Surrey Youth Arts and Culture Festival 2025: A celebration of creativity, culture, and careers

The newly opened Surrey County Council Library Hub in Staines-Upon-Thames is proud to announce it is hosting the exciting and innovative Surrey Youth Arts and Culture Festival 2025 for young people across Surrey on Saturday 8 November 2025.

This free, one-day event offers a dynamic mix of workshops, performances, and exhibitions designed to inspire and engage young people with the arts and creative industries.

The festival brings together cultural organisations, artists, and educators to showcase the breadth of creative opportunities available to young people across Surrey.

Venue: Library Hub Staines-Upon-Thames and Spelthorne Jobs and Skill Hub

Time: Saturday 8 November 2025, 11am until 3pm

Denise Turner-Stewart, Surrey County Council Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities said: “The Surrey Youth Arts and Culture festival is a great opportunity to ignite creativity in our young people and help shape the future of our arts and culture sector here in Surrey. By inspiring and empowering our next generation today, we’re investing in a vibrant, inclusive cultural landscape for future generations tomorrow. We’re proud to be hosting the festival this year at the newly opened Library Hub Staines-upon-Thames. This event is a great opportunity to showcase this new modern flagship library hub, which after significant investment from Surrey County Council provides a vibrant community hub which can host a range of activities and events for all ages.  Be that support services, a place to study and work, a place of learning or simply somewhere to meet friends.  A place for the people of Spelthorne to enjoy and experience arts and culture on their doorstep.”

Festival Highlights Include:

• Hands-on workshops:
  • Sound Lab with Surrey Arts: Learn music production using Ableton Live and Push.
  • Coding Games with Chaos Created: Build your own arcade-style game from scratch.
  • Micro-Museum with Amy Stone & Spelthorne Museum: Curate your own mini exhibition.
  • Juggling and Object Manipulation: Explore movement and circus arts with Circle of Two.
• Live performances and dance:
  • Kathak Indian Dance: Experience classical Indian storytelling through movement.
  • SG Troop & Stopgap Dance Company: Inclusive dance performance and workshop.
  • Walkabout Puppetry: Meet the Mad Hatter and friends in a magical roaming show.
• Film Festival at Spelthorne Jobs and Skills Hub:
  • Macro Filmmaking Workshop: Create a short film starring a snail in a miniature world.
  • Industry Insights: Hear from Dr Howard Fine founder of Mindzone Media and a panel of early-career film professionals.
  • Film Competition & Awards: View and vote for your favourite on  films made by local young people throughout the day.
• Interactive Experiences:
  • Missing 10 Hours Virtual Reality : A powerful bystander intervention experience (ages 16+).
  • Design a Film Poster: Get creative with crafts and imagination.
  • Live Scribing: Watch artist Annalees Lim capture the day in real-time illustrations.
• Escalate Arts Youth Collective:
  • A dedicated exhibition and film review display by young creatives from the Escalate Arts initiative. Escalate Arts is an Arts Council England funded local initiative transforming how young people participate in culture.

Why Attend?

Whether you’re exploring a future in the creative industries or simply looking for a fun and inspiring day out, the Surrey Youth Arts and Culture Festival offers something for everyone. Attendees will gain hands-on experience, meet professionals, and discover pathways into creative careers.

To find out more visit Surrey Youth Arts and Culture Festival – Surrey County Council