Whitworth Young Contemporaries is a programme developed by and for young people aged 11 to 24 based at the Whitworth.

A core group of twenty 16 to 24-year-olds from diverse backgrounds meet weekly to plan and deliver a programme of workshops and creative events with a social conscience, from gallery takeovers to creative play and panel discussions.

Their aim is to make a difference by connecting art, ideas and communities. As well as being a place to socialise, it’s a platform to develop life skills and showcase creativity and ideas.

In 2016, the Whitworth Young Contemporaries worked with two emerging artists to host an ambitious WARP Festival of over 100 performances, workshops and activities over a weekend that attracted 10,000 people, with 6,000 young people attending the Saturday events alone.

Some Whitworth Young Contemporaries members used the experience in their applications to employment or colleges.

The 11 to 16-year-old Whitworth Young Contemporaries attend a weekly drop-in After School Club, which sets young people a challenge, or provides a place for them to do their own imaginative projects.

Find out more on the Whitworth Young Contemporaries website.