Children and young people
Involvement with arts and culture is crucial to imagination, self-expression and creativity in young people. It also develops the skills that fuel the success of the UK’s creative industries, and that will result in the next generation of creative talent across the country.
Our work
Our work
We’re here to help every child experience creativity where they live, go to school, and choose to spend their free time.
We do this by working with the Department for Education, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, cultural organisations and artists, schools, cultural partners, broadcasters, local authorities, Higher and Further Education institutions and other partners.
Since 2016, with the Department for Education we have invested £650 million in a range of music and cultural education programmes. The largest investment has been made by the Department for Education for Music Education Hubs (£541 million since 2016). Explore these pages to find out more about the other programmes we support.
We invest public funds in a National Portfolio of 985 arts organisations and museums, with the vast majority of them committed to work with children and young people. Thanks to National Lottery players, we also distribute funds from National Lottery Good Causes to projects aimed at children and young people. Read about some of these good causes >
Durham Commission
Our investment in children and young people
We run several projects and programmes with schools to support young people’s creative lives and to help teachers deliver excellent cultural and creative education.
We support several out of school programmes to engage children and young people in arts and cultural activity.
Get all the information you need on our Music Hub Investment Programme.
Supporting children and young people to fulfil their creative potential and access high-quality cultural experiences where they live, where they go to school, and where they spend their free time.
Our Youth Advisory Board work with staff throughout our organisation to ensure the voices of children and young people are at the heart of what we do.