Young People Lead a Cultural Revolution in Chelmsford with Landmark £250,000 Investment
Chelmsford, Essex – Tuesday 27 May – Young people in Chelmsford are taking the lead in shaping the city's cultural future, thanks to a major £250,000 investment from Arts Council England, through the National Lottery Place Partnership Fund. This two-year, youth-led initiative marks the largest strategic cultural grant ever awarded in the district. It represents a bold new model for youth-powered civic leadership in the UK.
The Young Cultural Changemakers Programme will put 13–25-year-olds from local youth changemakers, Spark!, in the driving seat of decision-making. They’ll deliver cultural events, influence public policy, and help build a stronger, more inclusive creative economy that will benefit the Chelmsford district. The project is produced by Culture Chelmsford, and delivered in partnership with Chelmsford City Council, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford For You, and Chelmsford College.
Formed in 2022 through the Local Cultural Education Partnership (LCEP), Spark! was established to amplify young voices, remove barriers to accessing creative opportunities and develop the next generation of civic changemakers. Now, thanks to the joint investment of Arts Council England and citywide partners, this expanded programme places young people in leadership roles, shaping Chelmsford’s cultural landscape and building pathways into the UK’s £124 billion creative industries.
The initiative aligns with the district’s 10-year Cultural Strategy, published in 2023, which focuses on three strategic themes:
● Nurturing our Environment
● Improving Health and Wellbeing
● Outstanding Festivals and Events
Four bold projects, one powerful vision
Over the next two years, Spark! will deliver four high-impact projects designed to foster creative skills development, commission opportunities for creative professionals and produce a transferable model of best practice for other towns and cities across Essex and the UK:
1. Collecting Our Future (with the Museum of Chelmsford)
A city-wide campaign to co-create a new collections policy that better reflects the diversity of Chelmsford’s communities. Through exhibitions, workshops, debates and a cultural exchange with another city, young people will help define how the museum collects and curates 21st-century and locally relevant stories—with a strong focus on climate consciousness and inclusive heritage.
2. Concrete Canvas Reimagined (with Chelmsford For You)
A new wave of street art across the district co-created by local, national, and international artists, will spark public dialogue about the role of art in regeneration and city identity. This project will underpin the development of a new Public Art Strategy for Chelmsford, with discussions on cultural placemaking for everyone to get involved in.
3. Chelmsford Science Festival: Gaming Fringe (with Anglia Ruskin University)
A pioneering exploration of gaming culture and careers through creative technology workshops, events and intergenerational activities connecting tabletop to online —challenging stereotypes and opening up creative tech pathways to underrepresented groups.
4. Wrap-around Support
This holistic support offer will include mentoring, peer learning, and advisory opportunities for young people and the partners. Arts Award accreditation will help young people move into creative roles, board positions, employment and entrepreneurship.
Creating Systemic Change – Locally, regionally and Nationally
The Young Cultural Changemakers Programme is not just about creative activities —it's about long-term transformation. It addresses key challenges identified by young people themselves, including low confidence, mental health barriers, lack of industry awareness, and limited access to early creative experiences.
By giving young people genuine power and responsibility, Spark! aims to:
● Influence national conversations on skills and access to creative careers
● Inform policy and funding models for youth-led placemaking
● Serve as a blueprint for other regions to unlock the creative potential of the next generation
Isobel, Chair of Spark!, said:
“Being part of Spark! has changed how I see my future. We're not just attending events—we’re creating them, planning them, and making decisions that will contribute to Chelmsford for many future years. It’s empowering to know that as a young person our voices matter and have an impact.”
Claire Gevaux, CEO of Culture Chelmsford, said:
“This is more than an investment in culture—it’s an investment in people. Spark! represents a radical shift in how Chelmsford plans its creative future, with young people at the helm. This project brings our city together by strengthening cross-sector partnerships and generates many more opportunities for the creative sector to thrive over the next two years. This is more than a local story. The learning and models developed here have the potential to influence national policy around youth voice, skills and progression into the creative industries. We will support Young People to help shape that national conversation from right here in Chelmsford.”
Hazel Edwards, South East Area Director, Arts Council England, said: “The Arts Council is delighted to support Spark! and the Young Cultural Changemakers Programme through our Place Partnership Fund. This ambitious, youth-led initiative is a powerful example of how creative leadership can emerge when young people are trusted with the tools and support to shape their communities. It is inspiring to see young voices empowered through decision-making, and we look forward to seeing the lasting impact this investment will have on the Chelmsford's cultural identity and creative economy.”
ENDS
For media enquiries, interviews, or more information, please contact:
Emma Barrow
e: emma@culturechelmsford.org.uk
07725858053
www.culturechelmsford.org.uk
Notes to Editors
Images are available to download here
SPARK!
