The Youth Collective was formed in June 2023 as part of the Living Communities Heritage Pathways project, funded by the Gannochy Trust. It gives young people aged 16–25 the chance to shape what happens across Culture Perth & Kinross venues and to gain hands-on experience in the cultural and heritage sector.

There are currently nine members, each bringing their own skills, ideas and perspectives. Together they work with staff across Perth Museum, Perth Art Gallery, AK Bell Library and the archives, learning how exhibitions and events come to life. Members have collaborated with our curators, graphic designer, learning officers, events, marketing and front-of-house teams, gaining a real sense of how the whole organisation works.

The Collective decide for themselves which projects to take on and how to deliver them. Over the past year, they created The Fleapit Theatre, an interactive exhibition celebrating 100 years of cinema, and are now developing 100 Years of Youth Fashion; an upcycled fashion show exploring the changing styles, politics and identities of youth culture from the 1930s to the 2020s. The show will blend performance, film and design, and will open at Perth Art Gallery in late 2025. This will be at AK Bell Library on the 28^th November between 7-9pm. Tickets are available from here.

The Youth Collective is a space for creativity, experimentation and connection. Current members have said:

 ‘Since joining I feel like my confidence has grown as I am able to speak up and share my opinion more now than when I first joined. I have been with the Collective since it has first started and I believe that as it has grown we are now getting more opportunities than before.’ – Megan.

‘The youth collective meetings… have given me the opportunity to speak to people of a similar age and of similar interests as me. I have appreciated the opportunities that being a part of the collective has given me, such as being able to attend exhibition previews at art galleries and museums and even do tours of gallery archives. This has been especially helpful and as it has given me ideas as to what type of things I am interested in and what type of career path I would like to pursue in the future.’ – Caleigh

‘Before joining the youth collective, my understanding and perspective of museums was one of intrigue, but of little to no real interaction. I have always been interested and curious about history and art, but (prior to joining the collective) felt like institutions like Perth Art Gallery and Perth Museum were mostly inaccessible to me as a young person, and in some ways a person of colour, not feeling like my history was reflected in exhibitions, despite the entanglement of my African history with that of the UK’s.

After just over a year of being a member of the Youth Collective I can now say with confidence that the experience has reshaped the way I looked at museums, galleries and buildings of culture. I no longer feel an overwhelming sense of apprehension before going into a museum, and have found it to be a positive experience every time within Perth.

They have also explored traditional photographic and printing techniques, using a pinhole camera and workshops on cyanotype printing.

Pinhole Camera Workshop

Cyanotype Workshop

Although the group is currently full, new members are recruited each year. Please check this page again in January or email [email protected] to express your interest in joining next year.

‘I really enjoyed showing my friends and family what I have been working so hard on! It felt like a full-circle moment!  I really enjoyed the actual installation part of the planning process. I made everything we had been talking about for the last few months real.  I’ve learnt so much! From working in a team/ comprises and organising events suitable for the public. It was an invaluable experience that isn’t available anywhere else!’

Exhibition – The Fleapit Theatre

An interactive exhibition celebrating 100 years of cinema, designed and curated entirely by members of the Youth Collective.

Comic – The Stone of Scone. A Comic Origin Story!

Created through a partnership between Culture Perth & Kinross, the University of Stirling and Magic Torch Comics, and supported by Perth & Kinross Council.

Last year, the  Collective worked with filmmaker Chantel Hiden-Livingstone to produce a short film showcasing creative career pathways within Culture Perth & Kinross. The film features staff from across the organisation sharing their experiences and advice, offering a behind-the-scenes look at working in museums, libraries and galleries.

They have also collaborated with graffiti artist Jaz Grady, exploring street art and its links to youth identity, self-expression and political activism. These workshops encouraged members to think about how different art forms — from murals to fashion — tell stories about belonging and change.

Graffiti workshop in action

Each year, an intern joins one of our venues to gain direct experience of working in the cultural sector. Last year’s intern, Esme Hunter, was based with the library team, learning how collections are managed and archives cared for, and she also worked with the Youth Collective. Internships offer a great opportunity to build new skills, gain confidence and add real workplace experience to your CV.

Esme in the Makerspace

Earlier this year, Culture Perth & Kinross collaborated with Fairview School in Perth to co-produce Skills for Heritage Careers Day. This was a first of its kind event designed and led by Fairview pupils for other young people with additional support needs across Perth and Kinross. The day reimagined what a careers fair could be, replacing the usual ‘information stands’ with creative, hands-on activities that celebrated confidence, inclusion and possibility. You can read more about this partnership in our blog.

A Fairview pupil on a mixing desk

Last year, we collaborated with Ziqing Jiang from Glasgow University, to make a short film introducing our new museum. This will also be sent out to schools, to help them plan their visit.