YOUNG people in Oldham are set to benefit from a new programme designed to open up careers in the creative sector and give the next generation a greater say in the borough’s cultural future.
The town’s council has secured funding from Arts Council England’s National Lottery Place Partnership Projects to launch the Young Creative Producers Programme (YCPP).
It will support young people aged between 16 and 25 through paid placements, training, mentoring and accredited learning opportunities with cultural organisations across the borough.
Each participant will receive a £3,000 bursary and complete a 200-hour placement, giving them practical experience and valuable skills within Oldham’s cultural sector.
The programme will also include an intensive training programme delivered by cultural sector specialists, covering practical skills to help participants pursue future careers in the arts and creative industries.
Led by Oldham Council’s Heritage, Libraries and Arts Service, the programme will be delivered in partnership with organisations including Global Grooves, Northern Roots, Peshkar, Oldham Coliseum, Oldham Theatre Workshop, Oldham Sixth Form College and Mahdlo.
Global Grooves will oversee delivery of the programme, working with cultural, education and community partners to offer placements across areas including theatre, music, festivals, heritage, digital inclusion, environmental arts and community engagement.
The scheme is designed to tackle the loss of local creative talent by strengthening pathways into creative careers, while ensuring young people have a meaningful role in designing and delivering cultural activity across Oldham.
It will also provide targeted opportunities for young people from under-represented communities, with the aim of creating a more equal, diverse and inclusive cultural sector.
Jodie Barber, Oldham Council’s assistant director for youth and communities, said the programme represented a “significant investment” in both Oldham’s young people and its cultural future.
She said: “The programme will provide valuable experience, skills and qualifications, while giving participants a genuine voice in shaping cultural activity across the borough.
“By working in partnership, we are creating opportunities that will help young people thrive, strengthen our cultural sector in shared priorities such as environmental sustainability and inclusive practices, and support Oldham’s wider regeneration ambitions.”
Arts Council England’s Director for the North West, Jen Cleary, added: “Everyone should have the chance to develop a creative career, wherever they live and whatever their background, so I’m delighted that we are funding the Young Creative Producers Programme.
“It will enable young people to expand their skills, shape how their local cultural ecology works and get familiar with how culture and creative industries can offer a rewarding future career.”
Global Grooves Artistic Director Holly Prest commented: “By giving young people paid opportunities to lead, create and influence cultural activity, we can help develop the next generation of creative leaders while building a more inclusive and representative cultural sector.
“The Young Creative Producers Programme represents a significant investment in local talent and in the future of culture in Oldham.”
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