Archive for the ‘News’ Category

Discover our FUSEBOX Festive Programme

Posted on: November 1st, 2024 by cyEditor

With plenty of events for everyone to choose, from drag and comedy shows, to live music and family theatre, check out the range of events below.

The Ugly Bug Winter Drag Ball

Friday 5 December

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 Now

Dick Whittington

Friday 6 & Saturday 7 December

This Christmas, come join the team who brought you The First Father Christmas, as they retell the mostly traditional tale of Dick Whittington. Full of fun, laughter, phonics, counting, dance, song, shapes, puppetry and a flying cat!

Book Now

Mrs Smith: See Me! (Nativity Edition)

Friday 13 & Sunday 15 December

Ever wondered what your teacher was thinking? Let Facebook’s Mrs Smith enlighten you! Following her sellout debut at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2023 she is stepping out from behind her mask of anonymity on tour and is ready to tell all!

Book Now

October Exhibitions: Passing Through & Black Chorus

Posted on: October 4th, 2024 by cyEditor

Having just launched on Thursday 3rd October, FUSEBOX is once again delighted to be filled with works from a series of featured young artists, expressing insightful and bold commentary through their unique artistry and range of mediums.

Both Exhibitions will run until Saturday 12 October, 18:00.

Black Chorus: A Symphony of Art

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.

Black Chorus Artists include:

Chiyana Ankhrah

Caroline Lacoma

Charisa Francis

 

Passing Through by Chisara Vidale

These works are part of a series of works that tenderly depict intimate moments of interaction between horses in dream-like landscapes, imbued with an otherworldly sense of light and energy. Her use of colour reflects a feeling of wonder that takes hold whilst outdoors, the pink of late summer sunsets fills the trees, and the moving patterns of water flow over the bodies of horses and the hills.

Discover New FUSE Replay Programme

Posted on: September 27th, 2024 by cyEditor

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

Check out FUSE Replay this autumn:

The Womb 

Friday 25 Oct 2024, 20:00

The Womb is a three-hander provocative play about the absurd things that women have been going through since the beginning of the world.

Witty, fast-paced dialogue, original techno-atmospheric music, and three lost women in a place they can never ever leave…
Find Out More

An Evening with Dillon Dance

Sunday 24 November 2024, 16:00

After a standout out show at FUSE International 2024, Dillon Dance presents an intimate evening of performance, drawing on previous and new work.

Weaving their choreographic style into the architecture of FUSEBOX’s incredible underground space. Join us for an evening of stunning work, celebrating the legacy and future of Dillon Dance.
Find Out More

Mrs Smith – See Me! The Nativity Edition

Friday 13 & Sunday 15 December 2024, 20:00

Ever wondered what your teacher was thinking? Let Facebook’s Mrs Smith enlighten you! Following her sellout debut at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2023 she is stepping out from behind her mask of anonymity on tour and is ready to tell all!

Find Out More

Help Creative Youth keep the arts alive

Posted on: September 4th, 2024 by cyEditor

 

From the vibrant streets of Kingston to stages around the world, our work has touched thousands of lives. Whether through FUSE International (formerly IYAF – International Youth Arts Festival), the UK’s largest youth arts festival, our year-round Creative Talent Programme, or the countless opportunities provided by our new multi-arts venue, FUSEBOX, we’ve helped shape the futures of the next generation of artists, creators, and leaders.

But today, we face an imminent challenge that could jeopardise everything we’ve built. Due to unforeseen financial difficulties, rising costs and the increasingly challenging funding landscape within the arts and charitable sector, our ability to continue our vital work is at risk. As with festivals across the country, this year’s FUSE International suffered from the challenges above and as a result, we need to raise funds to get us through this moment until October, when we will be stable.

We are launching an urgent crowdfunding campaign, and we need your support to ensure that Creative Youth can continue to thrive and inspire.

The challenging backdrop for the arts:

FUSE International is not alone in suffering from higher costs and poorer ticket sales.

