Hackney Wick is changing—make sure young people are part of it.
Hackney Wick is becoming East London’s creative quarter. But who gets to be creative here?
The reality is that young people who grow up here are being pushed out of their neighbourhood and priced out of its culture. Theatre tickets are becoming a luxury. Creative spaces feel impossible to access. The arts industry grows more exclusive by the day—working-class representation in creative careers has halved in 50 years.
At The Yard, we’re trying to change this.
We’ve been part of Hackney Wick’s story since 2011, championing creativity and providing a space for the young people in our community, where 56% of children still live in poverty—the highest rate in the UK.
For over a decade, we’ve given young people the tools to shape their own creative futures. They’re not just watching change happen, they’re part of it.
"Before [youth] club I never did anything. We would just go to school and come home, apart from when we went to Tesco." - Previous Yard Young Artist
Last year, we introduced 250 young people to theatre-making—free of charge. Without us, most wouldn't get this chance at all. With over half from low-income backgrounds and 67% from Black and Global Majority communities, we make sure creative opportunities are available to everyone. These young artists discover their creative power through weekly theatre-making sessions, workshops with professional artists, and paid work experience. As Hackney Wick transforms, we're ensuring its young people aren't just watching theatre—they're creating it, leading it, and shaping their futures through it.
“I feel safe in theatres now, I realise it's not so scary and there's a place for me" - Previous Yard Young Artist
The impact? It's huge. Take Lamesha, who started in Yard Young Artists and has gone on to lead a major theatre company. Other alumni are performing on major London stages like the Barbican, appearing on TV, studying at world-class Universities, and running theatre companies across the world. Whether they've become photographers, musicians, producers, or actors, each got their first break at The Yard.
But we need you. Our work supporting young talent is at risk. Local councils’ culture budgets are being slashed. Arts funding is more competitive than ever. Meanwhile, schools are cutting back on creativity—performing arts are now the lowest selected GCSE subjects. The Yard’s work ensures creative young people can flourish. But we can only do this with our community—audiences, neighbours, supporters like you—standing with us, standing with them.
"The Yard Theatre's work is vital to the success of Hackney Wick as a community, and to giving young people opportunities." - Luke Billingham, Hackney Quest Youth Club
Your support goes twice as far.
Thanks to match funding, every donation you make will be doubled. Here's what your gift can do:
- £25 becomes £50: Provides snacks for a term of theatre-making sessions
- £50 becomes £100: Gives four local students their first experience of live theatre at a special school performance of one of our shows
- £100 becomes £200: Funds a professional artist to lead a workshop and mentor young artists for a day
- £250 becomes £500: Enables an entire school class to experience theatre-making through our free pre-show workshop
We need to raise £15,000 to:
- Enable 30 young people to discover theatre-making through free drama classes led by professional artists
- Open our doors to local schools, offering free workshops with the artists behind our productions and special performances for students
- Launch the next generation of artists by supporting 16-21-year-olds to create and perform their own shows on our stage
“I have seen there is value in my voice on stage. I have been quiet for so long. — Lamesha Ruddock, Yard Young Artists alumni.
In a changing Hackney Wick, The Yard must stay their space to create, develop and learn. Help us to make sure local young people shape its future, and theirs. Donate today, and watch your impact double.