Archive for the ‘Creative Youth’ Category

AMPlify – Music (Episode 4)

Posted on: January 10th, 2024 by cyEditor

Today’s episode focuses AMP’s core theme of music. 

Jarek once again invites two guests of different generations to discuss how things have changed in the last 20 years and beyond. 

Since being involved in the very early years of Creative Youth in the late 2000s, Liam Cottrell has been on a musical journey that has seen him graduate from ‘man with guitar’ to festival DJ. 

Xander Allman-Varty is a young singer-songwriter who has regularly played Creative Youth events, and knows what it means for upcoming musicians to cut their teeth in today’s industry.

In a wide ranging and open discussion, Jarek, Liam and Xander cover the digitisation of music production, the impact of the streaming revolution on artists, and whether the loss of music venues is the tragedy it is often presented as. 

Listen to the episode on Spotify via the link below or by clicking here to view on our YouTube Channel.

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AMPLIFY is brought to you by Creative Youth with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Host: Jarek Zaba with Liam Cottrell and Xander Allman-Varty
Editing and Mixing: Jarek Zaba
Music: Mariia Yaremak
Artwork: Courtney Ellis

For more information on AMP please click here. 

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About Creative Youth Charity: Creative Youth aims to enable young people to realise their potential through the arts. We believe every young person has a right to access the arts and creativity and should be encouraged to take initiatives, risks and push boundaries in a safe, inclusive environment. ⁠⁠creativeyouthcharity.org

Mindful Art Sessions – National Lottery Community Fund

Posted on: December 19th, 2023 by cyEditor

Through our collaboration with Mind in Kingston and Mind Richmond, we’ve been able to offer young people these sessions for free with an extra hour available for drop in 1-2-1 support sessions with a youth support worker.

We are now delighted to announce that these sessions are now being developed with the support the National Lottery Community Fund. With this funding, Creative Youth will be expanding their community reach in order to bring a broad range of different artistic mediums and activities to each session.

The Community Fund will help fund professional artists and workshop facilitators to run these sessions at an elevated level, with specific focuses and themes each week, as well as further investment in materials.

Mindful Art Sessions will be coming back in the New Year (from 9 January 2024) every Tuesday from 4pm.

Mindful Art Exhibition (Wednesday 17 – Friday 26 January 2024)

We are also delighted to be sharing the culmination of artwork that has been produced by the young people that attend these sessions so far. Artwork will be available to view during FUSEBOX opening hours (Wednesday to Saturday, 11:00 – 18:00), free entry.

A Season of Festivity at FUSEBOX

Posted on: December 19th, 2023 by cyEditor

Our friends at Story Storks opened our festive programme with a sold out performance of The First Father Christmas. Families were left enthralled by the catchy songs, immersive lighting and interactive storytelling that filled the venue over the weekend.

Laughter could be heard throughout the venue over the next week with outstanding comedy from Bad Clown’s: Christmas Crackers and Comedy vs Climate Change’s: Oil I Want For Christmas. Both companies brought along an outstanding variety of comics that delivered high energy performances with incredible feedback from our audience members.

Creative Youth also offered intimate festive film screenings of The Nightmare Before Christmas and Elf. Set amongst FUSEBOX’s christmas lights and decorations, these holiday classics reflected the festive atmosphere that can be felt within the Creative Youth team as we reflect on the fantastic year we’ve had.

Thank you to everyone who attended our festive events, stay tuned for a new programme of events starting up in the new year, including acting course: The Kingston Players and our AMP Exhibition!

 

2023: A year of new adventures

Posted on: December 15th, 2023 by cyEditor

FUSEBOX

In January 2023 we received the keys to FUSEBOX after several months of building work to establish the space as a flexible, multi-arts space. It’s hard to believe that the space changed so much between summer 2022 and Jan 2023!

There were still some outstanding building and public realm projects for the first few months we occupied the space, so we made the most of this time to test what FUSEBOX could be used for – inviting as many local residents, artists and young people as possible to come and explore and challenge the venue’s potential. In the first 6 months, we gave over 200 tours, held several exhibitions, public events, meetings and performances that covered a wide range of artforms.

One of the early highlights of our pilot programme was our monthly Creative Sparks nights, programmed by Chiyana Ankhrah, which celebrated a different artform each month. Themes included Music, Spoken Word, Performance and Visual Arts and these nights gave us the opportunity to connect with new artists and welcome our first audiences into the venue. We’re delighted to share that we will be continuing Creative Sparks events in 2024 and tickets are on sale now.

Several months and many events later, we were thrilled to officially launch FUSEBOX on 7 July 2023 with a visit from our President, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh KG GCVO alongside many partners and supporters.

