We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part. The session was open, thoughtful, and full of honest conversations about what young creatives need from a space like FUSEBOX, and what’s currently missing.

Through a series of interactive discussions, students shared their experiences, challenges, and ambitions. From how spaces are used, to the kinds of opportunities that feel genuinely accessible and relevant, the feedback gave us real insight into how FUSEBOX can better support students and emerging artists.

What stood out most was the clarity and generosity of the ideas in the room. Students spoke about the importance of:

• Flexible, affordable space to create and collaborate

• Clearer pathways into creative opportunities

• A stronger sense of community and connection

• Programming that reflects the diversity of practices and voices across Kingston

These conversations will directly inform how we develop and programme FUSEBOX moving forward. The Ideas Lab is part of our wider commitment to co-creation, ensuring that young people are not just participants, but active contributors in shaping the spaces and opportunities designed for them.

We’re grateful to Kingston University and Studio KT1 for collaborating with us, and to every student who gave their time, energy, and ideas.

What You Get

Selected residents will receive:

• A 12-month residency with free access to FUSEBOX for programme delivery (venue reopening and dates subject to availability).

• Support applying for £5,000 seed funding (no prior fundraising experience required).

• Tailored mentoring and training in fundraising, producing, community engagement, safeguarding, evaluation, and more.

• Access to Creative Youth’s local partner network and a dedicated mentor.

• Opportunities to deliver five events at FUSEBOX and beyond.

• Participation in FUSE International 2027.

• Discounts on Creative Youth tickets and at the BOX Bar & Café.

What You’ll Do

Your residency will focus on:

• Four community creative activities delivered across Kingston.

• A Final Showcase presented at FUSEBOX.

The programme runs in three phases: Development & Fundraising (May–Aug 2026), Activity Delivery (Aug–Dec 2026), and Final Showcase (Jan–Apr 2027).

How to Apply

Send the following by 5 pm on Friday 13 March 2026:

1) Organisation Summary – who you are and what you do (max 1 side A4)

2) Ideas Pitch – who you want to engage and what activity you’re proposing (max 2 sides A4)

You can also submit your pitch as a 3–5 min video or audio. Email applications to archie@creativeyouthcharity.org.

Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed on Wednesday 18 March 2026, followed by a public vote.

Applications are open, find out more by viewing our Application Pack.

The main entrance to FUSEBOX can be found to the righthand side of the brick amphitheatre on Kingston’s riverside.

The main entrance (through the white double doors) are step free and lead to box office. For step free access to the basement, where you will find the main part of the venue, bar and toilets, the lift is accessed outside the venue. More details below.

At the end of the corridor, you will see our Box Office where a member of staff will greet you. This is where you can come to buy or collect your tickets for the show, and where our team can answer any questions you might have.

To the right of the Box Office you will find a corridor leading to 18 stairs to take you to the main venue area.

For step free access, the lift can be found outside the main entrance.

The lift has access to the basement where most activities take place. There is a small corridor leading to the main space when you exit the lift.

Once you move past the ruins at the bottom of the stairs, you will see the main space in FUSEBOX. The performance area sits to the righthand side and can be surrounded by black curtains. BOX Bar & Cafe are to the left-hand side.

For most performances, cabaret-style tables and chairs will be laid out for audience members. All of our seated shows have unreserved seats so you may sit anywhere. The lights will go off before the show starts.
For exhibitions, there may be no seats laid out and you are welcome to walk between the spaces in the venue.

You can find toilets through the doors by BOX Bar & Cafe. There is an accessible toilet, and through the door and to the left there are gender-neutral toilets and baby‑change facilities.

BOX Bar & Cafe is on the left of the open-plan space and you can buy hot and cold drinks and snacks here. You can relax in the Cafe space before and after the show.

We can’t wait to welcome you to FUSEBOX, and hope you enjoy your visit.

We are pleased to welcome you to our launch of Magyk exhibition on Thursday 26 June 2025.

Exhibition opening dates:

Wednesday 25 June – Sunday 6 June 2025

Opening hours: Wednesday – Friday, 11:00 – 18:00

Magyk Exhibition

Magic is everywhere. We want to know where you find the magic in your life and how you explore it in your art. Artist’s have the opportunity to present their art and express their imaginations through magic in art. From beauty in the world around us, to fantasy, illusion, and the extraordinary – magic is an interaction with the unknown.

