Integral to Peer’s activities is the Peer Ambassador programme. Launched in 2017, Peer Ambassadors is a unique rolling six-month, creative programme designed for, and led by, young people aged 17-25 from underrepresented and lower socio-economic backgrounds based in Peer’s local area.

What is it?
The programme, made up of 8 members each cohort, offers paid work-experience and training at Peer, alongside a free professional development and learning programme. The Ambassadors also work closely with an Ambassador Artist in Residence on a new ambitious public commission.

The programme consists of three main elements:

Paid work and training as visitor experience assistants in our street-facing gallery, welcoming and introducing audiences to Peer’s exhibitions and events programme.
A free programme of professional development and learning opportunities that are developed with and in response to the interests of the Ambassadors. This includes a series of tailor-made mentoring sessions with creative professionals, artist-led talks and workshops, museum and gallery visits, events and talks and opportunities to build networks, knowledge, and insight into the creative industries.
A free ongoing programme working closely with Peer Ambassadors Artist in Residence and other Ambassadors to co-produce a new public commission in Hoxton. Sessions are held on the last Tuesday of every month, with additional day long workshops in holiday periods.

Peer’s Ambassador Artist in Residence 2023/24 is interdisciplinary art practitioner, youth worker and community organiser, Meera Shakti Osborne. Over sixteen months Meera is collaborating with three cohorts of Peer Ambassadors to produce public outcomes throughout Hoxton.

Meera is currently working on a new commission which will be presented as an exhibition at Peer in the Summer of 2024, this will mark the culmination of their time as Peer Ambassador Artist in Residence 2023-24. For more information about Meera’s practice click here.

Who is it for?

The Peer Ambassador programme is for people aged 17–25 from underrepresented and lower socio-economic backgrounds who live, work and or study in Hackney and Tower Hamlets.

Socio-economic barriers include but are not limited to:

Currently qualifies or previously has qualified for free school meals.
Is the first in their immediate family to access further or higher education
Currently or previously received any form of government benefit
A looked after young person with experience of the care system
Have faced prejudice or societal barriers due to class social background, disability or ethnicity.

Get involved
Interested in joining the Peer Ambassador programme? We will be hosing a series of taster evenings later this spring. Look out for updates via our social media channels.

Keep up to date by following us on social media or get in touch with Max Jefcut on max@peeruk.org or call at 07549854807.

Meet Our Current Ambassadors:
In March 2024, we welcomed our current cohort of Peer Ambassadors: Arifah, Arin, Ilya, Kit, Kuri, Mi'Amarni, Rebecca, and Samiyyah.

Running since 2017, Peer Ambassador alumni have gone on to study art, gain employment in the cultural sector and join Peer’s team and governance.

Previous PEER Ambassadors:
Aakifah Ansari, Ebrar Arslan, Amir Carno, Luana Fernandes, Carina Gouveia Freitas, Khadijah Heath-Bailey, Shaan Bharkar, Amrin Ansari, Georgie Joseph, Deniz Demirag, Beatriz Goodwins Banuelos, Betty Elizabeth Ignatova, Darnell Morris, Donnoyja Jalarmond, Joyce, Rivka Cocker, Robyn Herbert, Ahinoa Esono Mangue, Carmela Docherty, Hadassa Partouche, Danita Ansaah, Tapiwa Cronin, Toyin Olubamiwo, Jay Russell, Aantu Waday, Gideon Owusu, Iarla Prendergast Knight, Naile Karavil, Amida Deen, Fatim Kamara, Devinya Thomas, Ellise Johnson, Ayomide Miriam Olaniyan, Thalia Witherford, Jaye Bakal, Christina Marshall, Karishma Kaur, Marianne Johnson, Geirthana Nesathurai, Mariam Haji and Cynthia Waithaka

The Peer Ambassador Programmes 2022-2023 are supported by Westfield East Bank Creative
Futures Fund.

Previous programme supporters (2019-21) were Paul Hamlyn Foundation

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