Live Opportunities

Community Residence Programme – FUSEBOX

CALL OUT FOR CREATIVE COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS

Creative Youth is looking for a creative group, organisation, or collective, to join our next Community Residence Programme!

Having identified a need for affordable spaces for creatives to come together and work with communities, we launched this programme in FUSEBOX, our new multi-arts venue on Kingston’s riverside, in 2023.

The successful organisation becomes our community resident and has 12-month access to FUSEBOX. The community resident will work with Creative Youth to run Community Creative Activities in an outreach area within Kingston upon Thames. The programme culminates in a Final Showcase in FUSEBOX, produced by the community resident.

Our aim is to make Kingston’s local community more resilient, and partner with others who are committed to engaging diverse audiences in the transformative power of the arts. In doing so, we will share our resources, spaces, and skills with the community resident.

DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION PACK

What's on offer

The selected community resident will work with Creative Youth to deliver:

  • 4 Community Creative Activities in outreach areas across Kingston
  • 1 Final Showcase in FUSEBOX

As participants, the community resident will receive:

  • Support to apply for £5,000 in seed funding (no prior funding experience required)
  • Free in-kind use of FUSEBOX from reopening (subject to availability)
  • Access to FUSEBOX resources
  • Support to deliver five events across FUSEBOX and in outreach areas
  • Tailored training in areas such as fundraising, community engagement, producing, safeguarding, evaluation, and technical skills
  • Access to Creative Youth’s network of local partners, including a mentor to support your residency.
  • Free participation in FUSE International 2027
  • Discounts on Creative Youth tickets and in the BOX Bar & Café

Programme Structure

The Community Residence Programme is a 12-month programme delivered in three stages. Timings are indicative and subject to change.

Fundraising & Development (May – August 2026)
This phase focuses on shaping plans for the Community Creative Activities and Final Showcase, supported by Creative Youth’s team. The community resident will select two training sessions and be matched with a mentor. We will also support fundraising applications to enable programme delivery.

Community Creative Activities (August – December 2026)
With partners, spaces, and timelines confirmed, activities will be delivered in defined outreach areas. Creative Youth will provide ongoing support to ensure safe, effective delivery, and activities will inform the development of the Final Showcase.

Final Showcase (January – April 2027)
The Final Showcase will take place in FUSEBOX and may be a single large-scale event or a programme over several weeks. This phase includes reflection and evaluation, with the programme concluding in May 2027.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit: 

  • An Organisation Summary (max 1 side of A4) 
  • A Ideas Pitch (max 2 sides of A4) 

Applications may also be submitted as video or voice notes: 

  • Organisation Summary: max 3 minutes 
  • Ideas Pitch: max 5 minutes 

Send applications to Archie at archie@creativeyouthcharity.org by 5pm on Friday 13 March 2026. 

DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION PACK FOR MORE INFO


The Organisation Summary should outline who you are, what you do, and why. Please include links to websites or social media where possible.  

The Ideas Pitch should clearly identify the community you intend to work with and why, alongside initial ideas for Community Creative Activities and the Final Showcase. 

Shortlisted organisations will be invited to interview on Wednesday 18 March 2026, followed by a public vote online and in FUSEBOX.

The programme is currently due to commence in May 2026. 

For questions, access support, or alternative application formats, please contact Archie for an informal conversation. 

 

A few things before you apply: 

  • No prior funding experience is required and we will support you through this process. 
  • We are interested in your ideas, interest in FUSEBOX and connection to your community, not polished proposals. 
  • The public vote is just one part of the decision-making process. 
  • Training & support are built into the programme to help you develop skills as you go. 
  • We welcome applications regardless of previous funding history or organisational status. 

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