Raheem Sterling is collaborating with London’s National Portrait Gallery (NGA) on the “Making of Me” arts initiative to give 30 young people the opportunity to learn a variety of skills needed to progress into future creative careers.”

In November of last year, Raheem Sterling introduced his foundation at his old school. The Raheem Sterling Foundation was birthed out of his commitment to supporting youth and educating young people to embrace chances for greater social mobility and to be better equipped for the future. But now, a new creative youth engagement and skills development initiative for 2023 has been unveiled by the National Portrait Gallery and the Raheem Sterling’s Foundation – “Making of Me”.

The initiative will assist 30 young Londoners in developing new talents, and will be overseen by a committed project manager, will include 12 masterclasses fusing portraiture, photography and influenced by a piece of art from the NGA’s collection. To explore the topics of self-identity, representation, place, and community, participants will work with photographers, filmmakers and digital producers to create their works of art.

When the building reopens, the National Portrait Gallery will feature their work created during the Making of Me and Raheem’s foundation have stated that they will consider further collaborations nationally and internationally in future.