Organisation
Art4Space
Theme
Adaptation
Art4Space’s Creative Pathways programme demonstrates how creativity, climate action, and community leadership can come together to empower young people in Lambeth.
Rooted in 25 years of socially engaged arts practice, the programme offers flexible, co-produced routes into green enterprise, creative careers and alternative education for 18–30-year-olds. Through three interconnected strands, Green Entrepreneurs, the Artist Agency and Drop‑In Workshops, participants gain practical skills, qualifications and real-world opportunities while exploring how creativity can drive climate-conscious behaviour and community resilience.
Youth leadership is central to Creative Pathways, for example, Daisy, a young artist and facilitator whose leadership has transformed Art4Space (opens in a new window)’s youth offer. Her studio workshops have become a trusted space for young adults seeking creative expression, community and alternative routes into education and employment. Daisy’s journey from participant to leader embodies the programme’s ethos: young people shaping the future of creative and climate action in Lambeth.
The programme builds on the long-standing Social Action Programme (opens in a new window) (SAP), originally funded by the Walcot Foundation (opens in a new window). SAP laid the groundwork for Art4Space’s youth development work, and in 2024, we undertook a major redesign shaped directly by young people. Surveys, focus groups and co-production sessions revealed a clear need: flexible, relevant, climate-conscious opportunities that connect creativity with impact.
Last year’s Walcot funding enabled Art4Space to deliver 10 courses and workshops, reaching 80 young people, including 15 who progressed through the full pathways model. This success created the foundation for a more ambitious, climate-aligned programme from 2025.
The 2025/26 programme consists of three strands:
- Green Entrepreneurs/Make It Happen - a 10‑week course supporting young people to develop sustainable business ideas, culminating in a live pitch to professional judges and a £100 seed-funding award. Participants gain an NOCN qualification and ongoing support through the Community Connector.
- The Artist Agency – offering 30 hours of studio access, mentoring, peer feedback and placements with Lambeth cultural organisations, creating an accessible alternative education route for emerging creatives.
- Drop‑In Workshops - providing low‑barrier, flexible learning, with participants earning an NOCN qualification after attending seven sessions. Themes such as repair, reimagine and heritage crafts align creativity with sustainable living.
Five months into delivery, the programme is demonstrating strong engagement: 12 participants per Green Entrepreneurs cohort, 12 per Artist Agency block and up to 20 workshops per year reaching 12 young people per session. Much progress has been made between strands, building confidence, skills and long-term creative pathways and is already showing how arts-led approaches can nurture young climate leaders and strengthen Lambeth’s cultural ecosystem from the ground up.
