Young people in Warrington are being invited to step into the spotlight with an incredible opportunity to shape one of the town’s biggest cultural events.
Culture Warrington is calling on aspiring creatives aged 16 to 21 to join its Young Producers programme. This initiative offers participants the chance to gain real-world experience in planning and managing events as part of the Warrington Arts Festival.
Building on the success of its launch last year, the programme aims to nurture local talent and provide young people with the skills to take their first steps into the creative industries. From project management to budgeting and marketing, participants will have hands-on opportunities to develop invaluable skills while contributing to Warrington’s cultural landscape.
The initiative is funded by Arts Council England, us here at Warrington BID, and Warrington Borough Council, reflecting a shared commitment to supporting young talent and retaining creative minds in the town.
Laura Mercer, Creative Producer for Young People at Culture Warrington, said: “We’re very excited to be launching the second year of our Young Producers programme for Warrington Arts Festival. This is such an amazing opportunity for young people in Warrington to take creative control of their own projects and events and have real-life experience of working in the creative industries at a professional level.
“We’re really proud of the Young Producers programme and the opportunities it provides for young people in Warrington, and we can’t wait to meet and work with more young talent in 2025.”
Participants will not only help shape the Warrington Arts Festival but will also have the chance to create and deliver their own events. They’ll receive mentorship and access to behind-the-scenes experiences in event creation, venue management, and marketing, as well as opportunities to connect with artists and creatives across the North West.
Joseph Roxby, a 17-year-old Young Producer from the 2024 cohort, said: “I was always told that being in the arts can never be a career, only a hobby, but Young Producers provides that bridge of opportunity to catapult a young person into the industry. There is no other scheme that I know of that is this inclusive, this supportive, and this inspiring.”
Applications are open now, with a deadline of midnight on Friday, January 31st. For details and how to apply, visit culturewarrington.org/2024/12/19/young-producers-2025 or email Laura Mercer at [email protected].
Image (Robert Watson)