Arts University BournemouthBeing a Boy
'Being a Boy' is a thought-provoking exhibition developed by students from Arts University Bournemouth. It explores the many ways boys and young men experience, understand and express their identities in the modern world.
The exhibition invites visitors to consider how ideas of masculinity are formed and influenced by family, friendships, communities and wider society.
Through a range of personal perspectives, the project highlights the diversity of experiences that exist within boyhood, challenging the idea that there is one way to "be a boy".
Many of the works draw on lived experiences, offering honest reflections on growth, self-discovery and the realities of navigating expectations.
The project creates space for conversations around confidence, vulnerability, belonging and emotional wellbeing, topics that are often overlooked in discussions about masculinity. Rather than providing simple answers, 'Being a Boy' encourages visitors to ask questions and reflect on their own assumptions about gender and identity.
By bringing together multiple voices and viewpoints, the exhibition celebrates individuality while recognising the shared experiences that can connect us. Ultimately, 'Being a Boy' is an invitation to listen, reflect and engage with contemporary perspectives on what it means to grow up and live as a boy today.
Find this exhibition open now until December at Poole Museum.
