Supporting the next generation of artists and young creatives

We have established a new young people's art studio, a place where local young people between the ages of 13 and 19 can develop their creative practice alongside others, in a supportive environment where resources such as printing facilities, art materials, and a computer with creative software will be provided. Young people have been able to access the studio on a drop-in basis, and through artist-led workshops in the school holidays.

In Autumn 2024, we enabled the creation of a new quarterly zine, M:ZINE produced by young people in the Malmesbury area. M:ZINE provides a platform for sharing their creativity, interests, passions and ideas about making the lives of local people better. The first edition chose the theme of sustainability. Through the programme, and with initial support from Wiltshire Council Area Board, Warden and Freeman and Malmesbury Carnival, we aim to:

- offer new opportunities for young people to have a creative outlet in their community.

- develop skills in design, writing, photography for young people.

- foster a sense of pride in their local area amongst young people

As part of Engage’s (the National Association for Gallery Education) national programme, we run Let’s Create Art workshops for young people aged 13+ in the February half-term and regular drop-in sessions at Caerbladon. In September 2025 we mounted a Young Artists’ Exhibition at the John Bowen Gallery featuring selected work from seven young people aged 13 – 16. The artwork was selected from submissions by local young people 13 - 18 years old, and works by Chris Hills, Jess Waddell, Iona Carter, Lizzie Marriage, Rufus Lawton and Ellie Priest were on display.

We want to give young people the opportunity to lead, be change makers and be actively involved in work within the arts and creative sector.

Central to Caerbladon’s planning for the next two years is ensuring that there are multiple ladders of opportunity for young people, which develop their skills and give them responsibility beyond support roles. Since our inception, we have offered paid work experience for creative art students, as well as free access to the studio and involvement in creative projects. Latterly, we have created a new role of production assistant for Mareyam Smith, a recent graduate in Technical Arts for Performance at Wimbledon College of Art who has returned to her hometown and is keen to launch her career in the creative industries.

Through Caerbladon’s work, participants developed their social and creative skills, learnt about other cultures and gained confidence through making and performing. We created volunteer and young apprentice opportunities offering experience of running workshops, installing exhibitions and stewarding events. Audiences have benefited by engaging with the arts of diverse cultures and through their interaction with the artists and other young participants.

Practice of Place is the next stage of our place-based programme focusing on capacity building and empowering the next generation of change makers. We will extend these opportunities by establishing a year-long project worker position for a young artist/creative producer, to oversee a cohort of five young people (16 – 25 year old) as ‘creative change makers’, charged with devising and delivering exhibitions and digital presentations, workshops and publications, and providing technical and creative support to project delivery. In line with the model established by Artswork’s RISE Awards, our plan is that each will also receive a £500 production award to develop their own creative practice.Caerbladon’s core team and creative collaborators will provide professional development support and mentoring throughout, and the opportunity for the young people to work alongside commissioned artists and producers in delivering a programme co-created with community partners and local participants.