South London Gallery: A Welcome Space

Your Space to Make at South London Gallery is an after-school arts programme that offers young people a welcoming, inclusive, and creative environment based at the Gallery’s Art Block, a dedicated space for education projects. 

Two partner schools in Peckham and Camberwell were central to the project in 2024/25: Harris Girls Academy and Sacred Heart Catholic School. 

The project aims to explore how creative practice can support skills development and wellbeing through sustained engagement between artists and young people. It is underpinned by two key frameworks: the DfE Skills Classification and the NHS Five Ways to Wellbeing.

The Gallery’s intention to create “a space that was radically different from school” was supported through its regular sessions inspiring a range of technical skill development and a deep consideration into what helps create spaces of ownership, trust and belonging for young people. 

Running weekly throughout the year, including during school holidays, Your Space to Make has the largest volume of session activity across the Mildred Fund to date. The sessions were built with the interests of the participants placed at the centre. 

Central to the project was the establishment of the co-researcher roles: two project participants who volunteered to support the enquiry. The Project Lead reflected that the co-researchers liked “being part of the session but also having a slightly outside lens.” 

1. How does creative practice support a wide range of skill development?
2. What are the key ingredients for creating spaces that young people find welcoming, and how do these enhance wellbeing?