You are invited to come and reflect on what magic means to you and how it comes alive in your creative practice.

We’re also delighted to announce that one exhibiting artist will be awarded a bursary of £1000 to complete a 6 week residency in FUSEBOX, concluding in a Solo Exhibition.

Thank you to Arts Council England for making this amazing Open Call possible and for offer the opportunity of another Solo exhibition at FUSEBOX!

Apply and Find Out More Here!

Moonlight invites Black visual artists across all disciplines to explore the delicate and multifaceted journey of vulnerability, emotion and identity when freed from the weight of social expectation. How can emotion be captured not only as an act of resistance, but also as a pure state of being? Can we explore ourselves outside of the perception of others and what does this look like?

Find out about the exhibiting artists in our Exhibition Guide.

Moonlight is free to view until Saturday 19 April (Opening hours Wednesday – Saturday, 11:00-18:00).

The exhibition was launched alongside Kingston Undercurrents, our regular music nights hosted in collaboration with Paper Garden Records. A high-energy showcase of the freshest, boldest talent shaping Kingston’s scene. From first-time performers finding their feet to uni students honing their craft, from emerging voices carving out their sound to established artists making waves—every act is connected to this town.

Find out more about Kingston Undercurrents here. 

Violaciones – Oscar Rodriguez

Oscar Rodriguez (he/they), one of our current Creative Talent Programme Artist, invites audiences to rediscover failure as a catalyst for profound hope. Rooted in their Salvadoran heritage and inspired by the revolutionary legacies of their ancestors, Oscar collaborated with friends, activists, and fellow poets to craft a short film and an evocative soundscape album. Together, they explored liberation in its many forms, challenging conventional narratives and honouring the struggles of oppressed, Queer, and working-class communities.

Beyond the screen and speakers, Oscar’s exhibition created an immersive experience through poetry, multi-medium artwork, and creative installations. This powerful collection provided a space for connection, reflection, and dialogue, offering a moment of healing and solidarity for all who attended.

soft space, still moment: Mindful Art Sessions

Alongside Oscar’s exhibition, we also hosted soft space, still moment, a tranquil and reflective installation space created by the young people who attend our Weekly Mindful Art Sessions. This exhibition invited visitors to step into a calm zone designed to encourage sensory awareness and inner peace.

Through art, attendees explored mindfulness and self-expression, fostering an environment of stillness and contemplation. If you are aged between 12-25 and would like to be part of our Weekly Mindful Art Sessions, find out more here.

Both exhibitions have been a testament to the power of creativity in fostering community, dialogue, and personal growth. Thank you to everyone who attended and supported these projects—we look forward to continuing to provide platforms for emerging artists and meaningful conversations through art.

Bad Clowns & Good Friends

Thurs 30 January,  13 March, 24 April
19:30 | £10

Step underground and discover enticing acts that will be taking over Kingston’s new basement venue for nights of high quality cabaret comedy, hosted by the Bad Clowns!

Book tickets for Bad Clowns

Kingston Undercurrents

Thurs 13 February, 10 April, 8 May, 12 June, 14 August
19:30 | £10

Book tickets for Kingston Undercurrents

Violaciones

Launch: Thur 23 Jan, 18:00
Exhibition: 24-25, 29-30 January 2025
Free

Oscar Rodriguez invites audiences to rediscover failure as a catalyst for profound hope. Through a collaborative short film and an evocative soundscape album, Oscar explores liberation in its many forms.

Jazz Evening with the Thames Youth Jazz Orchestra

28 February 2025
19:30 | £12 adult, £6 child

Thames Youth Jazz Orchestra, winners of the ‘Best Music Performance’ award at FUSE International 2023, return to play at FUSEBOX in February! TYJO brings together the finest young jazz musicians in South West London and plays a wide selection of big band music, from classic swing to contemporary charts. The band has played at jazz clubs and many other venues both in London and across Europe, and is known for its flair and vibrancy.

Come and join us for a fantastic evening of jazz, guaranteed to get your toes tapping and take you on a musical journey!

Book tickets for Thames Youth Jazz Orchestra

Check out our full programme

This includes free open-call exhibitions based around a new theme each month, alongside powerful showcases of visual art from key collaborators such as WOM Collective.

