Rotherham’s young people are making history, leading a year-long cultural celebration they imagined and created. Packed with festivals, creative projects and potential career opportunities, here’s what you can expect from the city becoming the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture…
In a ground breaking initiative that puts young voices at the forefront of cultural transformation, Rotherham is the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture. Unlike traditional cultural designations that are awarded through competitive bidding processes, this unique title was born from the imagination and aspirations of Rotherham’s own children and young people.
The journey began in 2017 when children’s literary charity Grimm & Co posed a simple yet powerful question to local young people: ‘If you were in charge of Rotherham, what would you do?’ This sparked a movement that would ultimately reshape the borough’s cultural landscape. 30 young ambassadors created a manifesto for their town’s future, presenting their vision to local change-makers, including the council and cultural organisations.
As 2025 gets underway, Rotherham is witnessing the fruition of this youth-led vision through an extraordinary programme of events, activities and opportunities. The year kicked off with the spectacular Otherham Winter Light Festival, transforming the town centre into a magical landscape of projection installations at the end of January. This free event showcased the creativity of over 100 young filmmakers from local schools who have created short films using various animation techniques and stories created by young people were brought to life on the side of buildings.
February brings the Signals Festival, a borough-wide celebration of music running from February 14-23. The festival represents the town’s commitment to nurturing young talent, featuring free performances and activities that spotlight the best of Rotherham’s emerging musicians.
The spring calendar culminates in the Roots: Rotherham Street Carnival on March 29, promising a vibrant celebration of the borough’s natural heritage. The carnival will feature local dance troupes, BMXers, brass bands, choirs and youth drama groups, all coming together in a spectacular display of community spirit.
Throughout the year, the Children’s Capital of Culture is delivering numerous creative learning projects in schools. These include ReAnimate, where nine schools are creating flying car animations, and ReMake, which is establishing school makerspaces. The ambitious Rotherham Opera Project, in collaboration with the Royal Ballet Opera, will create a brand-new opera inspired by Mozart’s The Magic Flute, involving children and young people from all 25 wards of Rotherham.
The initiative is also creating meaningful employment opportunities for young people aged 16-25 through paid traineeships in the creative industries. Additionally, the programme champions the Arts Award scheme, offering young people aged 5-25 the chance to gain nationally recognised qualifications in arts and leadership.
Gallery Town, running throughout the year, will transform Rotherham into an outdoor art gallery, while creative activities at Rotherham United home matches ensure that culture reaches every corner of community life. The programme extends into schools through various creative learning projects, professional development opportunities for teachers, and celebration events for communities.
It has already shown impressive early impact. Schools report increased engagement in creative activities, with one teacher noting, “The children speak with more imagination and creativity and enjoy writing. We now have an after-school writing club.” The initiative is also fostering connections between schools and cultural organisations, creating sustainable networks that will benefit the community long after 2025.
Looking ahead, the year promises more exciting developments, including a Festival of Stories celebrating Rotherham’s narratives, an Identity Exhibition at Clifton Park Museum and the transformation of Wentworth Woodhouse into a House of Fun. In July, the UPLIFT event will turn Rotherham into an urban playground featuring BMXing, skating, parkour and street dance.
Head to childrenscapitalofculture.co.uk for more information
“THE FOCUS IS NOW”
How has Grimm & Co’s initial project to reimagine Rotherham evolved into this ground breaking Children’s Capital of Culture?
An exciting moment was when businesses, local authority leaders, councillors, voluntary sector providers, educational leaders – key people and organisations across the borough took up the call to action, given by the children, to put this town on the map as the world’s FIRST Children’s Capital of Culture… created by, and for, the future custodians.
What unique perspectives and ideas have you seen children and young people bring to the cultural planning process?
Children and young people are not bogged down with the past that us older people often reflect on through nostalgic, rose-tinted lenses.
Their focus is on now and hopes for what they’ll inherit as the future custodians of the town. The children and young people put green spaces, culture, diversity, creativity, skills and environment to the top of their priorities for recreating the narrative and they felt that the economic benefits would follow if these elements were at the core.
This view was completely different to what I’d heard in meetings with professionals whose solution to regeneration could often be retrospective and nostalgic to an era that no longer exists in the world we inhabit.
How do you see the Children’s Capital of Culture initiative changing perceptions of Rotherham both among residents and across the UK?
