In 2025 Rotherham will become the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture, designed and delivered by children and young people from across the borough.

From July 2019 to July 2022, 64 Million Artists were Creative Producers of Children’s Capital of Culture. We worked closely with the Children’s Capital of Culture steering group to develop the strategy for the programme while providing creative opportunities for children and young people in Rotherham to shape the collective vision for 2025.

During our first year of work with Children’s Capital of Culture, we:

• Co-designed a theory of change and strategy of engagement for the programme
• Engaged relevant stakeholders and developed appropriate governance structures
• Developed an initial ‘holding’ brand and website that was engaging and participatory
• Designed frameworks for children, young people and the adults in their lives to share their vision for 2025

We also co-designed a programme of opportunities for 2021 – 2022, including a festival to publicly launch Children’s Capital of Culture, and successfully supported the steering group to apply for an Arts Council England project grant to make this happen.

We worked with Children’s Capital of Culture to help deliver this programme of innovative events and accessible skills and talent opportunities for 0-to-25-year-olds across Rotherham.

• We mentored some of the 57 Trainee Creative Producers that Children’s Capital of Culture recruited to part-time, paid traineeships with creative organisations across the Borough, helping them develop the skills and experience they need to access careers across the creative industries
• We connected with renowned creatives from across the cultural sector who volunteered to become ambassadors for Children’s Capital of Culture, promoting the programme while also offering high-quality learning opportunities to local children and young people
• We also led on delivering the Challenge Rotherham programme, a creative adventure designed by children and young people in the borough. Between February and September 2022, a total of 27 creative challenges were launched weekly for the people of Rotherham – and the world! – to take part in.

We are really proud of our work with communities across Rotherham, which has helped kickstart the borough’s journey towards becoming the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture.

Want to find out more about Children’s Capital of Culture, and how you can be part of making it happen? Visit their website, sign up to their mailing list, or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.