Lyric Hammersmith is looking for young people aged 13–25 who live or learn in the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham to form a Board to oversee the Young People’s Borough of Culture 2026–27.

Are you a young leader? Interested in culture and creativity? Want to build on your leadership skills? Invested in what happens in your local area?

Young People’s Borough of Culture is a two-year initiative led by Lyric Hammersmith Theatre for the Hammersmith & Fulham Cultural Compact, enabling young people in the borough to celebrate their cultural lives and linking their creativity to the local innovation sectors.

The project sets out a new long-term model for young people, education and business sectors, delivering an expansive programme of work including School Arts Week, a week of creative arts workshops for all state primary and SEND schools in the borough; Our Place, a participatory grant scheme for creative projects voted on and delivered by young people across Hammersmith & Fulham; an October youth festival taking place in cultural and creative organisations throughout half-term week; and more to be announced.

The Young People’s Borough of Culture Board will meet in person once a month to steer the Young People’s Borough of Culture by overseeing and taking part in marketing, outreach, operations, community producing, finance, governance, and more. Board members will have a direct influence on showcasing and celebrating Hammersmith & Fulham and ensuring that local young people are at the heart of the programme. This is a chance to be part of something completely new, exciting, and unique, as London’s first ever Young People’s Borough of Culture.

See the FAQs for more information.

The Board will:

• Be involved in the planning and delivery of the Young People’s Borough of Culture, e.g. deciding the theme of projects, naming events, co-producing a half term festival, approving marketing assets, and practically supporting workshops and events
• Appoint its Chair and Deputy Chair from within the Board to oversee the Board throughout the programme
• Take part in workshops to learn about how to make a large public project happen
• Lead on the local profile of the programme across Hammersmith & Fulham, ensuring the promotion of the Young People’s Borough of Culture reaches as many people as possible

The Board will meet in person on the first Tuesday of the month between April 2026 and August 2027, 5:30pm to 7:30pm, at various locations in the Borough:

• Tuesday 28th April 2026
• Tuesday 5th May 2026
• Tuesday 2nd June 2026
• Tuesday 7th July 2026
• Tuesday 4th August 2026
• Tuesday 8th September 2026
• Tuesday 6th October 2026
• Tuesday 3rd November 2026
• Tuesday 7th December 2026
• Tuesday 5th January 2027
• Tuesday 2nd February 2027
• Tuesday 2nd March 2027
• Tuesday 6th April 2027
• Tuesday 4th May 2027
• Tuesday 1st June 2027
• Tuesday 6th July 2027
• Tuesday 3rd August 2027

Group interviews will take place on Saturday 18th April, 10:30am – 12:30pm, or Monday 20th April, 5:30pm – 7:30pm. Applicants only need to attend one session.

To apply, applicants must:

• Be aged 13–25 by the first meeting (Tuesday 28th April)
• Live or learn in the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham
• Be available to attend a group interview and sessions

Lyric Hammersmith wants to ensure that the Board is representative of the full range of young people in the Borough, including people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities or neurodiversity, people who identify as LGBTQ+, people from low-income households, and those who are care experienced.

If applicants feel unsure about their eligibility or have any questions, they can get in touch via participation@lyric.co.uk.

Please note: Applications for this project close on Tuesday 14th April 2026 at 12pm.