From April 2024 to March 2025, Creatives Now ran a pioneering Youth Governance training programme to prepare a cohort of young people to join its board of directors. Designed and delivered by arts and engagement specialist Lynsey O’Sullivan, the year-long initiative supported eight regular participants in gaining the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to take on meaningful roles in the organisation’s leadership.

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The scheme was built around nine monthly workshops, blending hands-on learning with critical reflection. Young people explored topics including leadership values, organisational structures, financial oversight, inclusion and strategic planning. Sessions were creative and participatory, ranging from drawing leadership personas to role-playing budget decisions, and grounded in Creatives Now’s ethos of co-design and accessibility.

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A highlight of the programme was an industry visit to The Lowry at MediaCityUK, where participants toured the venue, explored arts-led regeneration and took part in a Q&A with Executive Director Jennifer Riding. This experience offered a powerful insight into the realities of cultural leadership and place-making.

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Participants also mapped out Creatives Now’s stakeholder ecosystem, spanning local schools and youth services to national funding bodies and arts organisations. Their work culminated in the co-design of a new inclusive governance model and a set of strategic aims and board structures to guide the CIC’s next phase.

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Key outcomes included enhanced leadership identity, governance readiness and a reinforced commitment to diversity, equity and youth agency. All participants reported increased autonomy, ownership, and a sense of belonging, hallmarks of Creatives Now’s wider mission.

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Set to take effect in Summer 2025, the youth board members will hold one-year terms, with future roles opened up annually to ensure ongoing renewal and representation. With plans for mentorship, knowledge sharing and documentation already in motion, Creatives Now’s youth governance model sets a new benchmark for inclusive, values-led cultural leadership.