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Slough Changemakers

Slough Changemakers is part of Artswork’s cultural development programme, Activate Young Cultural Changemakers. This is a place-based approach for and by children and young people aged 25 and under in the District of Slough. 

We are working to:

  • Build the aspirations, capacity, training, and potential of Slough’s young people through relevant and engaging opportunities to improve creative skills 
  • Empower young people to find their voice and develop leadership opportunities and abilities 
  • Support youth-led regeneration, pride of place and community building 
  • Explore creative solutions to improve the communities and lives of young people in Slough 
  • Facilitate the networking of local organisers, creative freelancers, youth services, young people and their schools to support youth led cultural provision 
  • Enhance the offering of creative skills and career support for young people from Slough’s schools 
  • Work with young people in Slough to commission creative projects focused on improving mental health 
  • Celebrate the events and activities that are already happening nearby 

The Power of Placemaking

Activate Young Cultural Changemakers, focuses on five key places where we will be exploring how children and young people can be empowered to direct meaningful creative projects, transforming the areas they live in . We will support and train them to develop new skills, investing in quality art commissions that harness their ideas, placing control in the hands of young people and promoting youth-leadership.  

 

The project is supported using public funding by Arts Council England to deliver on their ‘Let’s Create’ strategy. In the year 2023-24, as well as Slough, we will be positioned in four other areas in the South East – Arun, Dover, The Isle of Wight and The New Forest. This project will run from 2023-2026. 

 

Find out more about the Young Cultural Changemakers programme here. 

Digital Badges

Young people who participate in the Young Cultural Changemakers Programme will have the opportunity to earn digital badges; online qualifications that can be used on a CV or applications. Find out more about digital badges here. 

This programme will offer the opportunity for young people who have not previously engaged with arts and culture to achieve a Bronze Arts Award.

About Slough

Slough is one of the most ethnically diverse boroughs in the UK, a strength that gives the area incredible cultural potential. Artswork will empower young people in Slough to deliver youth-led place-based creative commissions to regenerate their vibrant town. Find out more about Priority Places here.

 

Did you know? 

Over 140 different languages are spoken across Slough! 

 

Meet the Producers

"Hi my name is Jo, one of two Placemaking Creative Producers delivering the Young Cultural Changemakers’ Programme in Slough - a Berkshire town packed full of inspiring people with amazing stories and awesome talent. As a former teacher of 10 years and an educator in the cultural and heritage sector for over two decades, I have been privileged to see and experience first-hand the power and benefits; emotional, mental, and physical that creative and performing arts can offer. In my PCP role, I’m lucky enough to be working with children and young people of Slough from across diverse cultures and backgrounds helping to empower and excite a youth voice. Having lived locally for 20 years I am passionate about being able to bring local communities together to create meaningful, aspirational changes and champion Slough." - Jo Lonsdale

"I’m both an entrepreneur and performer, so working as a Creative Producer for Artswork is a great way to combine both my passions. As a performer, I’ve been a CBeebies radio presenter, the voice for L’Oreal TV adverts and a street theatre artist all over the world. I’ve played theatre roles from Lady Macbeth to Mrs Monkey in The Twits, and I was the only full-time female puppeteer operating Joey’s Head in War Horse in the West End in London. As an entrepreneur, I’m the founder of positive body image movement Body Gossip, which was active between 2006-2018 and performed sell-out theatre shows in London and Edinburgh with a celebrity cast, as well as created short films for YouTube which were viewed by hundreds of thousands of people. We even performed for HRH William and Kate, and Queen Camilla. I also founded The Canvas in 2014, a social enterprise community and creative venue in East London. The Canvas ran on average 60 community events each month, ran a weekly food bank, and a daily Pay it Forward board supporting the homeless community of Brick Lane, as well as being a vegan café open 7 days a week. I live near Haywards Heath in West Sussex with my husband and 2 young children, and our very large and grumpy ginger cat, Leon. " - Ruth Rogers, Placemaking Creative Producer for Slough

Get involved!

We want to get the views of as diverse a range of young people as possible – and particularly want to hear from young people who rarely have their voice heard. If you work with young people – whether in school or another youth setting – and would like them to have this great creative opportunity, please get in touch slough@artswork.org.uk. 

If you are a young person who would like to get involved, please get in touch to find out when our next community creative consultation will take place slough@artswork.org.uk. 

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