Why we need your help: 

We need to cover a financial shortfall in September. Your donation isn’t just a contribution; it’s an investment in the future. It’s a lifeline for the young people who rely on us to provide opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach. It’s a chance to keep the arts alive in our community and beyond and your support is needed now more than ever to ensure that we can:

There will be a thank you wall in FUSEBOX where every individual, organisation and business who supports will be recognised.

Provide safe spaces for young people to test ideas

We know from our past two music heritage projects that so many stars of the music industry emerged from using small venues and festivals as a testbed of ideas.

A current example of this is SpitLip whose show, Operation Mincemeat (currently at the West End) has received over 67 five-star reviews, making it one of the best reviewed shows in West End history.

Felix Hagan, co-writer of Operation Mincemeat, speaks about the importance of ‘honing our craft and creative voice’ through many years of trial and testing at small platforms, such as those provided by Creative Youth.

How you can help: 

Every pound you donate brings us closer to our goal of keeping Creative Youth alive and thriving. Whether it’s £10 or £1,000, your contribution will make a real difference. If you can’t donate, please consider sharing our campaign with your networks—every bit of support helps.

Make a donation today to make a difference
Together we can use the arts to transform lives and create brighter futures.

 

Discover our Autumn Programme 2024!

Posted on: August 30th, 2024 by cyEditor

After another successful FUSE International this summer, as well as marking a whole year since opening our doors at FUSEBOX, this season we are introducing our brand new Creative Youth Programme.

Bringing you cabaret shows, festival favourites and visual art exhibitions, we are delighted to present what’s coming up…. tickets on sale now!


⭐️Cabaret at FUSEBOX⭐️

Welcoming cabaret artists from across London to FUSEBOX for one night only. Take a look:

Bad Energy from Comedy vs Climate Change

Friday 6 September, 20:00

After a hilarious show at FUSE International 2024, 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.


⭐️FUSE Replay⭐️

Celebrating the best of FUSE International and festivals across London. Take a look:

The Womb from Co Theatre

Friday 25 October, 20:00

The Womb is a three-hander provocative play about the absurd things that women have been going through since the beginning of the world. Witty, fast-paced dialogue, original techno-atmospheric music, and three lost women in a place they can never ever leave…


⭐️FUSEBOX Exhibitions⭐️ 

Free open-call exhibitions based around a new theme each month. Take a look: 

Black Chorus: A Symphony of Art 

Thursday 3 – Saturday 12 October

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.

Check out the full programme via our What’s On Page.

Echos: The Art of Preservation

Posted on: August 13th, 2024 by cyEditor

The exhibition presented an eclectic mix of works that spanned various mediums, styles, and themes, highlighting the unique voices of each artist. From bold abstract compositions to technically exquisite photography, the collection was a true celebration of the visual arts in response to preservation in all its forms.

Our open call exhibitions are all about creating a space where different artistic visions could intersect, challenge, and inspire one another. The response from both the artists and the audience has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are honored to have facilitated such a meaningful exchange of ideas.

Creative Youth extends its heartfelt thanks to all the participating artists (credited below) and the community that supported Echos: The Art of Preservation. This exhibition is available to view during our public opening hours until Saturday 17 August.

Find Out More Here

Participating Artists:

Neha Jakkampudi

Joey Toogood

Abibat Bonuola

Louise Hapton

Chisara Vidale

Suth.illustrates

Huichuan Wang

Jiaqi Liu

Tomoko Hokyo

Shijia Song

Yuhan Wu

Jolene Liam

Vi

Meichen Chen

Wenhui Jiang

Claire Breach

Rachel Stevenson

Dan Noall

Alexandra Michailidi

Jing Luchuan

Kan_sew

FUSE International 2024 Festival Brochure

Posted on: May 20th, 2024 by cyEditor

We’re thrilled to our launch of Festival Brochure for 2024. Designed by the amazing Genevieve Krieff, the brochure is the place to start if you want to explore the full festival programme. Witness an incredible range of dance, music, theatre, comedy, visual art and more… you can check out our upcoming festival highlights below!

