Young People

Barnsley Young Writers has become the key local resource for young people passionate about creative writing. Meeting every two weeks, the group offers workshops for 14- to 19-year-olds; and also provides a safe and supportive environment for neurodivergent young people and those identifying as LGBTQIA+.
Participants explore poetry, short stories, playwriting, and journalism. They have the opportunity to grow as writers and be published, perform, enter national competitions, and receive one-to-one mentoring.

Members have performed at venues including The Leadmill and Sheffield Hallam’s Performance Lab and of course Barnsley Civic. They’ve participated in events like Barnsley Book Festival and Off The Shelf Festival. The group has released three anthologies of poetry and short stories.
The project is delivered in partnership with Hive South Yorkshire, which counts multiple poet laureates, and winners of BBC Young Writer of the Year and Foyle Young Poet of the Year among its alumni. The sessions are delivered by award-winning writers Vicky Morris and Nik Perring. This level of profile ensures that the young participants are inspired to dream and think
boldly about a future in creative writing

Interested in trying it out? Whether you’re curious or already love writing, we’d love for you to join us. Just email jasonwhite@barnsleycivic.co.uk to get started.

Barnsley Young Writers is currently supported by Barnsley Council’s Great Childhood Ambition.

Young Civilians was a project which saw us consult with over 700 young people in Barnsley about what arts and culture meant to them, what they want to experience in their town, what they thought of the current offer in Barnsley and what are the barriers stopping them from engaging with what is already there.

Young Civilians was also the name of a young producers group, who took the data from that town-wide consultation and curated their own arts festival for young people (and the young at heart).

You can find out more here.

Between April and July 2025, the fourteen 14 – 24 year olds took part in twice monthly workshops delivered by either the Barnsley Civic programming team or by visiting artists and theatre companies, including Chris Printed This, Tala Lee Turton, Zest Theatre, and even visited London’s Barbican Centre to experience how events are programmed in the capital, with a behind the scenes tour and a sneak preview of some rehearsals.

The output of the project was a ten day arts festival, which the Young Civilians named Art Abart Tarn, and it featured performances by West End Hamilton star Emily-Mae Walker, a zine fair featuring over fifty artists, a sustainable fashion event, a live music event for under 18s, and many workshops covering activities such as video game design, illustration, painting, photography and auditioning.

Young Civilians was a project supported by the National Lottery Community Fund.