Upgrade Yourself (16–30)
We offer a range of entry routes into the arts and creative industries. Leveraging our resident creative community and our cultural programme, we create space for young people aged 16–30 to explore a creative career, test ideas, learn, and grow with confidence.
Support Upgrade Yourself (16-30)
Funds raised provides opportunities to young under-represented people aged 16-30 seeking to get into the creative sector.
Our Programmes
Ages 18-24
Ages 18-24
Creative Industry Placements - A one-year paid placement within Somerset House’s resident organisations. Participants gain hands-on professional insights into how creative businesses operate, including management, programming, and operations. Placements receive wraparound support, mentoring, and professional development, all paid at London Living Wage.
Creative Industry Placements
Creative Industry Placements - A one-year paid placement within Somerset House’s resident organisations. Participants gain hands-on professional insights into how creative businesses operate, including management, programming, and operations. Placements receive wraparound support, mentoring, and professional development, all paid at London Living Wage.
Ages 18-25
Ages 18-25
Immersive, practice led workshops designed and delivered by seasoned Somerset House Studios Artists. This programme offers direct access to creative practices and mentorship, empowering participants to explore their potential and develop artistic skills.
Future Artists Programme
Immersive, practice led workshops designed and delivered by seasoned Somerset House Studios Artists. This programme offers direct access to creative practices and mentorship, empowering participants to explore their potential and develop artistic skills.
Ages 16-30
Ages 16-30
Somerset House's flagship creative careers festival, offering a multidisciplinary approach from inspiring talks, masterclasses, mentoring sessions, CV clinics, collaborative activities, to live DJs, and performances. This vibrant 2-day event equips young creatives with invaluable skills and insights to forge careers in the cultural sector.
Upgrade Yourself Festival
Somerset House's flagship creative careers festival, offering a multidisciplinary approach from inspiring talks, masterclasses, mentoring sessions, CV clinics, collaborative activities, to live DJs, and performances. This vibrant 2-day event equips young creatives with invaluable skills and insights to forge careers in the cultural sector.
Ages 18-30
Ages 18-30
Relaxed after-hours exhibition events providing free access to exhibitions alongside thematic workshops, talks, and guided tours inspired by artists' practices. Takeovers create a unique platform for emerging talent to connect with Somerset House’s cultural offerings in a relaxed and inspiring environment.
Upgrade Yourself Takeover
Relaxed after-hours exhibition events providing free access to exhibitions alongside thematic workshops, talks, and guided tours inspired by artists' practices. Takeovers create a unique platform for emerging talent to connect with Somerset House’s cultural offerings in a relaxed and inspiring environment.
Ages 18-30
Ages 18-30
Dynamic evening sessions designed for aspiring creatives, combining practical workshops, expansive talks, and networking opportunities, these sessions foster confidence, build transferable skills, and connect raw talent with seasoned expertise to unlock career pathways.
Upgrade Yourself Monthly
Dynamic evening sessions designed for aspiring creatives, combining practical workshops, expansive talks, and networking opportunities, these sessions foster confidence, build transferable skills, and connect raw talent with seasoned expertise to unlock career pathways.
Upgrade Yourself: How We Deliver Our Mission
Fair access to working in the arts remains one of the most urgent issues facing the sector today, with those from lower socio-economic backgrounds still vastly underrepresented amongst the artists and employees of UK theatres, festivals, galleries and arts organisations of all kinds. We actively seek to increase diversity within the creative sector and aim to build a more equitable workforce that better reflects society's varied backgrounds and perspectives.
We recognise that some groups remain underrepresented within the sector and may face barriers to participation. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and we are particularly keen to hear from, and we support the participation of, people who are underrepresented in the creative industries or who face particular barriers to access. These groups may include:
- people from Black, Asian and other ethnically diverse backgrounds;
- disabled and/or neurodivergent people; and
- people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Selection decisions will be made on merit against the published criteria. However, we actively encourage applications from individuals within these groups in order to help address barriers to participation and improve representation within the creative sector.
Upgrade Yourself is generously supported by the Julia Rausing Trust
