Young Producers Inspire will equip 72 young people aged 11–25 across Rochdale Borough with creative production skills between March 2025 and December 2026.
Part of the Rochdale Cultural Compact's ambitious two-year Place Partnership Project, Young Producers Inspire is delivered by Cartwheel Arts, Breaking Barriers, Your Trust, and Create Rochdale LCEP, alongside a wide range of guest partners and organisations.
How it all began:
In 2024, Cartwheel Arts partnered with Rochdale Youth Service to deliver a Young Producers’ project that empowered young people from the Darnhill estate to design and lead activities for the much-loved Darnhill Festival, which is a free, large-scale cultural celebration in the heart of Heywood’s Darnhill estate. Participants aged 11–19 were given a budget and the freedom to shape events for their peers and other festival attendees. The Young Producers had hands-on experience in budget management, artist programming, stewarding, and catering and developed leadership and learning how to work successfully as a team.
"The youth service means the world to me. I'm part of the Young Producers group, which is a group where we plan activities to bring to people and let them have loads of fun. We planned events for the Darnhill Festival and did things like a silent disco, made healthy smoothies and lots of creative activities.” – Participant.
"I get to be creative and have lots of fun." - Participant
Check out the film about the Darnhill Young Producers here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVrjWJa4XCA
Thanks to support from the National Lottery Know Your Neighbourhood Fund and the Guinness Partnership, the young producers not only brought the festival to life but also built the foundations for future opportunities like Young Producers Inspire.
Thanks to support from the DCMS Cultural Development Fund, Cartwheel Arts and Breaking Barriers were able to build on earlier successes and develop the Young Producers Inspire programme, which will create new opportunities for young people across Rochdale to get involved in the arts and develop production skills.
In early 2025, the Rochdale Development Agency, on behalf of Rochdale's Cultural Compact, secured Arts Council England Place Partnership Funding, together with match funding from partners including Heywood Town Board. This investment launched the ambitious Young Producers Inspire programme.
The first cohort – March 2025:
Delivered by Breaking Barriers, the inaugural Young Producers Inspire cohort welcomed emerging practitioners aged 16 and above to a week-long intensive programme. Designed to sharpen skills, expand networks, and build confidence, the programme featured:
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Industry insights from guest producers and sector leaders
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Creative development through workshops on access, risk assessments, fundraising, unlocking creativity, and how to work successfully as a freelancer
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Practical experience, including venue visits, wellbeing activities, and collaborative challenges.
"Producers Week has been exceptional, so far, I've learnt so much. I've learnt about accessibility, risk management, and these are skills you wouldn't know without being taught." - Participant
"It's really helped me personally through a time of uncertainty because before this, I had a very limited network, and this has provided me with the sort of network I need to go on and do great things." - Participant
Each participant also received a seed commission to develop their own creative project in Rochdale, supported by ongoing mentorship and guidance. This has been made possible through funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
Young Producers Inspire 2025–26
Next steps:
The Young Producer Inspire programme will continue until December 2026, with Your Trust delivering a cohort in partnership with Brighter Sound in early 2026. This project will connect young people with the newly refurbished Heywood Civic Centre and support the group to explore the centre’s possibility as a cultural base in the town.
Young Producers Inspire has received funding and support from the Arts Council England Place Partnership Fund, Rochdale Development Agency, Rochdale Borough Council, DCMS, UK SPF and Heywood Town Board.
If you're a young person interested in finding out more about activities or you would like to refer a young person, please contact Cartwheel Arts via admin@cartwheelarts.org.uk or 01706 361300 leaving a message with your contact details.