- Rising costs, disappearing community spaces and shrinking access are leaving young people disconnected, isolated and locked out of creativity, new research reveals
- Roundhouse releases 20 Year Impact Report, marking £50 million invested in over 100,000 young people
- Close to 8 in 10 young people say spending time in creative and community spaces had a positive impact on their wellbeing
- Young Creatives Commission, led by the Centre for Young Lives and the Roundhouse is advocating for more inclusive pathways into the creative industries
- In 2024 the creative industries sector is estimated to have contributed £145.8bn in gross value added (GVA) to the UK economy
Monday 1st June, London: New national research commissioned by the Roundhouse reveals a growing crisis among young people, with opportunities to meet, create and collaborate in person in sharp decline. 87% of 18–30-year-olds say they have fewer in-person opportunities to connect, be creative and build confidence beyond school or work than previous generations.
More than half (51%) cited a lack of safe spaces- such as youth clubs, community centres and civic spaces- as one of the biggest barriers to feeling connected to a community, while nearly half (47%) pointed to financial barriers including the cost of activities, transport and participation. 40% say they don’t have enough access to creative opportunities and spaces such as music, performance, arts and dance, and 1 in 8 say creative opportunities can feel inaccessible depending on class or background.
The findings come against a stark backdrop. Local authorities in England have faced a £1.2 billion real-terms cut (73%) in youth service spending since 2010, while youth unemployment has reached 24.6%1 in London and 14.6%2 nationally.
They also come amid mounting concern over the pressures facing young people. A government review led by former Labour health secretary Alan Milburn has warned of an “anxious generation”3 struggling to adapt to the world of work. It identified rising mental ill-health as a key driver of economic inactivity among 16–24-year-olds, almost one in eight of whom are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
It was recently reported that there were 1,012,000 young people who were NEET in January to March 2026, an increase of 89,000 on the year and 55,000 on the quarter. This increase was largely among young men, with an increase of 55,000 on the year, as well as an increase among young women of 34,000 on the year. Of the total number of young people who were NEET, 553,000 were young men and 459,000 were young women.4
Milburn says employers must respond, calling for greater flexibility and stronger mental health support to avert what he warns could become an “economic catastrophe” if young people are left behind.
The Roundhouse research suggests another part of the challenge may be the disappearance of the spaces where young people build confidence, relationships and transferable skills.
Taken together, the research and Milburn’s findings point to a generation facing shrinking real-world opportunities to connect, create and progress into work, while mental health pressures and economic inactivity continue to rise.
The research is released alongside the Roundhouse’s 20 Years of Opportunity, Creativity and Change Impact Report, marking two decades since the multi-arts venue reopened as a youth arts charity in 2006. In that time, the Roundhouse has invested £50 million into young people, delivered more than 35,000 creative sessions and provided 60,000 hours of studio time from just £1 an hour- supporting more than 100,000 young people to explore their creativity, build confidence and find their voice.
The Roundhouse also surveyed young people involved in its own programmes. Nearly eight in ten (79%) said spending time in creative or community spaces had a more positive impact on their wellbeing and sense of connection than spending time online. 82% said involvement with the Roundhouse had helped them feel more confident in social situations and less lonely, while 92% said they felt part of a community.
The report includes testimonies from artists and creatives who describe the Roundhouse as pivotal to their confidence, development and career pathways. Actor and writer and Associate Artistic Director of the Roundhouse, Daniel Kaluuya said: “I wouldn’t be here without the Roundhouse thinking differently, opening doors and truly backing ideas. A lot of people talk, but Marcus Davey believed in what we could build together.”
Marcus Davey CBE, CEO and Artistic Director of the Roundhouse, who today steps down after leading the organisation since the rebuilding of the Roundhouse, said: “It has been a privilege to see the Roundhouse support more than 100,000 young people to explore their creativity, build confidence and find their voice. This research paints a worrying picture of life for many young people in Britain today. Too often, opportunities to build belonging, confidence and creativity are shaped by cost, postcode and access – and at a time when the Government is rightly championing the growth of the UK’s creative industries, we must ensure no young person is left behind. Places like the Roundhouse are part of the solution, providing safe, affordable spaces where young people can connect, develop skills, improve wellbeing and access life-changing opportunities. No young person’s future should depend on where they grew up or what they can afford.”
Looking ahead, the Roundhouse is using the findings to call for systemic change. With the creative industries estimated to have contributed £145.8bn in gross value added (GVA) to the UK economy in 20245, the organisation argues that greater investment in creative opportunities for young people is both a cultural and economic imperative. Working with the Centre for Young Lives, the Roundhouse has established the Young Creatives Commission – an independent initiative exploring how access to arts and creative opportunities can be rebuilt for young people across England. The Commission is calling for the arts to be valued alongside sport in youth provision and for more inclusive pathways into the creative industries. Its final report will be published in December.
BAFTA-winning writer and performer, Roundhouse alum and Young Creative Commissioner Jack Rooke said: “When I look back at the start of my career, loads of the places that nurtured me and my ideas have vanished. The Roundhouse is one of very few organisations I used to go to that has survived and is still engaging with young artists and still helping.”
Every ticket purchased at the Roundhouse directly supports its creative youth programme. To read 20 Years of Opportunity, Creativity and Change, or for more information and donations, visit www.roundhouse.org.uk.