Year One: Celebrating Achievements
Wolverhampton: City of Youth Culture is managed by Wolverhampton Arts Centre in partnership with incredible local cultural organisations and individuals accomplishing extraordinary milestones together. Here’s a snapshot of the impactful journey so far:
University of Wolverhampton – Institute of Community Research and Development
Mission Accomplished: The team embarked on developing a transformative Theory of Change, recruiting, training, and empowering a dedicated group of Community Peer Researchers for Year 1 evaluation activities.
Highlights: Proudly recruited 7 passionate Community Peer Researchers who collaborated with 3 exceptional professional artists and 100’s of young people on observation activities.
Wolverhampton Music Service
Bringing the City Alive with Music! Two breath-taking live events graced The Halls Wolverhampton: An Orchestral Adventure Through Time and Singing in the Halls.
Highlights: 5,087 audience members from 55 schools experienced the magic, supported by 30 dedicated volunteers and 80 talented professional musicians.
Same Difference Festival
A Day to Remember! The Same Difference Festival brought joy, creativity, and inclusivity to Wolverhampton’s young people, families, and carers.
Highlights: 15 enthusiastic young people co-designed the festival, which featured 20 artists delivering vibrant workshops and performances. The festival drew a fantastic 1,115 attendees!
Gazebo Theatre in Education
Creativity Unleashed! Through ‘Creative Taster’ workshops, participants explored exciting skills like stage combat, special effects make-up, and voice-over recording—all while working towards Bronze Arts Awards.
Highlights: 19 participants enjoyed hands-on creativity with 7 skilled Gazebo team specialists, 4 freelance artists, and 2 dedicated interns.
LearnPlay Foundation
Innovating Futures! Inspiring Wolverhampton’s creative minds through ‘Creative Career Pathways,’ participants dove into gaming, design, coding, virtual reality, and more.
Highlights: Delivered 23 workshops to an incredible 383 participants, surpassing expectations in engagement and impact.
Visual Arts Trail
Art Meets Technology! Young people across Wolverhampton co-created striking artwork to be showcased in a unique visual arts trail—both physically and virtually through augmented reality.
Highlights: 48 young creators brought 4 pieces to life, 3 of which are being transformed into augmented reality experiences.
These achievements in year one of the project reflect the power of collaboration, creativity, and community.
Together, Wolverhampton: City of Youth Culture aims to shape a brighter, more inclusive cultural future for young people in Wolverhampton.
Read the YEAR ONE REPORT here
Year one in pictures
Year Two: Celebrating Achievements
Beyond Futures – Festival of Research & Innovation – University of Wolverhampton
Kelly Jeffs (Programme Manager) and Rachel Winsper (Producer of the Visual Arts Trail) joined festival guest speakers under the theme Creating Inclusive Communities through Collaboration. Alongside Dr Mahuya Kanjila and Dr Mary-Rose Puttick from the Institute of Community Research and Development, they shared the case study Wolverhampton City of Youth Culture. The project highlighted how partnerships amplify community voices, offering inspiration, fresh perspectives, and a powerful example of peer-led research in action.
