The Art of Roller Skating

The exhibition presents an intimate portrayal of the journeys of seven young local female artistic roller-skaters as they train and develop their skills, captured through Debby’s objective and an original eye.

The project has been ongoing for 5 years documenting this often forgotten sport. Debby grew up in Great Yarmouth and trained as an artistic roller-skater as a teenager. Debby comments, “I wanted to reveal the visual contrast by removing the skaters from the ‘show’ of the rink and instead using the background of a domestic, intimate situation, reminiscent of my own experience.”

Debby Besford is an award-winning documentary photographer with over 20 years experience. Her work has been published in national newspapers and magazines with clients including Condé Nast Traveller Magazine, the Wellcome Trust, The Guardian and Independent Newspapers, The Amos Trust, the BBC and Channel 4.

The Museum of Youth Culture is formed from the archives of YOUTH CLUB, a non-profit Heritage & Arts Council funded collection, celebrating the impact of youth culture on the wider British social history.