Making space: How youth-led culture is changing Ipswich

When young people talk about making change, they don't always mean politics. Sometimes they mean paint. Or playlists. Or a pop-up gallery in a disused shopfront.

In Ipswich, youth voice lives just as much in creative practice as it does in civic forums. From Tune Up in the town centre to community commissions with DanceEast, young people are expressing what they think, feel and want through culture – and being taken seriously.

"Creative stuff gives us a chance to show what we care about in a different way," said one young participant at the Deliver You Hack. "Sometimes it's easier to make something than to just talk about it."

Making spaces for youth voice

DanceEast, one of the key partners in the town's youth social action strategy, has put creativity at the heart of how young people engage. From its paid Young Producers programme to local commissions and community performances, the Jerwood DanceHouse has become a civic space as much as a cultural one.

"Dance helps me process what's going on around me," said one youth participant at the Hack. "It's like another way of speaking when words aren't enough."

Bryony Hope, Head of Communications and Development at DanceEast, says that's the point:

"When young people take up space creatively, they're also claiming ownership. They're saying: we belong here."

This summer's YouthFest represents this philosophy in action. Entirely produced by a team of paid young creators, it will transform DanceEast into a hub of youth-led cultural expression.

"We're now recruiting six young producers between the ages of 16 and 25," explains Tom, Producer for Children and Young People at DanceEast. "They'll be upskilled in everything about how to run a dance festival – from marketing to scheduling to the artistic choices to food deliveries."

Because of the funding, these roles are fully paid.

"It removes the barrier of them having to volunteer and maybe not be able to do paid work as well," Tom adds. "We're really trying to practise what we're preaching. If it's for young people, they need to have a say in it."

Behind these visible initiatives lies a deeper commitment to access. The organisation's Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) – funded by the Department for Education – provides means-tested grants for around 30 students, including free training and travel.

"It breaks down any preconceived ideas or barriers to dance training," Tom explains, "and it means that anybody can do it."

Similar youth-designed approaches are emerging across town. 4YP has put young people at the centre of designing their new mental health and wellbeing spaces, working directly with Make Architects on their upcoming Waterfront building. Young people aren't just future users – they're co-designers, shaping everything from layout to lighting around their own needs and experiences.

Sophie DebenhamIpswich.co.uk

Youth-led by design

The value of creative voice goes beyond expression. At the Deliver You Hack, several young participants talked about how having creative control changes the experience entirely.

"When adults just let us help, it's okay. But when they trust us to actually lead something – that's when we really care about making it good," explained one student presenter.

This reflects a wider pattern across Ipswich's youth social action scene: leadership is built through doing. Young people described how volunteering in creative settings helped them develop confidence, community and purpose.

That transformation is visible at DanceEast, where participants have gone from school workshops to West End stages.

"We've got two CAT alumni who are going to be in Cabaret – one of them is going to be Sally Bowles," says Tom.

"In a school workshop I never even thought about dance," said one student. "If you didn't come into my school, saw me, gave me a grant – I don't know what I'd be doing now."

This progression from participant to leader is visible across Ipswich's creative landscape. At 4YP, some young people have evolved from being supported through their programmes to becoming young leaders themselves. "From being supported to becoming the support – this is what youth empowerment looks like," as one organiser put it. They're now the ones showing up, lifting others up, and leading with empathy and courage.

Elouise LavingtonIpswich.co.uk

Finding new gateways to engagement

At Suffolk New College , creative projects have become a powerful route into civic engagement. Students who might never join a formal consultation are making films, taking photos, and designing campaigns to highlight community challenges.

"The arts give us a way to talk about things that feel too big otherwise," says Jay, 17. "When I make a film about bus routes or mental health, people actually listen."

This year, Suffolk New College students created 29 different social action projects, many taking creative approaches to community issues. Bailey Whiting and Cameron Meyer organised a thrift shop to support Got To Read, a charity helping adults learn to read.

"We are at college so I think learning is really important," Bailey explains. "Sometimes people don't have the opportunity – so I just think that it fits in really well with our values at the college."

For Cameron, the creative approach opened doors: "It was a unique opportunity to improve our leadership skills in a professional and constructive way. It's nice getting to interact with so many people."

Rock Paper Scissors, a local arts group, takes a similar approach – using zines, publishing and workshops to centre youth voice across its programming.

"It's not just about giving young people space," one facilitator explains. "It's about giving them the tools to shape it."

Suffolk New College

Sustaining creative youth power

In early 2024, Volunteering Matters and the #iWill Movement secured £200,000 from BBC Children in Need to support youth-led action in Ipswich and Blackpool.

"Creative engagement isn't separate from youth social action – it's central to it," says Amy Falla. "Many young people first discover their civic voice through creative expression."

DanceEast's equity model backs that up: every community programme offers bursary places for young people on free school meals or whose families receive Universal Credit.

"We guide young people through our opportunities," says Tom. "It's breaking down so many barriers."

What creativity makes possible

For many, creativity isn't a strand of youth action – it's the heart of it.

"Art and music help us talk about things that matter to us," said one student. "It makes people listen differently."

That's backed by ISMA's youth survey data: 76% of local young people want more say in their town – but many don't feel like formal structures are built for them. Creative practice offers a different way in.

This creative route into civic engagement is proving transformative for many. At Suffolk New College, students described how arts-based projects built skills they didn't expect. "It was a unique opportunity to improve our leadership skills in a professional and constructive way," said Bailey. "We learnt from each other. It's helped with my confidence."

The ripple effects extend beyond individual growth. "It's nice to give back and be part of the community," Cameron added. "No matter what group it's for – out of decency, you should support your community."

"A big theme coming through is how important community is – and how important it is to feel belonging," Amy Falla explains. "That, alongside caring for the environment and mental health – these are the huge priorities for young people right now."

The spaces that still don't feel welcoming

Despite progress, many young people still feel excluded in parts of town.

"There are places where it feels like we're not supposed to be," said one student. "Like we're being watched or we're in the way."

Council meetings, consultations and formal decision-making forums still feel inaccessible. Arts organisations are bridging that gap.

DanceEast's Audience Ambassador programme tried to tackle this directly.

"People may see a big shiny building and think, 'Dance? Not for me,'" says Tom. "We wanted to break that down."

One ambassador focused on inviting in young people who'd never even considered it.

"We had a young person just wander in one day. Never seen dance before. Now he comes to every show."

This approach of meeting young people where they are, rather than expecting them to navigate traditional structures, is becoming central to Ipswich's creative youth strategy. Whether through pop-up performances, college collaborations, or co-designed spaces, the focus is on removing barriers rather than adding requirements.

"We're not trying to create a parallel youth system," says Falla. "We're trying to change the main system – so it works better for everyone, including young people."

Next in the series: Hope in action: what young people are asking for — exploring youth recommendations on transport, safety, mental health and more.