Creative Programme
Since it was established in 2013, Young Bristol’s Creative Programme has delivered an impressive range of arts, music and media projects through Youth Clubs, Schools, Pupil Referral Units and other community venues.
With a strong focus on the visual arts, the Creative Programme includes printmaking, photography, textiles, knitting, wood work and mural painting. By introducing young people to a wide range of arts activities, we give them the chance to express their ideas and develop new-found talents.
Young Bristol is an Arts Awards registered centre and delivers four of five available Arts Awards Programmes. Arts Awards are managed in partnership with Trinity College London and the Arts Council England, giving children and young people the opportunity to grow their skills and confidence in any art form.
We are also a registered centre for the AQA Unit Awards Scheme, which provides young people with the opportunity to have their non-academic achievements formally recognised.
Get involved
Our ‘Positive Changes’ project consists of nine 8-week programmes focused on supporting vulnerable young people aged 10 – 15 at risk of being drawn into anti-social behaviour (ASB) and crime.
Our 9 programmes include a range of sporting and creative activities and workshops to address issues associated with offending behaviour. Sporting activities will include pool, table tennis, football, dance and cricket. Creative activities will include arts and crafts, print making and photography.
Our Creative Team and Community Youth Clubs Staff will discuss with young people the importance of having respect for their community and potential consequences of anti-social behaviour, for themselves as well as others.
At the end of the programme young people will undertake a reparative task-work to benefit the community they live in (e.g improving community gardens).
This project has kindly funded by BBC Children in Need and The Commissioner’s Crime Prevention Fund.
Our Creative Wellbeing Project funded by Comic Relief and Groundwork, launched at The Grove @ Bedminster Down in May 2021.
Open to young people aged 8 – 19 years, the programme will support the Youth Club members in developing creative ways to improve their mental health through expressive, fun and reflective activities. Members will also be working towards gaining their Bronze Arts Awards by summer 2021.
You can find us at The Grove @ Bedminster Down:
- Every Tuesday, 18:30 – 20:00
- Every Thursday, 18:30 – 20:00
Where: 27A Cheddar Grove, Bristol BS13 7EN
This project has kindly been funded by Comic Relief and Groundwork.
Our Youth Arts Action (YAA!) project started mid – September 2019 and will run throughout 2019-20.
Open to young people aged 8 – 19 years, the programme offers a mix of art activities and local community action, with the chance to gain your Arts Award certificate and AQAs, as well as learning more about the local community. It is a fun programme with a residential and trips involved too.
We hope through the project to build a youth arts team across Sea Mills Boys & Girls Club and Hartcliffe Club for Young People.
You can find us at:
- Hartcliffe Club for Young People – every Tuesday, from 6:30pm starting 24th September 2019 (ages 14 – 19 yrs)
- Sea Mills Boys and Girls Club – every Thursday, from 6:30pm starting 18th September 2019 (ages 8 – 16 yrs)
This project has kindly been funded by Global’s Make Some Noise.
Creative Programme past projects include:
In summer 2017, residents of Silbury Road and members of Ashton Vale Club for Young People spent some time getting to know each other and learning more about their local community. Each week the neighbours would have a go at different crafts such as hanging baskets, creating garlands for the party and making a solar powered wheelie bin soundsystem!
The project culminated in a big street party on Friday 17th August, which saw more than 50 local residents in attendance. This project was a pilot for new organisation Grassroot Communities who are hoping to fund further streets to get together and launch front garden competitions across Bristol.
Young people at Hartcliffe Club and residents at Bishopsmead Lodge Care Home in Bishopsworth, teamed up for a series of intergenerational day trips and meet-ups, as part of a ‘Making Pals’ project. The project was led by Young Bristol and Bristol-based charity Alive.
Making Pals was a community engagement project that encouraged care homes to find new ways to connect their residents with people and spaces outside of the home. Through the initiative, Bishopsmead Lodge residents struck up warm friendships with young people from Hartcliffe Club for Young People during day trips to Weston-super-Mare and Bristol Zoo.
“Marcus formed a wonderful relationship with Millie; they bonded immediately. On the first trip Marcus waited in the rain for Millie to get off of the minibus. When she remembered him for this, he was thrilled. On a trip to Bristol Zoo, Marcus didn’t leave Millie’s side and insisted on pushing her around all day. He has since visited the car home and completed work experience there.”
The Ryklow Charitable Trust funded an intensive creative programme for young people aged 13-15, who took part in the alternative learning provision at Broadplain & Riverside Youth Project.
The intention was to re-engage young people and raise aspirations through creative workshops. The group had workshops with local graffiti artists, designing and re-spraying bikes. They also learnt about local arts organisation, The Island (via a tour with the Studio Manager), where they met several working artists in the studios. The young people also achieved a nationally recognised Arts Award qualification from the course.