FUSE International 2023

The launch of FUSEBOX took place during FUSE International 2023, and this year’s festival provided a fantastic opportunity to test our new venue for festival performances. FUSEBOX became our Fringe venue, successfully welcoming comedy, theatre and music performances for the 10 days.

We were also thrilled to bring a huge international show to Kingston as part of FUSE this summer: WILD (the Musical) by City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong. WILD featured a cast and crew of 70+ that flew into Kingston for 3 epic performances at Rose Theatre and the FUSE performances marked the UK-premiere. Amongst the 3 shows, we had a special schools performance that saw over 460 local schoolchildren wowed by the musical spectacular.

We’re delighted that applications are open until 7 January for the 16th festival which returns to Kingston from 28 June – 7 July 2024. Applicants can find out more about how to bring a show to the festival on our .

 

Changes in Leadership

In summer 2023, we announced that our CEO Louise Coles was stepping down after five and half years. Louise led the charity through challenging times including Brexit, Covid-19 and current economic conditions whilst developing Creative Youth from a project-based organisation to a year-round one, particularly with the introduction of FUSEBOX.

Louise’s leadership role has been taken up by two young people with several years involvement with the charity. Archie O’Neill & Daniel Cartlidge took up roles as Co-Directors from September 2023 and are looking forward to continue on focusing on the things that matter to local young people next year such as sustainability, climate change and mental health.

AMP Kingston; Art, Music, Pop Fashion

We have been exploring Kingston’s music heritage throughout 2023 as part of AMP Kingston; Art, Music, Pop Fashion. AMP Kingston is a National Lottery Heritage Fund supported project that is exploring and celebrating Kingston’s music heritage. Since launching, AMP Kingston has connected Kingston’s rich musical heritage to hundreds of people across the local community and beyond. This activity includes Bowie and Beyond, one of the most popular exhibitions ever to be hosted at Kingston Museum. AMP also works with a range of young creatives to deliver artistic interpretations of the historical research, including as part of UPCYCLE. This all-day event took place in June 2023 at FUSEBOX, and featured visual art, music, and make-up and craft workshops.  

We’re excited to be launching a new exhibition at FUSEBOX in 2024: Kingston Art, Music, Pop Fashion 1960s – 1990s as a result of the project. Through a mix of oral histories, archive material and intergenerational community responses, this range of displays aims to connect the community to the rich cultural legacy of the area, and inspire and support the next generation of creatives.

 

Thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey in 2023 and we look forward to the new connections to be explored in 2024!

 

AMPlify – Art (Episode 3)

Posted on: November 4th, 2023 by cyEditor

This episode focuses on music’s relationship to art.

How did artists promote themselves before the digital era? How did the widespread introduction of computers in the 1990s change the way music and art was promoted?

And does digitisation mean we have lost the craft of album artwork? Or does it open up new opportunities?

Jarek is joined by two graphic designers to explore this topic. As well as being an artist, Sue Smallwood played in Kingston band The Trudy in the 1980s – who were themselves enthusiastic producers of promotional artwork – while Josie Biggs is studying Graphic Design at Kingston University’s School of Art.

Listen to the episode on Spotify via the link below or by clicking here to view on our YouTube Channel.

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AMPLIFY is brought to you by Creative Youth with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Host:
Jarek Zaba with Sue Smallwood and Josie Biggs
Editing and Mixing: Jarek Zaba
Editing assistance: Zuzanna Wężyk, Mario Cruz
Music: Mariia Yaremak
Artwork: Courtney Ellis

More info on FUSEBOX at ⁠fuseboxkingston.org⁠ 

Contact ⁠ampresearcher@creativeyouthcharity.org⁠ for more info on heritage research or ⁠communityengagement@creativeyouthcharity.org⁠ for volunteering and community events.

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About Creative Youth Charity: Creative Youth aims to enable young people to realise their potential through the arts. We believe every young person has a right to access the arts and creativity and should be encouraged to take initiatives, risks and push boundaries in a safe, inclusive environment. ⁠⁠creativeyouthcharity.org

FUSEBOX Opening Hours & BOX Cafe-Bar

Posted on: September 11th, 2023 by cyEditor

Drop in any time between Wednesday – Saturday, 11:00 until 18:00 and explore Kingston’s new creative space.

Our Box Cafe & Bar offers a variety of hot and cold drinks, as well as a relaxed and open atmosphere – whether you’re a freelancer looking for a new space to work, or simply wanting a catch up with friends.

Take in the surroundings of Kingston’s historical artefacts as you explore our new creative space. With plenty of events and exhibitions coming up on our What’s On page, there will always be something exciting for you to discover on each visit.

FUSEBOX Officially Launches!

Posted on: July 31st, 2023 by cyEditor

A huge thank you to all of wonderful supporters for coming to celebrate to launch of FUSEBOX on the 7th July 2023.

