Exciting Updates from Escalate Arts in Spelthorne

Hello everyone,
I’m thrilled to share some fantastic progress and upcoming plans from Escalate Arts — our vibrant two-year initiative, proudly supported by Arts Council England alongside local partners, including Surrey County Council, Spelthorne Borough Council, Artswork, and Ashford Youth Club.

Our mission with Escalate Arts is simple but ambitious: to connect young people in Spelthorne with the arts in fresh, inspiring ways. We’re working hard to create opportunities, build meaningful community connections, and spark the creativity of young artists aged 11 to 24.

What is Escalate Arts all about?

Our project is built around five key strands:

• Spelthorne Youth Collective (Project Youth Collective (YC)): A space for young people to develop skills and lead cultural events at the brand-new Library Hub Staines-Upon-Thames.
• Library Programme: A series of events over two years aimed at boosting skills and engagement across the community.
• Community Programme: Partnering with local groups to widen arts participation across the borough.
• Schools Programme: Providing creative activities and professional development in six local schools.
• Creative Skills: Offering pathways into the arts through certifications, work experience, and apprenticeships.

What have we been up to?

We’ve hit the ground running! Some highlights include:

• Launching a fresh new project name and logo, designed by members of Project YC  which is vibrant, energetic, and a true reflection of our young people’s creativity.
• Running exciting workshops like graffiti and street art courses, pyrography (woodburning), and a trip to Pinewood Futures Festival to explore film and media careers.
• Organising visits to The Lightbox Gallery and Woking Museum, where our young artists were inspired by creative workshops.
• Introducing our Associate Producers scheme which is an opportunity for committed young creatives in Project YC to gain further experience and take leadership roles. If you’re aged 11 to 24 and keen to dive deeper, check out our Project YC page for more details.

What’s coming next?

We have some fantastic special projects lined up to keep our young creatives inspired and challenged:

• Film Festival (July to October 2025): A platform for emerging young filmmakers to showcase their work and connect with industry professionals.
• Virtual Reality (VR) Deep Dive (October 2025): An immersive experience exploring storytelling through cutting-edge VR technology.
• Fashion Festival (February 2026): Hands-on workshops covering design, styling, and expert industry insights.

How can you get involved?

We warmly invite young people interested in digital arts, film, fashion, or any creative discipline to join Project YC and help shape our upcoming programmes. We’re also eager to hear from industry professionals and organisations who can collaborate, mentor, or share expertise to support the next generation of creative talent.

Funding and opportunities

Got a brilliant arts project idea? We’re offering funding to local artists and groups to run community arts activities that engage young people. If this sounds like you, please reach out, we’d love to support your creativity!

Stay connected

We’ll continue sharing updates through schools, libraries, community groups, and partners across Surrey. Thank you all for your ongoing support. Together, we’re building a bright, inclusive creative future for Spelthorne.

If you want to get involved or learn more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’d love to hear from you!

Warm wishes,
Catherine Learmonth
Cultural Projects Lead, Surrey Arts

Contact Escalate Arts for further details