Download the Festival Brochure

 

Festival highlights

Festival Opening Night – Friday 28 June
Featuring Jagunlabi, Riverfest & The Ugly Bug Drag Ball

Come together and join us to celebrate the opening of FUSE International 2024. This evening will give you a taster of what’s to come over the next 10 days and gives you the opportunity to discover the exciting range of shows and venues on offer during the festival. From Jagunlabi at Arthur Cotterell Theatre, we invite you to wander over to RIVERFEST on Kingston’s Riverside, before heading down into FUSEBOX to experience a thrilling late night performance of The Ugly Bug Drag Ball.

Jagunlabi (We Birthed a Warrior)
Performed by Peekok YouthARTS Initiatives (PYI), a non-profit, non-governmental and non tribal youth art scheme, offering various arts programmes for youths in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. Jagunlabi is a full-fledged dramatic performance enriched with many themes primarily focusing on human purpose. It is widely understood that every child is born with specific uniqueness and purpose. In Africa, the setting of this show, a child’s name is often motivated by the child’s lineage and what the future or destiny of the child is believed to be. This performance will unravel that mystery. The play highlights themes of courage, selflessness, determination, eradication of social ills, violence against women and children, and most importantly, BRAVERY.

The Ugly Bug Drag Ball
Calling all fans of the creepy and crawly! Pull out your magnifying glasses and prepare to brush up on your GCSE biology as the Ugly Bug Drag Ball a drag and cabaret showcase presenting the best and the brightest of the insect kingdom. Showcasing tantalising displays of bug beauty with flamboyant storytelling there’s something for both fans of bugs and drag alike!

The Bee from My Head – Saturday 30 June
The Bee from My Head, a production from Acting Up from Bucharest, Romania, is a powerful theatrical performance that explores the resilience of a child overcoming parental neglect, bullying, and loneliness by imagining themselves as a bee. A journey resembling a video game through a dynamic blend of movement, acting, choreography and ensemble work, the talented cast of high schoolers will transport you into the child’s imaginative world, crafted as a defence against life’s challenges.

 

Now More than Ever – Tuesday 2 July
Now More Than Ever is a three-part contemporary dance performance about appreciating, embracing, and protecting the world that we are part of, recognising that the need to do so has never been greater.

In a time of climate crisis and climate anxiety the piece encourages people to explore their own connection to the planet and to counteract that anxiety with action. The three parts of the piece loosely follow the journey of a group of individuals, first noticing, then grappling with, and then defending the world they are part of – and coming together to do so.

 

The White Rose – The Musical – Wednesday 3 July
The White Rose – The Musical returns to stage after its SOLD-OUT debut run at Applecart Arts’ Springboard Festival. The tragic, historical tale of the Scholl siblings’ resistance against the Nazis is told through the lens of their father, Robert Scholl. It follows the young revolutionaries to their awakening dissent and formation of The White Rose. With powerful lyricism and an original score, this is not a show to miss!

 

Ending Interval – Thursday 4 July
Ending Interval is a thought-provoking physical theatre piece examining modern society’s restless acceleration that leaves many struggling to keep up. This poetic, experimental journey, featuring intermedia, provides a radical moment of stillness in the accelerating world for you to think for a second about this social condition.

 

My Plan for Tomorrow – Friday 5 July
Success means many different things. Accomplishment in some artistic sense, or maybe just lauding it over your contemporaries. Failure could be anything at all.

Hilarious, disturbing and at times uncompromisingly surreal, My Plan For Tomorrow questions what it means to be successful in an increasingly alienated world. Drawing from immersive and experimental theatre, four characters and the audience meet in progressively strange circumstances.