Black Chorus emphasises the idea of individual voices contributing to a larger narrative, much like a chorus where each voice is distinct yet part of a harmonious ensemble.

We are delighted to be presenting Creative Youth’s October Open Call, exhibiting Black artists from various visual art disciplines.

This exhibition takes ownership of and reflects the multiplicity of Black identities, cultural narratives and experiences throughout the diaspora in order to uplift and celebrate narratives that have often historically been under or misrepresented in the art world.

You can also join us for Creative Sparks: Spoken Word/ Poetry Evening as part of the exhibition opening celebrations.

Rooted: An Art Journey of Interconnection
18 October – 17 November 2024
Wed – Sat, 11:00 – 18:00 (Last entry 17:30)

Since the start of 2024, WOM have made their mark in FUSEBOX as this year’s Community in Residence group.

We’ve seen incredible mural artworks spread across the walls of our venue, as well as Kingston locals engaging in live discussions and group painting/ sketching.

Join WOM for their biggest project at FUSEBOX yet! Get ready for an immersive visual art exhibition, set to takeover the venue this October with a focus on community and interconnectedness.

Voices of Dissent
22 – 30 November 2024
Wed – Sat, 11:00 – 18:00 (Last entry 17:30)

We are delighted to present our November Open Call exhibition, Voice of Dissent, on the theme of ‘protest’.

Art has always been a powerful form of expression in regards to social change, giving a platform to those who are historically ignored, to challenge the status quo, or as a way to reflect the current affairs of the world.

In response to the theme of ‘Protest’, Voices of Dissent presents visual artworks from all disciplines to reflect the power of protest in response to events impacting us presently, previously or that could be a future possibility.

How do individual acts of defiance and personal stories contribute to the larger narrative of resistance? When it comes to social justice, how does art capture the spirit and urgency of these causes?

We are pleased to be celebrating the launch of this exhibition with our regular Creative Sparks evening, showcasing emerging creative performances.

It’ s been just over a year since our official launch of Kingston’s newest multi-arts venue last summer, and this new programme is a reflection of some of the amazing shows we’ve welcomed to the space since then.

Our new programme features three areas: Cabaret at FUSEBOX, FUSE Replay and FUSEBOX Exhibitions. These will run in addition to our regular community events programme.

About our Cabaret Nights

Step underground and discover enticing new acts that will be taking over our basement venue for nights of drag, comedy, poetry, cabaret and music each month.

Bad Energy
Friday 6 September, 20:00

Big Oil CEOs Ben Big & Ollie Oil are hosting another talented line-up of climate-conscious comics for a night of fossil-fuelled fun.

Comedy vs Climate Change is a collective of comedians hosting climate comedy gigs and workshops.

t’ARTopia
Thursday 10 October – 20:00

Join us in t’ARTopia for a queer-curated night of drag, comedy, poetry, cabaret and music from some of our most delicious t’ARTs…

The Ugly Bug Winter Drag Ball 
Thursday 5 December – 20:00

Following a very successful debut at FUSEBOX at FUSE International 2024, and several equally successful bug Drag balls across London and Essex, Klub Obskura are delighted to return to Kingston to present the Ugly Bug Winter Ball, a celebration of the beauty of Winter through the eyes of the insect kingdom.

Book tickets for The Ugly Bug Winter Drag Ball here

We’d love to invite you to our launch of these exhibitions on Thursday 8 August, 18:00 – 21:00.

Exhibition opening dates:

Friday 9 – Saturday 17 August 2024
Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday, 11:00 – 18:00

For my People – Tania Pourashraf

We are proud to open the first solo exhibition from a selected open call artist at FUSEBOX!

For my people is an expressive exhibition featuring the works of Tania Pourashraf, an exploration of her personal history and the impact of Iran’s brutal regime on her and her family. Through a series of black and white semi-realistic drawings, Pourashraf delves into her family’s past, illuminating the pivotal decisions that led them into the oppressive environment of Iran’s regime and the profound effects this had on their lives.

Echos: The Art of Preservation

What does it mean to preserve a rapidly changing world? How can we safeguard aspects of our collective and individual identities?

We asked artists to think about and respond to the concept of preservation through the lenses of language, culture, environment, history and heritage – what are we, or rather, what should we be protecting and preserving in our world today? How can art be a vessel for keeping important moments of humanity alive?