Robin Hutchinson, chair of Creative Youth, said: “FUSEBOX is quite simply a game changer for Creative Youth ensuring we can offer young creatives a dynamic, flexible and inspiring place. A home for them to develop their ideas, projects and partnerships. Even the pilot programme has shown that great things will emerge from this space and now we will be open full time, the opportunities just multiply.”

Incoming Co-Directors of the Charity, Archie O’Neill and Daniel Cartlidge, chatted to Time and Leisure Magazine about their hopes for the space and how FUSEBOX plans to make a positive impact on the local community.

Said Archie: “Creative Youth works across any art form you can think of – visual, performance, dance, video games and film. It’s really important for us to have this space. We’ve been somewhat behind closed doors during the pilot season while the facade was reconstructed. But we’ve had young people inside and experimenting with the space. This launch event is important for us to show what we have done so far, our plans for the future and making sure everyone feels included.”

They have been thrilled with the response to the pilot season. Said Daniel: “These last six months of testing have helped us to establish key partners and contacts with community groups and we have a broad range of people who want to use the space for multiple different reasons. We want to fill it with all kinds of art from all kinds of young people in the local area and surrounding boroughs. It’s about being able to delve in to community work and see what is happening in the youth clubs, the arts centres and drama groups and give those who don’t have performance venues or exhibition spaces a platform to showcase their work. We are really excited for the future.”

Kingston has so much to offer in terms of creativity and culture, says Archie. “When I came here and joined Creative Youth two years ago I was amazed to see how many young people there are creating and making things. A lot of that comes out of the university but also from the likes of a really dynamic youth service such as Achieving for Children, who are engaging young people on a regular basis through youth clubs, and with initiatives such as Anstee Bridge. The aim of FUSEBOX is to give young people a space they can fully take over as well as having the expertise from a team like ours who can support them in the next step of their careers.”

Archie added: “It is also a beautiful space and it’s important to showcase FUSEBOX as a heritage site, which is now open on a continuous year-round basis for the local community to see.”

FUSEBOX will be open to the general public from w/c 4th September on the following days:

If you have any questions or would like to get in touch with us please feel free to contact us on fuseboxkingston@creativeyouthcharity.org

AMPlify – UPCYCLE: FUSEBOX (Episode 2)

Posted on: July 31st, 2023 by cyEditor

Presented by heritage researcher Jarek Zaba, this podcast series will feature a wide range of voices that AMP Kingston has heard from, whether it’s our interviewees reminiscing about Kingston’s music past, artists helping to deliver our exciting programme of public events, or our enthusiastic volunteers who are supporting us across the full range of our work.

Jarek sits down with AMP Project Manager Archie O’Neill to talk about the UPCYCLE event which took place at Creative Youth’s FUSEBOX space in June 2023. 

Curated by Archie and AMP Trainee Project Manager Chiyana Ankhrah, UPCYCLE featured artistic installations, creative workshops and musical performances. Artistic interpretations used AMP’s heritage research as its basis, ‘upcycling’ it into contemporary messages of sustainability.

Listen to the episode on Spotify via the link below or by clicking here to view on our YouTube Channel.

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AMPLIFY is brought to you by Creative Youth with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. 

More info on FUSEBOX at ⁠fuseboxkingston.org⁠ 

Contact ⁠ampresearcher@creativeyouthcharity.org⁠ for more info on heritage research or ⁠communityengagement@creativeyouthcharity.org⁠ for volunteering and community events.

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Find out more about the Upcycle exhibition in our video below.

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About Creative Youth Charity: Creative Youth aims to enable young people to realise their potential through the arts. We believe every young person has a right to access the arts and creativity and should be encouraged to take initiatives, risks and push boundaries in a safe, inclusive environment. ⁠⁠creativeyouthcharity.org⁠

So You Wanna Change The Arts – Fuse International 2023

Posted on: June 20th, 2023 by cyEditor

So You Wanna Change the Arts is a programme that provides professional and practice based learning opportunities in the form of webinars, physical workshops and advice. These sessions explore topical industry issues alongside practical advice sessions for and by young people. We welcome panelists from various sectors and art-forms to share advice and insights for those at the start of their creative journeys.

So You Wanna Change the Arts is part of Creative Youth’s wider Creative Talent Programme which offers artistic, strategic and business support to young emerging artists. Leading many of the workshops for this years programme is our new 2023 Young Creatives cohort. Young Creatives is a panel of emerging talent, from 16–26 years old, who generate new ideas and plans for the charity.

Creative Youth is run by young people, for young people, which is exactly how we run this programme. Coming from a diverse range of backgrounds and disciplines, these Young Creatives have devised engaging and informative workshops/ webinars – aimed at those beginning their career in the arts.

Explore our e-leaflet to find out more about the different workshops and events available.

So You Wanna Change The Arts is generously supported by Arts Council England.

