Young People

What is youth arts?

Youth arts refers to a whole range of creative activities, involving young people, mostly aged 12-25, outside of school hours. Youth arts can take place, any time, anywhere, with almost any one, and with any kind of art form or creative activity. It could be poetry slams, street dance, circus skills, drama, fashion design, film, graffiti, music, Dj-ing, Vj-ing, craft, opera, hip hop – almost anything goes.

Youth arts isn’t about having a particular artistic talent or skill, although some people may find that they do, and want to develop that area of their lives. It’s about taking part, having a go, having fun, doing something different, expressing yourself, being valued for what you can do and who you are.

You may end up being involved, or just appreciating, or creating something artistic as part of a youth arts project. No matter who you are, where you live, what you can do, what you can’t do, or what you’re interested in, you can get involved in youth arts in some way.

Why get involved?

Youth arts is firstly about having fun – the journey you go on is more important than the end result. It allows you to express yourself creatively in the art form that you feel most comfortable using – it can give you a voice to say who you are. You are free to take your arts skills in any direction you like, and can experiment with varying styles and art forms. You don’t have to be artistic or skilled at anything in particular, as youth arts allows you to try out different areas until you find one you feel comfortable with.

You will gain a wide variety of skills from involvement with youth arts, and not just around the art form you work in. Through getting involved with youth arts, you will experience working as a member of a team, problem solving and develop your ability to communicate effectively, all of which are key life skills. Youth arts can build your confidence, and your thoughts on life – it gives you a chance to be free to be yourself, to make a positive difference in your life, and in your future.

“I discovered I could write poetry and I learnt to use a camera”.

“Working with a group and with artists has helped build my confidence up”.

“I didn’t think we’d be this good. I loved every minute of it!”

‘Being part of the circus has given me a sense of achievement, a sense of being part of something special. I’ve learned to juggle, uni-cycle and perform. Overall, I’d say that the circus has provided me with an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life.’

How to get started

You will need to find out exactly what youth arts opportunities there are in your area. You can do this by using the regional sections of this website, under the Youth Arts World section, as well as those listed in the links below. In some regions or cities there are local Youth Arts Networks already set up, and these will be a great place to find out all you need to know about what’s available in your town and how to get involved. Other opportunities may exist through an arts centre or theatre, your local council, a youth arts organisation, a local youth group or religious organisation. It may be as simple as asking to do more arts based activities with the workers you already know and are involved with. If you’re joining a new group you will need to be prepared to get involved, and meet new people, even if that might seem a little daunting at first.

Hub 4

Hub 4 is a national partnership project between Artswork, The Prince’s Trust and BBC Blast, and is funded by the Big Lottery. The project is running in 4 areas of the UK: Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich and Southampton, working with 16-25 year olds who are not in employment, education or training. Hub 4 offers young people the chance to develop their own creative skills and learn how to set up and run their own youth arts project, through training, meeting professional artists, and practical hands on project management. In the final year participants will also be organising a BBC Blast showcase of creative talent in their area. Through this Hub4 aims to develop young people’s personal, social and communication skills, and open up opportunities for future careers. For more information contact hub4@artswork.org.uk.

The Arts Award

You can also develop your arts skills and get an accredited qualification through the new Arts Award for young people. Similar to the Duke of Edinburgh you can take the Arts Award at Bronze, Silver or Gold levels, and get involved either in or outside of school. At its heart the Arts Award is about getting recognised for what you already love to do – whether it’s playing in your own rock band, taking pictures, writing poetry or making your own clothes. It’s also about learning new skills, trying new things, and getting recognised for your achievements. Whatever your interests or abilities, you can gain something from being involved.

“The award didn’t start me off with being artistic, but it did give me the opportunity to say, ‘Look what I’m doing!’ which is cool.”

“One of the things you do with the award is try new things, I tried out the bass guitar and get along with it really well. I’m in a band now.”

“I never realized how much work was involved in doing a project – the letters, posters, chasing people for things, booking the space. It was much harder than I thought, but I enjoyed it, I learnt a lot”.

Resources:

• Arts Council England – information on arts events in your area
• Youth Music – the national organisation with opportunities for youth music-making
• National Association of Youth Theatres – advice on how to get involved in drama or theatre in your area
• First Light – fund young people’s film making opportunities, with information on how to get involved
• Youth Dance England – opportunities to get involved with any and every kind of dance project
• Envision – the youth part of Engage, supporting involvement in galleries and museums
• Youth Arts Online – information and resources on projects and ways to get involved
• BBC Blast – Free opportunities and a chance to showcase your work on the BBC
• Channel 4 Ideas factory – Information and resources on how to get a job in the creative industries