The self-led Youth Collective is for young people aged 16–25 across Perth and Kinross who are curious about creativity, culture and making things happen in a relaxed atmosphere. You will meet others, share ideas, try out creative projects and help shape what happens in our libraries, Perth Museum and Perth Art Gallery. We meet in library hubs across Perth and Kinross, creating opportunities for young people who live in our rural communities.

Together, members shape exhibitions, events and creative projects from the ground up. Projects begin with ideas from the group and develop through research, experimentation and collaboration with artists, designers, workshop leaders, and members of staff at CPK including  those specialising in exhibition build and curation, event planning and social media.

Recent projects have included The Fleapit Theatre, an interactive exhibition exploring 100 years of cinema; Century of Youth: 100 Years of Youth Fashion, a youth-led fashion show exploring identity, sustainability and youth subcultures through upcycled design; hands-on workshops exploring traditional photographic and printing methods; and a graffiti workshop which  introduced members to street art techniques and alternative forms of visual expression. This year, members are also planning their next major project, which will take place in November. Come along and get involved!

You can read more about Century of Youth here. We won ‘Best Student Led Event’ at this years Scottish Event Awards for this project!

When you join, you’ll gain practical experience in:

You’ll gain real experience you can use in CVs, job applications, college interviews and personal statements. You’ll also build professional networks and gain a clearer understanding of careers in museums, galleries, libraries,  and the wider creative sector.

‘It’s helped me realise that there are creative careers out there I hadn’t considered before.’

‘I’ve become much more confident speaking to new people and sharing my ideas.’

‘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.’

‘‘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.’

The Collective is shaped by the people involved in it, and members are encouraged to bring their own interests to the table, whether that’s fashion, film, music, design, heritage or something completely unexpected.

We usually meet once or twice a month on Saturdays, depending on the stage of the project. Members are asked to commit from January to December so they can fully contribute to long-term projects and build strong relationships within the group.

Travel costs are covered and we’ll work with members to remove barriers to taking part wherever we can.

The Youth Collective is supported by Young Start delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund.

No formal qualifications are needed — just curiosity, commitment and a willingness to get involved. If you are interested, please follow this link to fill out a short questionnaire.

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.

Event – A Century of Fashion

This event was a fashion show created and performed by the Culture Perth & Kinross Youth Collective. The evening marked the culmination of nearly a year of research, design, upcycling and learning about the circular economy. It was also the final event of our three-year Living Communities Heritage Pathways project, funded by the Gannochy Trust.

In 2024, 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.