Welcome to the Spelthorne Youth Collective (YC) Project YC page. Project YC is open to any young person between the ages of 11 to 24 years old. The group is always looking for new members, so if you would like to get involved email culturalservices@surreycc.gov.uk
Project YC members
Members of Project YC are responsible for the design and delivery of creative activities and events in the new Library Hub, Staines-upon-Thames. Members can be involved in a particular project, or on an ongoing basis, all year round.
Members of Project YC are involved in:
- Contributing towards brainstorming of new activities for the library and community programme
- Contributing towards planning and delivery of events (project-based roles such as ushering events and campaigning)
- Being an advocate for their arts and culture amongst their peers
- Taking part in new and exciting arts activities!
Associate Producers
For those young people who are committed to the project, and are keen to progress in a creative career, Project YC members can be referred to become Associate Producers.
Associate Producers will:
- Advise the steering board on key issues that affect young people
- Lead in the development and execution of projects developed among the collective alongside creative arts workers and arts professionals.
- Be an advocate for the project, and represent the project publicly and to their peers
- To be a regular attendee to sessions
- Assisting with out of hours events and activities, such as preparing venues and front of house duties (e.g. welcoming audiences to events, keeping a log of audience numbers)
- Be enthusiastic and open to sharing ideas and working collaboratively
Through the project, we offer Associate Producers:
- An opportunity to be actively involved in and co-ordinate a large-scale professional arts project, including one off events, weekend takeovers or longer workshops
- To network and develop links with local artists, organisations and creative initiatives in Spelthorne and wider Surrey via the Spelthorne Artists Forum and other networking events
- To grow your portfolio of expertise in a way that will have currency with other artists and when applying to courses and job opportunities
- A reference from professional artists and/or cultural professionals you’ll have directly worked with through the project
- Bespoke accredited creative arts and leadership training to broaden your skill set (training opportunities will be developed to upskill Associate Producers based on individual requirement) which would be recognised in the creative arts field
- Mentoring and placement opportunities (developed through partnership working across the Escalate Programme, including creative organisations, businesses and education) and shadowing of the Escalate Arts project co-ordinators and Spelthorne Arts Officers on events days
- One member of the Associate Producers to be elected to sit on the Youth Collective/Libraries Programming steering group
What have Project YC done so far?
In February 2025, Project YC took a fact-finding trip to London to visit the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum, Saatchi Gallery and Tate Modern. They helped to develop and took part in a “introduction to Screen Printing” drop-in workshop, which was attended by 40 members of the public. The group were also invited to visit Pinewood Film Studios, on the 28 February, for their Futures Festival, to learn more about careers in the creative industries.
Project YC are currently exploring the development of a fashion festival and film festival to take place in Staines-upon-Thames in 2026, amongst many new and upcoming ideas!
Email Project YC at culturalservices@surreycc.gov.uk
