We’re dedicated to nurturing the creative potential of Barnsley’s younger generations.
We believe that access to high-quality arts and cultural learning can inspire, boost health and wellbeing, and strengthen a young person’s connection to their community and peers. That’s why we place young voices at the heart of our programme.
Our theatre regularly showcases exciting new work from companies like Zest Theatre and Lung Theatre, ensuring that young people’s stories are heard and celebrated. In our gallery, young local creatives take centre stage with regular student exhibitions alongside a rolling programme of touring and curated exhibitions that reflect the issues and experiences of our community.
Through our Creative Engagement Team, we’re working at Barnsley Civic and across the town to provide more opportunities for young people to engage in creative and cultural activities. This includes standout projects like Barnsley Young Writers, Teenage Wildlife, Life In a Northern Town, and Young Civilians. We’re also partnering with local schools, academies, and third-sector organisations to continue offering meaningful opportunities for young people to engage with the arts in ways that resonate with them.
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.
”I have social anxiety and originally I was worried about not fitting in. The people however are wonderful and have changed my mind. Barnsley Young Writers is one of my safe spaces and a place I feel I actually fit in. I was even able to perform on a stage – they helped me believe my stories were good.
Barnsley Young Writers participant
Teenage Wildlife is an oral history project that collects and celebrates the stories of youth culture and teenage experiences in Barnsley over the past 80 years. Initially part of a Historic England-funded initiative of the same name, the first iteration took place in 2022, focusing on the Eldon Street area of central Barnsley.
Working alongside talented drama practitioners Becky Newbould and Gemma Whelan (collectively known as We Great Ladies), young people from around Barnsley collaborated to bring to life the real stories of six teenagers from Eldon Street’s history. The resulting piece of theatre, Teenage Wildlife Mixtape, premiered at Barnsley Civic in spring 2023.
In September 2023, we began the second iteration of Teenage Wildlife in Wombwell, gathering stories that date back to the 1940s. With these stories in hand, we approached Netherwood Academy, hoping to create an after-school project. Instead, we were warmly invited to integrate our project into the Year 10 drama curriculum.
Once again, alongside We Great Ladies, our group of fourteen young theatre makers crafted a series of monologues inspired by the authentic stories of nine former Wombwell teenagers. This captivating piece was performed for a live audience of Wombwell residents at the Wombwell & District Operatic Society Theatre in May 2024.
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.
Mon – Sat: 10am – 4pm
The Box Office will remain open prior to all performances and up to 30 minutes after it starts.
Mon – Sat: 10am – 4pm
VAT No. 971720318 | Company No. 05811804 | Charity number 1129765 | “The Civic” is the trading name of Barnsley Civic Enterprise Ltd.
