The Golden Globe-winning actor John Boyega. Mercury Prize-winning rapper Little Simz. Academy Award-winner Daniel Kaluuya. Big Boys' acclaimed writer Jack Rooke. Massive names that feel like part of London's cultural firmament, but all of them acknowledge that they might not have made it big – or at all – without access to one of the capital’s free or affordable support programmes for emerging talent.
Growing up, Boyega's family supported his acting ambitions but his talent was spotted aged 10 by Theatre Peckham founder and creative director Theresa Early, who organised a full scholarship so that Boyega could attend. "We did performances at the Roundhouse, my college drama group won a competition to perform at the National Theatre, and all of that made me more passionate about it [acting]," he has said. He is now a patron of the organisation. "It’s so important to have these youth groups, and not cut their funding."