We have developed our ‘vision’ of what we want Chelmsford to become – this is important so that we can channel our efforts and influence others to achieve this:
‘Chelmsford as a vibrant, bold, creative community built on connection.
Welcoming of new, and different personalities, encouraging all to produce, take part in and collaborate in cultural events’.
Erin, Kimi, Arthur, Inaaya, Isobel, Thomas, Anjola, Jaiden, Amelia, Jojo, Rebecca, Georgia
Culture Chelmsford
Our vision is that Chelmsford is a place where people and communities lead change, shaping a creative and inclusive future together.
Powered by people. Driven by creativity.
At the heart of Culture Chelmsford is a belief that everyone should have a voice in shaping the place they live. We’re working in partnership to ensure creativity is part of everyday life, where new ideas are welcomed, and where communities make meaningful change.
We do this by putting people at the heart of city-wide decisions, investing in local projects and events, celebrating diverse voices and supporting bold thinking.
By building partnerships and providing strategic leadership, as an independent charity we aim to create an inclusive, thriving city that reflects the diversity and energy of local people and transforms the area's cultural landscape.
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) transforms lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. ARU was named UK University of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards 2023, holds a Gold award for the quality of its education, awarded through the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), and has been named University of the Year at the UK Social Mobility Awards.
ARU’s research institutes and four faculties bridge scientific, technical and creative fields, delivering impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference to our communities. Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK’s Higher Education funding bodies, with 16 of our research areas assessed as world-leading.
With main campuses in Chelmsford, Cambridge, Peterborough and Writtle, we are the largest provider in the East of England of undergraduates employed in the health and social work sector, and one of the UK’s leading universities for degree apprenticeship provision, working with hundreds of employers across the country.
Chelmsford City Council is a local authority providing key services for approximately 181,500 residents, 88,000 workers and around 5.9 million visitors to the Chelmsford district. Its services include leisure and heritage, waste and recycling, housing, parks and cemeteries, planning and budget control, and car parks. As a founding partner of Culture Chelmsford, the city council is a passionate advocate of the transformative impact of organisations and communities from across the Chelmsford district working collaboratively to deliver positive cultural events and experiences for Chelmsford’s residents, workers and visitors.
Museum of Chelmsford tells the story of Chelmsford from the Ice Age to the present day. Housed in the Victorian Grade II Oaklands House within Oaklands Park, highlights of the museum include an interactive display depicting the princely Anglo-Saxon Broomfield Burial, artefacts exploring Chelmsford’s significant role in the birth of radio, and a range of artworks by Turner Prize-winning Chelmsford-born artist Sir Grayson Perry. The museum is also home to the Essex Regiment Museum, which tells the story of the county infantry regiment. In addition to its permanent displays, the museum runs a programme of temporary exhibitions exploring subjects from Chelmsford’s LGBTQ+ communities to the local nature writer JA Baker, as well as a gallery of artworks by local artists.
Chelmsford For You is the city’s Business Improvement District (BID), representing 450 businesses in the city centre. The BID plays a vital role in enhancing the city’s commercial and cultural vibrancy. Through targeted investments and strategic partnerships, Chelmsford BID supports local businesses while fostering a welcoming and dynamic atmosphere for residents and visitors alike. Beyond business development, the BID is passionate about enriching the city’s cultural scene—organising and promoting a diverse calendar of events such as Concrete Canvas, Essex Podcast Festival, seasonal markets, art trails, and family-friendly activities that bring the community together. These initiatives not only boost footfall and economic activity but also celebrate the unique identity of Chelmsford, making it a thriving destination for commerce, creativity, and connection.
Chelmsford College is a further education provider committed to offering lifelong learning and educational inclusivity with approximately 2,030 learners aged 16 to 18 years old and 400 adult learners. The college, based in Essex, specialises in a variety of programmes for all types of learners. With two campuses, Moulsham Street and Princes Road, the college offers T Levels, apprenticeships, vocational courses, and a range of adult learning programmes. With a number of courses to choose from, the college encourages learners to progress either professionally, personally, or both. The staff work with a number of established stakeholders who help build the curriculum, supply work experience opportunities, and ensure that learners are equipped with industry-standard knowledge. Chelmsford College is proud to be graded Good by Ofsted, which reflects the dedication and hard work that both learners and staff put in daily.
Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. Our vision, set out in our strategy Let’s Create,is that by 2030, we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish, and where every one of us has access to a remarkable range of high-quality cultural experiences. Between 2023 and 2026 we will have invested over £467 million of public money from Government, alongside an estimated £250 million each year from The National Lottery, to help ensure that people in every part of the country have access to culture and creativity in the places where they live. Until Autumn 2025, the National Lottery is celebrating its 30th anniversary of supporting good causes in the United Kingdom: since the first draw was held in 1994, it has raised £49 billion and awarded more than 690,000 individual grants. www.artscouncil.org.uk
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England
