grant from wates foundation supports INSPIRED:ARTS, A NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR YOUNG CARERS

Across the UK, young carers are juggling responsibilities far beyond their years – providing emotional support, household care, and helping family members with disabilities or long-term health conditions. For many, opportunities to connect, create, and simply be children are few and far between.

That’s why inspired:arts, Create’s multi-artform programme with young carers, is so vital.

Thanks to support from funders like Wates Foundation, the 2024/25 programme spanned locations from Uxbridge to Enfield, Bury to Sefton, and Wales to Scotland, offering hundreds of young carers across the country a break from their caring roles and a chance to explore their creativity, connect with others, and grow in confidence.

EXPRESSING YOURSELF THROUGH MUSIC: VICTORIA’S STORY (EALING & HOUNSLOW)

In August 2024, Victoria (18) joined a three-day music project in Ealing & Hounslow led by Create musician Paul Griffiths. The experience gave her and her peers space to reflect, create and connect.

“Create has been an opportunity for us to express our views and to use our voices to discuss topics that are important to us, such as peace.”

She appreciated how the project sparked creativity while also encouraging dialogue across different perspectives:

“Working with the rest of the group has been a privilege. We’ve discussed perspectives that are, of course, different from my own and that’s been very educational for me.”

For Victoria, the workshops offered more than music – they were an opportunity to be heard, understood, and inspired.

“It’s important to have the chance to do something creative so that, moving forward, we can express our views and ideas on important matters more articulately.”

FINDING JOY IN CREATIVITY: GAVAAN’S STORY (UXBRIDGE)

In February 2025, Gavaan (10) joined music workshops led by Create musician Holly Khan at Carers Trust Hillingdon in Uxbridge. Gavaan cares for her younger sister, who has speech and language delay and finds it difficult to engage socially.

The project gave her a joyful outlet and a space to connect with others who understand her experience:

[This project] takes my mind off [my caring role]. You can get to know kids that [are in the same situation as you] and need to deal with the same things.

GAVAAN, young carer

Crucially, inspired:arts also gave her time to have fun and relax:

“Playing the instruments is fun. I liked working with the group. It was fun to work with other people and they have lots of good ideas.”

CREATIVITY WITH NATIONAL REACH

In 2024/25, our young carer programmes reached 619 young carers across the UK in:

Greater London boroughs like Barnet, Bromley, Enfield, Hackney, Kingston, Sutton and Waltham Forest

• North West locations via our Manchester hub including Blackpool, Bolton, Bury, Cheshire and Sefton
• Other regions across Cambridgeshire, Hampshire, Kent and Nottinghamshire
• And within the other three nations: Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

Every project was co-created with local young carer services, tailored to the needs and interests of each group, and delivered by Create’s professional artists. Through art, music, dance, photography and more, these projects offered young carers a rare chance to express themselves, build new friendships and feel seen.

Thank you to Wates Foundation for funding inspired:arts in Ealing & Hounslow and Hackney.

Nicky Goulder ~ Founding Chief Executive