This initiative has already begun to shape a new narrative for Rotherham as a place that’s vibrant, creative and embraces culture. Many are flocking to the town to experience the awe and wonder that’s on offer here throughout the year.
What long-term impact do you hope this year-long celebration will have on Rotherham’s young people and their relationship with culture and creativity?
I hope this approach brings a sense of pride and belonging – a strong and positive narrative for the town and its people and that people outside (and inside the town) say, “Ah, Rotherham, that town in Yorkshire that’s got some remarkable, creative talent – an exciting cultural hub where children thrive.”
How can other cities learn from Rotherham’s example in empowering young voices to shape cultural policy and programming?
Give young people a REAL voice and truly listen – no, really listen – to what they have to say, value their opinions and involve children and young people in the plans around them, remembering they are the future custodians and they don’t drag the baggage of a blinkered past behind them. If you are serious about building a town for today and tomorrow, then start with the children and young people to reimagine all the possibilities.
“CULTIVATING A SENSE OF BELONGING AND INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY’S FUTURE”
Sarah Christie, Programme Manager for Children’s Capital of Culture, explains the impact and legacy they’re hoping to achieve with the 2025 programme.
How can local businesses become involved with Children’s Capital of Culture, and what unique opportunities does this present for corporate social responsibility and community engagement?
This year, Children’s Capital of Culture will put Rotherham centre stage. It’s being supported by a large-scale marketing and PR campaign, which will raise awareness of the programme, drive visitors to the borough and increase local pride. And we want local businesses to be a part of it.
By joining forces with Children’s Capital of Culture, local businesses can play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Rotherham’s youth while enhancing their own reputations as socially responsible entities. Not only will it create a high-profile opportunity to boost your brand, thanks to an increased presence in front of the press and key audiences, but it will also strengthen local ties and uplift pride by supporting what matters to your community, help you showcase your values and, ultimately, build collective might by connecting with other organisations and influential leaders in the region.
This collaboration offers businesses the chance to engage directly with community initiatives, providing resources, sponsorships, or volunteering efforts that align with their corporate values, cultivating a sense of belonging and investment in the community’s future.
What sponsorship and partnership opportunities are available for businesses throughout 2025, and how can these collaborations benefit both the initiative and the business community?
We offer a variety of sponsorship options, starting with bronze, which offers opportunities to engage your community and boost brand visibility through our events and marketing, and running up to gold, which includes the chance to work with our young artists, or to get our support with recruitment of young people. There’s also a platinum option, which might include a traineeship. But we’re also happy to tailor the opportunities to suit you and your business.
Partnering with Children’s Capital of Culture will provide even more life-changing opportunities to children and young people across the borough, whilst helping train and develop a pipeline of new talent into the local sector.
If you’d like to find out more, please contact our Strategic Partnerships Manager, Rachel Stothard (Rachel.Stothard@rotherham.gov.uk)
How are you working to ensure that the skills and experiences young people gain through Children’s Capital of Culture align with future employment opportunities in the region?
We’re lucky enough to be working with some of the brightest and boldest organisations across South Yorkshire. Since 2021, when the Children’s Capital of Culture traineeship programme first launched, over 110 young people aged 16–25 have benefitted from taking part in paid jobs with some of the region’s most dynamic cultural institutions, including Sheffield DocFest, Grimm & Co, Wentworth Woodhouse, Rotherham United Community Trust and Gulliver’s Valley. These partnerships provide invaluable hands-on experience and insight into the cultural sector, helping bridge the gap between education and employment, ensuring that the skills developed are relevant and adaptable to the region’s evolving job market.
What legacy do you hope Children’s Capital of Culture will leave for Rotherham beyond 2025, particularly in terms of cultural infrastructure and creative sector growth?
We believe cultural and artistic initiatives have the power to inspire lives across our community. The opportunities that Children’s Capital of Culture brings are creating a generation of skilled, creative, confident young people. These people will be an enormous asset to the local community – and the businesses that serve them. A thriving creative sector that not only attracts talent from across the region but also nurtures homegrown innovators. The investment brought in by Children’s Capital of Culture has supported cultural institutions across South Yorkshire, building a foundation for success now and in the future.
In addition to this, we’ve also committed to keeping 75% of the festival activities going beyond 2025 – leaving a legacy for our borough that will continue to drive cultural and creative sector growth, where young people are empowered to pursue their passions and contribute meaningfully for years to come.
