Your article (‘A safe space to come and just be’: the longed-for radical utopian return of Britain’s youth clubs, 19 February) powerfully captures what is at stake in the slow erosion – and urgent renewal – of youth provision across the country.
Against that backdrop, the launch of the Young Creatives Commission could not be more timely. For too long, access to arts and culture has been shaped by postcode and privilege. Creative subjects have been progressively squeezed out of state schools, while youth clubs, local theatres and grassroots arts organisations have weathered years of funding cuts. The consequences are stark: millions of young people, particularly those from working-class and underrepresented backgrounds, are excluded from opportunities that build confidence, support wellbeing and develop employable skills.
Led by the Roundhouse and Centre for Young Lives, the commission brings together leaders from across the creative industries, sport and education to ask a simple but urgent question: why is sport treated as a central pillar of youth opportunity, with clear pathways and sustained investment, while the arts are not?
Creativity is not a “nice to have”. The creative industries are one of the UK’s fastest-growing sectors and a powerful driver of social mobility. We need local infrastructure, affordable access, visible career pathways and long-term investment – just as we have built for sport. And, as your piece makes clear, we must listen directly to young people about the spaces they need and the barriers they face.
For the government to be serious about widening opportunity, arts and culture must sit alongside sport at the heart of its youth strategy. The Young Creatives Commission offers a practical roadmap. Policymakers should seize it.
Marcus Davey
Chief executive and artistic director, the Roundhouse, London
