2024 to 2025 on Voice

2024 to 2025 on Voice

Diana Walton, Director, Upstart Projects / Voice Magazine, 10 year milestone

Staying Alive is the theme tune for many small arts charities at the moment, so it felt great to reach Upstart Projects’ 10th birthday in August. A moment to celebrate and also to look to the future. To mark the milestone, we decided to shift all our projects and training work behind the Voice brand, making the most of Voice magazine’s success and profile.

We also started the transition from the founder team of three to a brand new trio at the centre of the organisation – Voice Company Manager, Voice Editor and Voice Co-ordinator. I’m looking forward to seeing them drive forward Voice magazine, projects and training in 2025 and the next ten years! 

Hear from the team about their highpoints from the past year and hopes for 2025! Do get in touch if you’d like to work with us

Tom Beasley, Voice Editor, hitting the ground running

Since joining Voice in August 2024, I’ve loved being a part of the team and I’m really proud of the work I’ve been able to do. Our editorial themes based around working class access to the arts and using culture to fight the climate crisis came together really nicely and it was a joy to be able to work with my first group of Voice Contributors, as well as delivering workshops with some of our Local Reviewer groups.

In 2025, I’m hoping to pursue a selection of other relevant and timely editorial themes, while expanding the range and ambition of what our Voice Community seeks to publish. I’m also keen to encourage more video and audio journalism as well as the written word, reflecting the increasingly multimedia nature of our online landscape. If young people’s social internet is built around video and sound clips, their journalism should embrace that too. 

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Judy McFall, Voice Participation Lead, supporting young arts reviewers

Last year I developed three new Voice Local Reviewer groups in Mansfield, Shropshire and Stoke. Young people aged 16-25 meet in cultural venues and learn how to access and review arts & cultural events and activities. We train them in how to be a young reviewer and journalist, how to build your own profile on Voice, plus interviewing techniques and podcasting skills. Check out their Local Reviewer posts here!

In Mansfield we’re working in partnership with Mansfield District Council Cultural Services, in Shropshire we’re developing our relationships with Ludlow Assembly Rooms and Arts Alive, and in Stoke we’re working with the New Vic Theatre to embed Local Reviewers in their offer. By working collaboratively we can help venues to develop younger audiences whilst also developing young people’s skills, confidence and voice.

In 2025 I’m looking forward to developing more partnerships across the Midlands. If you’re interested in creating a Local Reviewer group, get in touch with me!

Dayna Jeynes, Voice Co-ordinator, fostering young people’s ambitions

In 2024, we saw our Creative Pathways programme open opportunities for young people to progress from local projects to taking on roles with the magazine. Our Voice Reviewer network has gone from strength to strength partnering with arts and cultural organisations across the UK to provide young reviewers the chance to attend events without worrying about breaking their bank. 

I’m proud to see young people develop their personal voice and navigate their own way in the arts and cultural landscape. I’ll be watching them grow in 2025 and beyond. 

Tom Inniss, Voice Managing Editor, increasing Voice’s reach

In 2024 it was wonderful to welcome Tom Beasley as Voice’s new editor, and his fresh approach to some well-loved editorial themes has been exciting to see. I’m delighted that the Voice Contributor programme is running again, with an even greater emphasis on training and development for young people from less advantaged backgrounds.

Tom B will be propelling Voice content forward in new ways in 2025 and the Voice team is exploring ways to offer our training to more young people, extending our mission to make the creative sector even more diverse. We’ve also been planning some changes to the Voice website that I’m excited to share – they are going to dramatically improve how you use and interact with the site.

Emrys Green, Associate Director, supporting organisations to develop youth voice

Throughout a year of political change we were able to help organisations to embrace young people as influencers in their work through our Youth Voice Training offer. We’ve continued to facilitate he Nottingham Youth Cultural Partnership, supported museums to bring young people on to their boards with Kids in Museums, and contributed to an innovative alternative education programme in the London borough of Barking & Dagenham

2025 is shaping up for more work with schools, health, heritage and arts organisations and we’re looking forward to celebrating young people’s voice with many more organisations. Take a look at our training offer and get in touch!