Young Producers
The Young Producers are a group 18-25 year-olds connected the local area of the Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham or Westminster. They get paid experience to co-produce an experience for young people for the Great Exhibition Road Festival, using art to explore a new theme each year. In 2026, the theme will be the heritage and origins of the Festival.
Interested?
You will need to attend weekly sessions from 18.00-20.00 at Imperial College London in South Kensington, from January to June 2026. There may also be some weekend or evening visits to other exhibitions and events.
You don't need any previous knowledge or experience in art, history or heritage to apply!
It’s a fantastic opportunity to:
- Gain valuable experience, skills and training in creative production.
- Create an experience to share with your friends and community.
- Meet new people!
You will also get a London Living Wage (about £28 per evening session), as well as snacks and dinner included in every session.
We ensure that all of the sessions are accessible and welcoming to all of our Young Producers. The session spaces are at ground level and are easy to access, and we strive to accommodate any other mobility needs. We have snacks available and provide dinner for every session. During the month of Ramadan, we break fast together, and we have a space available to pray. We always welcome your ideas and suggestions to make sure everyone feels safe, welcomed and enjoys the programme!
Applications close at 9.00 on Monday 3 November 2025. Please email us at [email protected] if you have any queries.
What will I be doing?
In the 2026 programme, the Young Producers will work with artist Chloé Rochefort and a heritage researcher to explore and decolonise the heritage of the Great Exhibition of 1851, the profits of which were directed to establish many of the cultural institutions (universities, museums, art colleges, institutes) that are based in South Kensington today.
The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, 1851 (the Great Exhibition) showcased Britain’s industrial power, wealth and empire. Steam engines, boats, furniture, medicines, stuffed animals, whole trees and even a prototype of a robot were displayed, presenting Britain as a superior industrial leader. However, the Great Exhibition didn’t acknowledge the people and communities from the colonies behind these inventions who were a key part of Britain's progress. Instead, the Great Exhibition depicted the colonies as underdeveloped and valuable only for resource extraction.
The programme will focus on recentering the work of these people within the Great Exhibition’s heritage, uncovering the stories from people and communities who helped forge British ingenuity and innovation but were mistreated and misrepresented at the Great Exhibition. The Young Producers will produce a creative art installation to present these stories at the Festival (6-7 June 2026).
Explore previous years through pictures:
