Create shortlisted for two Children & Young People Now Awards 

We are delighted that Create has been shortlisted in two categories of the Children & Young People Now Awards 2026, recognising our work using the creative arts to empower children and young people facing disadvantage across the UK. 

We have been shortlisted for: 

• The Arts and Culture Award for inspired:arts, our long-running programme empowering young carers. 

• The SEND Award for creative:connection, our programme tackling disability prejudice by bringing disabled and non-disabled young people together through the creative arts. 

The Children & Young People Now Awards celebrate organisations making a meaningful difference to the lives of children, young people and families, and we are incredibly proud to see two of our programmes recognised. 

Supporting young carers to create, connect and thrive 

Shortlisted for The Arts and Culture Award, inspired:arts has been empowering young carers for 19 years, providing free creative arts opportunities that enable them to develop confidence, creativity and vital life skills. 

Young carers often spend much of their time looking after family members, leaving little opportunity to focus on themselves. Through artist-led workshops in artforms including animation, dance, drama, music and visual art, inspired:arts gives young carers the chance to express themselves, build friendships and resilience and discover what they can achieve. 

During 2025/26, we delivered 381 workshops with 575 young carers through partnerships with 20 young carer services across the UK. The impact was overwhelmingly positive, with 98% of participants saying their wellbeing improved, 98% feeling more connected to others, and 93% reporting increased confidence. 

One young carer told us: 

“I got to use my own ideas and express myself.” 

Another reflected: 

“The other young carers helped me when I struggled.” 

Empowering disabled children and young people 

Our creative:connection programme has been shortlisted for The SEND Award, recognising our work with disabled children and young people. 

Every creative project is tailored to the needs of the children and young people taking part, working closely with schools, disability organisations and families to create inclusive, artist-led experiences where every participant can express themselves, develop new skills and build confidence. 

In 2025/26, the programme delivered 208 workshops with 418 SEND children and young people across 21 schools, charities and day centres nationwide. Participants explored a wide range of creative activities while developing communication, teamwork and creative skills in supportive environments designed around their individual needs. 

The programme’s impact was equally encouraging. 95% of participants said their wellbeing improved, 93% said their creativity and confidence increased, and 92% felt more connected to others. 

As one participant put it: 

“That was the most creative thing I’ve done in my entire life!”

Another said: 

“These workshops are the highlight of my week!” 

Celebrating the power of creativity 

These two nominations recognise more than individual programmes. They celebrate the transformative role creativity can play in the lives of children and young people. 

Whether supporting a young carer to find time for themselves or giving a disabled young person the opportunity to explore their creativity in an inclusive environment, our programmes are designed to enable every participant to feel heard, build confidence, develop new skills and connect with others. 

We are incredibly grateful to the many funders, partner organisations, professional artists, volunteers and supporters who make this work possible, and to every child and young person who shares their creativity with us. 

We look forward to celebrating alongside the other finalists at the Children & Young People Now award ceremony in November.