Video: Celebrating our first Children’s Board
Written by Denny Cornuaud & Lalah-Simone Springer
Culture Within Newham set up a Children’s Board in September 2024 to give primary-school aged children the opportunity to shape the cultural and creative offer in Newham. Eighteen amazing 8-11 year olds became leaders, interviewers, artists, and producers, educating us along the way.
“The children really enjoyed the responsibility of being part of the Children’s Board. One of them said that it felt ‘very grown up’ being given the responsibility of choosing the artists that they would be working with.”
Aspirations and vision
We know that Newham has a significant proportion of children and young people, and we are passionate that they should feel listened to. Setting up a Children’s Board was our way of formally giving children the chance to:
· tell us their cultural aspirations and creative vision for the borough,
· shape the work we do, and
· have a voice in the decision making.
We thought it was really important to show the Children’s Board evidence of how their voice has influenced our programme, which is why Culture Within Newham commissioned Sava Films to make a short film, and worked with Lunes Studio to create a storybook for the children about the process.
About the Children’s Board
From September 2024 to July 2025 Culture Within Newham worked with three local primary schools – New City, Rosetta and Gallions. The children commissioned an artwork by choosing the artists they wished to work with during the year, and after the commission they became researchers to capture the views of their peers, which will also be used to influence our future programming.
This last term has been all about them, as we say goodbye and thank-you to the young people and staff who helped us to make this project a reality. We presented the Keepsake booklets made by Lunes Studio, and will be screening the short film in each participating school. As a final thank you, we booked a rap poetry workshop and performance with artists from Apples and Snakes as a treat for all the children in Key Stage Two.
We hope you enjoy The Sound Hive as it continues its tour across Newham venues.
Learn more about The Sound Hive project by Ricebox Studio on their dedicated Project page.
“Being part of the Children’s Board empowered them to make meaningful decisions—such as voting for the artist who would visit our school—which significantly boosted their confidence and sense of agency. It was inspiring to see them engage so thoughtfully with the process, and it gave them a real sense of ownership and pride.”