The government has announced a £500,000 investment to expand Creative Futures, a programme delivered by The King’s Trust in partnership with the Elba Hope Foundation. The initiative aims to break down barriers that prevent young people from entering creative fields such as music, theatre, media and visual arts. In its first year, more than 100 young people have already benefited from hands-on training, mentoring and pathways into jobs or further education. With the new funding, an additional 400 young people aged 16–30 across major cities and regions in England will gain access to free placements.
Creative Futures specifically supports young people who are not in education, employment or training, or those at risk of becoming so, with a focus on groups underrepresented in the creative industries. The expansion aligns with the government’s broader mission to rebuild opportunities and ensure all young people can pursue their ambitions. It also complements the Discover! Creative Careers programme, which exposes over 100,000 young people each year to career possibilities in the creative sector.
Government officials highlighted the need to make creative careers accessible based on talent rather than background. Actor Idris Elba, founder of the Elba Hope Foundation, emphasized that the programme opens doors to industries many young people might otherwise view as out of reach. The initiative offers three pathways—Get Started, Get Into and Enterprise—providing options for skill-building, work experience, and support for young people interested in self-employment.
Creative Futures sets strong targets, including 75% of participants progressing into work, education or training, and 90% gaining confidence and awareness of opportunities in the creative sector. Its expansion comes ahead of the National Youth Strategy and follows continued investment in youth hubs. With 2.4 million creative industry jobs across the UK and growth in cities beyond London, the programme aims to connect more young people to these emerging opportunities.
