City Mill Skate Summer School

These films were produced by participants of the City Mill Skate Summer School’s in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. Each year two groups of 12-14 year olds who live in Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest spend five days interchanging between media workshops with Keep Rolling and skateboarding lessons with Learn to Skateboard. The City Mill Skate course is supported by UCL and is one of the many week long activities as part of the East Summer School on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London.

At City Mill Skate we want to engage skate learners in the design of skateable architecture and exploring the potential of the public realm. The skateboarding and media summer schools offer the development of inter-personal and social skills, physical activity, technical skills, co-operative learning and an insight into urban design and the design of the street.

Skateboarding appeals to people that may avoid more mainstream sports, as it is an activity that relies on pushing yourself and progressing at your own pace, without the risk of inadvertently letting down team mates. Many skateboarders go on to develop a keen interest in other aspects associated with the physical activity such as photography, videography, graphic and web design, as they are intrinsically linked in the documentation and exhibition of skateboarding. The media workshops follow a ‘try, train, team’ approach as young people learn the basics about lighting subjects, interviews, portraits and how to shoot action delivered in a fun and engaging way. During workshops young people switch between film, photography and skateboarding. The films are shot by young people with support and editing from Keep Rolling.