Thursday 29 January
- The Roundhouse has announced a major milestone of engaging with 100,000 young people through its youth programme since 2006
- The announcement kicks off a year of celebration to mark 20 years since the Roundhouse reopened as a youth charity and multi-arts performance venue
- Imogen Heap: “Reaching 100,000 young people feels like proof of what’s possible when creativity is trusted.”
Today (Thursday 29th January) the Roundhouse has marked engaging with 100,000 young people, as it celebrates 20 years of creating bold futures as a youth charity.
Since 2006, the Camden multi-arts performance venue has transformed young lives and established itself as a vital force in nurturing diverse talent and fuelling the UK’s creative industries.
The milestone comes at a time when youth unemployment in London has reached 16.7% and local authorities in England have faced a £1.2 billion real-terms cut (73%) in youth service spending since 2010. The Roundhouse’s work with young people highlights the urgent need for creative solutions to support the next generation.
Now reaching over 10,000 young people annually, the Roundhouse youth programme provides affordable, high-quality opportunities across music, filmmaking, theatre and more. The venue simultaneously showcases world-class gigs and arts performances to annual audiences of over 400,000.
Over the past twenty years, young people have used the Roundhouse Creative Studios for 30,000 hours, while the venue has provided 3,000 performance opportunities for emerging artists. The Roundhouse youth programme has helped to launch the careers of award-winning talents including Daniel Kaluuya, Little Simz and Jack Rooke.
Beyond its youth work, the Roundhouse has spent the past 20 years shaping the UK’s cultural landscape as a home for world-class music, boundary-breaking theatre, circus, poetry and immersive installations. Over that time, it has cemented its position as one of the UK’s most influential cultural institutions.
2026 is set to be another standout year, with the return of Roundhouse Three Sixty Festival this April. The second edition will bring world-renowned artists including Kae Tempest, Amaarae and Imogen Heap to the iconic stage, alongside emerging young creatives both on and off stage.
The Roundhouse’s CEO and Artistic Director Marcus Davey CBE will also depart after 27 years at the helm, with Jenny Mollica, the pioneering CEO of English National Opera taking up the role of CEO.
Marcus Davey, CEO and Artistic Director of the Roundhouse, said: “Over the last 20 years, the Roundhouse has launched the careers of some of the most exciting artists working today, through our pioneering artistic programme and the epic gigs we host. Just as important to me, though, are the stories of young people who have come to us at challenging moments in their lives, and how our creative programmes have helped them find the right path- not just creatively, but in life. From world-class live music and performing arts to our youth work, the impact of what we do at the Roundhouse is vital.”
Imogen Heap, recording artist, producer and technologist, said: “The Roundhouse is an amazing place, which has always allowed me to do something different as an artist. And it’s not just artists like me, I love that this place gives young people the space, tools and belief to find their voice. Reaching 100,000 young people feels like proof of what’s possible when creativity is trusted.”
Jack Rooke, writer and comedian, said: “All of my earliest work began at the Roundhouse, since I was a year 11 student taking two tubes and a bus to get there. The Roundhouse is a place that allows you to experiment, whether as a young person trying out loads of different creative projects, or in the Main Space as an established artist. In the age of social media, where everything can feel like a numbers game all of the time, the Roundhouse ethos of safe, creative exploration is so important.”
Kenya Juma, Roundhouse young person, said: “The Roundhouse in a way has become a second home for me. It’s a space where I can come, whether it’s for poetry, film, music, whatever kind of form or medium, where I can come and I can be my best self, create work that’s impactful, and be supported by people that genuinely care.”