open out onto Long Causeway.

The centre gives Roland a chance to showcase and sell a just a small selection of his Afro-Carribbean themed inspired artwork but also to host workshops for children.

The centre, which is the base for Roland’s registered charity provides a place for children to come and get involved in art as a way of expressing themselves.

Roland’s slightly off the wall methods see children encouraged to use letter and numbers, including from their own name, to create works of art, all without the use of water.

He said: “I believe that if a child is laughing, they learn much better than a child that is forced to do something.

"Working with is also helps them to work as a team, help others and develop their speaking skills when, at the end, they have to present their work.

"My mother was amazing with me, she hid a lot of what was going on around me because she wanted me to hold onto my child-like thoughts for as long as possible and that is what helped me when it came to creating to my work.

"It was not until 2017 I found out that in fact there was a petition started for my family- which was the first black family in Castleford when we moved there- to be forced to leave the area.

"There are so many hidden stories like that I tell through my artwork. I don’t carry it around on my shoulders and I want to encourage children to do something similar.

"Those that don’t have a voice or struggle to communicate, why not start drawing?”

Roland has credited the influence of his parents throughout his art career.

His journey has seen him go from working in a bank with a “crazy idea to make a difference” to selling his work in the city’s visitor information centre, Dobbies, Van Hage, John Lewis and becoming a resident artist at Sacrewell Farm and now to opening the new centre in Queensgate.

Roland- who goes by the name Djibo Art- inspired by his childhood nickname- brings a unique perspective to his art, working almost exclusively with women’s make up, make up brushes and combs and using items such as pillow cases and bed sheets as canvases. He also never uses water when creating his works.

His works commonly make use of hidden letters and numbers and are influenced by the Arawak language, taught to him by his mother and father, who hailed from Dominica and Ghana respectively.

Hiding messages in drawings was a common way slaves in the Caribbean and Africa used to communicate among themselves so that their masters would not find out.

He added: “My parents have had such an influence on me. The story goes that when I was two years old, my mum handed me a lipstick to doodle with and off I went.

"We were poor growing up too and did not have a lot of access to water so that’s where that comes from too. The kids love wiping the brushes on the table cloth or a wall, something they’re not allowed to do at home!

"That also taught me the objects always have value, which why you will see so many repurposed items and art utensils in the centre.

"My mum always encouraged me and told me that I had a gift from God and not to waste it, now I have got older I am making sure that I am not wasting it.

"I have no interest in exhibitions and having a small elite group seeing my work, I want to make a difference to young people. Who knows where their creativity will take them.”

Roland, who frequently visits schools for art projects, is also seeking to fundraise to create a new art centre in the city as well as running fundraising efforts to raise £50,000 to run a bus that can be driven to and from schools to provide even more workshops.

He added: “I am so excited about it all, everything has been moving so fast and Queensgate have been so helpful, I couldn’t have asked for more support.

"I am not aware of anywhere else in shopping centres across the country that are as diverse as we are.

"I’ve heard from so many people that have come in during the first few weeks of the centre being open and saying they wouldn’t normally come into Queensgate but that wanted to see us.

"That’s what it’s all about, it would be great to increase the footfall in the centre and the diversity of the centre.

More information about Roland’s work can be found on his Facebook page, Djibo Art.