Lyric life

• YOUNG PEOPLE WILL CELEBRATE THEIR CULTURAL LIVES AND CREATIVITY THROUGH A RANGE OF PROJECTS SUPPORTED BY THE LOCAL INNOVATION SECTORS OVER THIS NEW TWO-YEAR PROGRAMME
  

• THE INITIATIVE WILL BE OVERSEEN BY LYRIC HAMMERSMITH THEATRE, HAMMERSMITH & FULHAM COUNCIL, AND THE EARLS COURT DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

• A CALL OUT HAS BEEN ISSUED TODAY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO FORM THE YOUNG PEOPLE’S BOROUGH OF CULTURE BOARD
  

• PROJECTS WILL INCLUDE: SCHOOL ARTS WEEK, OUR PLACE PARTICIPATORY GRANTS SCHEME, AN OCTOBER YOUNG PEOPLE’S FESTIVAL, SKILLS AND CAREERS EVENTS, EXPERT PRACTITIONER NETWORK AND MORE

• FURTHER PROGRAMMING DETAILS AND CALL-OUTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE’S BOROUGH OF CULTURE PROJECTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN MAY

Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, Hammersmith & Fulham Council and The Earls Court Development Company are delighted to announce a £350,000 Place Partnership grant from Arts Council England, towards their Young People’s Borough of Culture programme. 

The two-year initiative from the Where Culture Connects H&F Cultural Compact (launched by Hammersmith & Fulham Council) will be led by the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, and will enable young people in the borough to celebrate their cultural lives and benefit from linking their creativity to the local innovation sectors.

The project sets out a new long-term model for young people, education and creative business sectors, delivering an expansive programme of work including School Arts Week, a week of creative arts workshops for all state primary and SEND schools in the borough; Our Place, supported by £175,000 match funding from H&F Council, which is a grant scheme for creative projects in neighbourhoods, proposed, selected and delivered by young people; an October Young People’s festival involving the Borough’s cultural and creative companies throughout half-term week; Expert Practitioner Networks and a programme of careers support including bespoke skills and careers events supported by the local business community. 

Today a call out is issued to young people who live and learn in Hammersmith & Fulham to join the Young People’s Borough of Culture Board. This will comprise a group of young people from across Hammersmith & Fulham who will be appointed for 18 months to steer the direction of the Young People’s Borough Of Culture programme. These youth leaders will also be provided with training, mentorship and support throughout the year to ensure opportunities for skills development and future career pathways. To apply, click here. 

Harris Bokhari OBE, Chair of Where Culture Connects H&F Cultural Compact said: “The Young People’s Borough of Culture is a major initiative for us, and one which I know has the potential to be transformative for young people in H&F, bringing their creativity and the opportunities in our Borough together in a celebration of cultural potential.” 

Amy Belson, Executive Director, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, said: “Providing opportunities for young people to engage with their creativity and unlocking pathways into employment has always been a cornerstone of the Lyric’s work. So I’m thrilled that this project, made possible by funding from Arts Council England and H&F Council, will allow us to extend this ethos to over 10,000 children and young people across Hammersmith & Fulham. Young People’s Borough of Culture marks a step-change in improving arts provision, addressing skills gaps and creating long term links between the borough’s innovation sectors and its young people. We’re delighted to be leading this project for the H&F Cultural Compact and alongside our incredible partner organisations, and cannot wait to showcase the talent, tenacity and potential of our borough’s young people over the next two years.”

Cllr Florian Chevoppe-Verdier, H&F Cabinet Member for Public Realm, said: “In a world that feels increasingly challenging for young people, it’s more important than ever that we give them spaces to express themselves, discover their strengths and build confidence in who they are becoming. This new Arts Council funding for the Lyric is a wonderful boost for our borough. It will help us continue opening doors to creativity, connection and opportunity, ensuring that every young person in H&F can grow, thrive and imagine a brighter future. We are proud to champion the power of culture and self‑expression, and proud of the young people who make H&F the best place to grow up.”

Tom Branton, Development Director at The Earls Court Development Company, said: “Earls Court has a long association with culture and live performance. With global cultural firsts already on site as part of our meanwhile uses, and three new venues included in plans for the site’s transformation, we want to place it once again at the forefront of London’s creative life. We are pleased to support the Young People’s Borough of Culture programme and the next generation who will shape the city’s cultural future. By leading the programme’s skills and careers strand, in partnership with The Lyric and Hammersmith & Fulham Council, we hope to open up clearer pathways into the creative industries so that young people across the borough can see the opportunities available and take part. Creating inclusive routes into these sectors is essential if London’s cultural life is to reflect the diversity and talent of its communities.”

In May 2026 the project will announce the Young People’s Borough of Culture Board, along with further call-outs for participatory project applications and programming news. Further details, including the line-up for the October festival, will be announced in June 2026.

Photo credit: H&F Council. From left to right: Alessandra Zavagno (Lyric); Princess; TJ; Amy Belson (Lyric); Creo; Cllr Florian Chevoppe-Verdier (H&F Cabinet Member for Public Realm); Leya; Tom Branton (ECDC); Siân Harrington (Fulham Palace Trust); Imad; Harris Bokhari (H&F Cultural Compact Chair); Val Birchall (H&F Council Assistant Director for Culture, Tourism and Sport).