 

Kingston Music Service: Sing | Play | Watch – Saturday 6 July
Join Kingston Music Service for a day of music making at the Rose Theatre. The day will feature a morning gospel workshop, an open rehearsal in the afternoon and an evening concert. Join the massed band of the Kingston Music Service and Richmond Music Trust in a celebration of all things Concert Band. Expect music you know and love, a few new favourites, and an evening showcasing the work these young musicians have put in.

 

How to Urn a Living – Saturday 6 July
For generations, Fowler’s Funerals has undertaken the responsibility of lifting the spirits of grieving people. But lately business has been dying down, forcing Mr. Fowler, his shop girl Lilith, and his mortician Wisteria to think outside the (pine) box or risk going under. As they scramble to keep their business alive and satisfy their customers’ bizarre requests, the lengths they will go to protect their (funeral) home are tested. Rich in antics and wacky characters, this East 15 ensemble of international actors thrills and tickles in this comedy of quick wit and outrageous moral quandaries.

FUSE International 2024 – Tickets On Sale Now!

Posted on: May 17th, 2024 by cyEditor

It was such a pleasure to showcase a taster of the range of performances and events coming to Kingston this summer, Friday 28 June – Sunday 7 July 2024.

We are delighted to anounce that tickets for all festival shows are ON SALE NOW!

Head over to our What’s On page to discover everything coming up and grab your tickets to the biggest Youth Arts Festival in the UK. 🎟

Witness an incredible range of dance, music, theatre, comedy, visual art and more… you can check out our upcoming festival highlights here!

Take a look at our digital Festival Brochure for the full details about the shows coming to Kingston this summer.

Kingston Courier: Book Launch at FUSEBOX

Posted on: May 7th, 2024 by cyEditor

On Friday 19 April we had the pleasure to host local Kingston artist Martin Alton’s book launch event, Cracked Paint.

Take a look at the full video to gain a further insight into events at FUSEBOX.

 

Find out about more upcoming events at FUSEBOX via our What’s On page.

Creative Youth alumni, SpitLip, win big with Operation Mincemeat! ⭐

Posted on: April 17th, 2024 by cyEditor

Two of the SpitLip team performed in FUSE International (formerly International Youth Arts Festival) back in 2012-13. Felix Hagen, one quarter of the SpitLip team, recorded the below to highlight their support for small arts venues and organisations that support artists at the early stages of their journey. As Felix says in his video (below), it took

‘year upon year of endless writing, rewriting and rewriting again, making mistakes, messing up, trying stuff out, realising it’s rubbish, learning from every single mistake, and honing our craft, honing our creative voice until we were able to get to the point where we could open on the West End, and not a single part of that would have been possible without organisations like Creative Youth’.

Felix goes on to speak about the importance of space, time and funding for small companies at the start of their creative process, particularly against such the challenging backdrop the industry currently faces.

Watch the full video:

Operation Mincemeat by SpitLip is about to celebrate its first full year in the West End, and has taken London by storm, receiving six Laurence Olivier Award nominations, winning two, which include Best New Musical and Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Jak Malone, and Best New Musical at the What’s On Stage Awards.

An early version of the show was first performed in 2019 and since then it has been staged at the New Diorama Theatre, Southwark Playhouse and Riverside Studios. The transfer to the Fortune Theatre London has now received 64 five star reviews, making it the best reviewed show in West End history.

Founder and Chair of the Charity, Robin Hutchison, stated how

‘Creative Youth was delighted to see the well deserved success of Operation Mincemeat at this year’s Olivier Awards and also their paying tribute to the importance of the Fringe. We are particularly pleased that two of the SpitLip team participated in our FUSE International festival (formerly IYAF) in its, and their, early years. Talent needs opportunities and space to grow because when you do ‘brilliant’ things can happen.’

Tickets – https://www.operationmincemeat.com

Creative Youth extends age range to support wider spread of creatives

Posted on: April 16th, 2024 by cyEditor

Creative Youth are strong believers in creating supportive environments and opportunities for young people and we now feel this should be extended to a broader range of ages that will directly benefit from the creative programmes and projects we run.

