On the 17th of December 1999, the United Nations declared the 12th of August as ‘International Youth Day’. UNESCO believes that young people are essential to finding solutions to the issues in the world today. They must be given the opportunity to engage in social development, and be supported in this work by their communities.
In 2024, we worked with our Youth Advisory Board to co-curate an exciting programme of youth-led celebrations. Together, we wanted to:
- Provide opportunities for young creatives to meet and make meaningful connections – in Nottingham and around the world;
- Showcase some of the amazing opportunities Nottingham has to offer young creatives;
- Demystify how to start a career in the creative industries
In 2025, the International Youth Day theme is ‘Local Youth Actions for the SDG and Beyond’, with SDGs standing for Sustainable Development Goals. The United Nations website describes this theme as highlighting ‘the unique role of youth in translating global ambitions into community-driven realities.’
Therefore, as part of the ChalleNGe Summer Arts Pop-Up, we will be setting up shop in the Upper Mall of the Victoria Centre on the 9th August. This event will provide Nottingham’s youth with a chance to discover career and voluntary opportunities, with stalls from different local arts organisations, as a chance to develop community goals within the creative sector. There will be creative activities, opportunities to win books and prizes, and a community book swap, so bring your books!
We are also looking for writing submissions to display on a collage wall during the pop-up to demonstrate the wide talent of young writers ages 14-25 in Nottingham. The best pieces will receive prizes!