Changes in leadership at Creative Youth

Posted on: June 19th, 2023 by cyEditor

Making the announcement Robin Hutchinson MBE, Chair of the Trustees, said “We owe an enormous thanks to Louise who has been a brilliant CEO and leader of Creative Youth. She has overseen so many great initiatives for the charity and steered it through the enormously challenging times of Covid and onto new successes. Her work has been driven by a passion to ensure that young people’s ideas and voices fuel and direct our work. Louise is stepping away from the CEO role but remains with the charity to help focus on our fundraising efforts. Everyone involved with the organisation would like to thank her for her work.”

Creative Youth is excited to announce that Louise’s leadership role will be taken up by two young people with several years involvement with the charity between them. Archie O’Neill & Daniel Cartlidge will take up roles as Co-Directors from September. Louise will continue to support the new leaders in a part time role focused on fundraising.

Robin Hutchinson MBE said “The trustees have decided to keep faith with our driving mission to support young people in the arts by appointing two young practitioners to lead the Creative Youth and oversee the next stages in the charity’s growth.”

Outgoing CEO Louise Coles said “It has been the most fabulous and exciting journey to be at the helm of Creative Youth over the last few years – to see it develop and grow from a project-based organisation to a year-round one with the addition of our new creative space FUSEBOX – despite the challenges of Covid, Brexit and current economic conditions. Our young people are taking a greater role in running the charity with a board of 15 Young Creatives – and now two young leaders will take over my role from the beginning of September as Co-Directors.”.

Incoming leaders Archie O’Neill & Daniel Cartlidge said “We are both incredibly excited to be supporting Creative Youth through one of the most exciting chapters in our history. By working closely together, we hope to champion more young people than ever to make use of the spaces, programmes and opportunities provided by Creative Youth.”

Daniel Cartlidge is moving into the Co-Director role from his position as General Manager at Creative Youth. He has a passion for exploring and highlighting underrepresented identities on stage and supporting emerging artists within the industry. Daniel trained at both the University of Leeds and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, where he received a BA (Hons) in History and a MA in Creative Producing.

Co-Director Archie O’Neill is currently Community & Participation Manager at Creative Youth. His role involves collaborating with community groups, schools & colleges, youth services and artists from underserved backgrounds. Having previously studied at King’s College London and the Courtauld Institute, Archie has worked at museums and galleries such as The British Museum, The National Gallery, Tate and Dulwich Picture Gallery.

AMPlify – Bowie and Beyond (Episode 1)

Posted on: June 17th, 2023 by cyEditor

Presented by heritage researcher Jarek Zaba, this podcast series will feature a wide range of voices that AMP Kingston has heard from, whether it’s our interviewees reminiscing about Kingston’s music past, artists helping to deliver our exciting programme of public events, or our enthusiastic volunteers who are supporting us across the full range of our work.

In our opening episode we focus on Bowie and Beyond, a newly launched exhibition at Kingston Museum from AMP Kingston in partnership with The Community Brain. Bowie and Beyond explores the night in February 1972 when Ziggy Stardust was launched at a roadside pub in Tolworth called the Toby Jug.

Joining Jarek is AMP Heritage Collective volunteer Lottie Gomes, who shares a range of clips she gathered from attendees at the exhibition launch night – from locals who attended the gig to authors who have since explored it, via a Kingston University professor who spent a year of his life living as David Bowie.

Find below a playable link to the episode on Spotify. You can also access the podcast either on Apple Podcasts or by clicking here to visit our YouTube Channel.

For more on AMP Kingston see here.

For volunteering opportunities email Archie by clicking here.

 

 

Presenter: Jarek Zaba with Lottie Gomes
Editing and mixing: Jarek Zaba
Production assistant: Lottie Gomes
Music: Mariia Yaremak
Artwork: Courtney Ellis
Special thanks: The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Station to Station (SWR Project)

Posted on: May 26th, 2023 by cyEditor

Throughout June we will co-create three pieces of art with local young people (aged 5 – 13), schools and/or families in three areas in the borough: the Cambridge Road Estate, Hook Chessington and Tolworth.

Artists running workshops in each location will use creativity as a way to think about community, connectivity and the environment. This project is run in partnership with community organisations and artists.

On the Cambridge Road Estate, we are working with Achieving for Children to create performance art, in Tolworth we are supported a visual artist from the Community Brain, whilst our work in Chessington is a music in collaboration with Kingston Music Service.

We are using the stations which connect these places – Kingston, Norbiton, Chessington North and Tolworth – as a source of inspiration. We have encouraged people to think about what the railways mean to them.

Join us for our Station to Station Showcase Day on the 1st July as part of FUSE International!

This project is generously supported by:

South Western Railway

Delivered in partnership with:

The Community Brain, Achieving For Children & Kingston Music Service