We believe that over the last few years, Covid & Cost of Living massively young peoples inhibited opportunities to develop professionally, with many young people now requiring more support later into their creative careers.

Alongside unanimous agreement from the Creative Youth Board of Trustees, co-directors Daniel and Archie have expressed their thoughts about the decision:

“We are delighted to be introducing this positive change at Creative Youth. As two young people in our late twenties, we have lived experience of being emerging creatives through the challenges of the last few years.

Over recent months, we have actively listened to our colleagues, Young Creatives and other emerging artists who feel the support we offer should be extended to people who are still working through what has been a difficult period across the arts sector.

Making this decision together felt like the best way to ensure Creative Youth continues to provide support, resources and a safe environment for the people who need it.”

AMPlify – Episodes 5 & 6

Posted on: April 5th, 2024 by cyEditor

To celebrate the culmination of our AMP Kingston Project, we have a double bill AMPlify for you to dogest, discussing the Pop Fashion elements of the project and also the interactive Heritage Trail! 

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

The Spotify links to both episodes can be accessed directly below, or alternatively feel free to visit our YouTube Channel.

Episode 5 – AMPlify: Pop Fashion

This episode of AMPlify is all about the world of fashion and its relationship to music. 

Our two guests have both lent their fashion expertise to the AMP project. 

They Them Ri is an LGBTQ+ trailblazer and multidisciplinary artist and creative, also known by their Drag King Persona ‘Travis Hot’. Ri has worked with the likes of TikTok, UK Black Pride, and Lush, and in June 2023 they worked with us here on the AMP project at our UPCYCLE event, in which they delivered a drag makeup workshop inspired by the style of David Bowie.

Jessica Hazel has run Smoking Gun Vintage on London’s Brick Lane for the last 15 years, and has an extensive history of working in vintage, whether in shops, pop ups or festivals such as Glastonbury. She has also worked in the music industry as a promoter and journalist, and for the AMP Heritage Trail she developed our ‘street style’ exhibit: four mannequins that highlight four different subcultures from AMP’s 1960s-1990s timeline. 

Over the course of the episode, we discuss Ri’s Bowie workshop and Jess’s exhibit, whilst also exploring fashion’s relationship to music…. Who are some of the most memorable musical style icons? How important is your look to your public appreciation? And what are some of the visual subcultures that people will associate with today’s era? 

Host: Jarek Zaba with They Them Ri and Jessica Hazel
Editing and Mixing: Jarek Zaba
Music: Mariia Yaremak
Artwork: Courtney Ellis

Ri can be found at www.theythemri.com or Insta: @they.them.ri
Jessica’s Smoking Gun Vintage can be found on Insta: @SmokingGunVintage

More info on the AMP Heritage Trail: https://creativeyouthcharity.org/amp/ 

Episode 6 – Heritage Trail

For our very final AMPlify episode, AMP researcher Jarek Zaba invites two members of the team to discuss the newly launched Heritage Trail. 

With 17 stops in the Kingston area, the Heritage Trail is a series of displays and exhibitions that detail stories of Art, Music and Pop Fashion in the borough. 

Stops include the Rose Theatre, Kingston University, and pub venues such as the Fighting Cocks, Grey Horse and the Lamb Surbiton, as well as a main exhibition in Creative Youth’s FUSEBOX.  

Guests are Zoë Louizos, who has curated the content found across the Trail, and James Ward, who as designer has developed its graphics and associated branding. 

The series rounds off with a conversation with Creative Youth co-director Archie O’Neill, who reflects on what the AMP Kingston project as a whole has achieved over the last two years for Creative Youth and the town. 

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

Host: Jarek Zaba with James Ward, Zoë Louizos and Archie O’Neill
Editing and Mixing: Jarek Zaba
Music: Mariia Yaremak

Artwork: Courtney Ellis

Web: Kathy Maniura
Series Producer: Jarek Zaba

For all of the content found on the Heritage Trail and to learn more, head to: https://creativeyouthcharity.org/amp/ 

 

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.