Upgrade Yourself Festival 2026
Upgrade Yourself Festival connects emerging creatives (ages 16 – 30) with trailblazing talent and industry experts on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 August.
This year we are going beyond your traditional careers festival and creating a space where creativity is celebrated as a tool for self-expression, imagination and collective growth.
We’re inviting you to join us for two days of dreaming, reflecting, imagining and testing new ideas. Empowering you to express yourself, build your community, share your work and experiment boldly.
As always, the Upgrade Yourself Festival is free to attend with free food and drink so you can fuel up while you explore and create!
Archived Event
For 16 - 30 year olds, supported with BSL interpretation
| Dates | Fri 7 & Sat 8 Aug 2026 |
| Times | Fri, 4–8.30pm Sat, 12–5.30pm |
| Space | Across Somerset House New Wing |
| Price | Free |
Programme
Drop-in
Palestinian Tatreez Embroidery
Drop-in
Lancaster Room
Drop-in
1:1 Support Space
Drop-in
River Rooms
Drop-in
Imagining Better Digital Futures with Identity 2.0
Drop-in
G18
Workshop
The Story Only You Can Tell with House of Vox
Workshop
G20
Drop-in
1:1 Mentoring
Drop-in
River Rooms
Speakers:
Zulum Elumogo – BUSINESS / ENTERPRISE
Vanessa Maria – MUSIC
Julia Head – THEATRE
Manu Nandha – COMMUNITY BUILDING
Giovanna Vierra Co – FASHION
Drop-in
Dream the Check! A creative drop-in workshop from Run the Check
Drop-in
River Rooms
Drop-in
Algae Pigment Screen Printing Lab
Drop-in
Lancaster Room
Drop-in
Know Your Work. Own Your Story. 1:1 Portfolio Reviews with NewComma
Drop-in
River Rooms
Discussion
Make things, think critically, work together: Ideas space with Alternative School of Economics
Discussion
G16
Workshop
Map // Path
Workshop
River Rooms
Workshop
The Story Only You Can Tell with House of Vox
Workshop
G20
Workshop
Map // Path
Workshop
River Rooms
Discussion
Alternative media futures: Ideas space with Sludge Magazine
Discussion
G16
Workshop
Power to the People: Using Comedy to Back Yourself with FOC IT UP
Workshop
G20
Workshop
Map // Path
Workshop
River Rooms
Drop-in
Sharing space
Drop-in
Lancaster Room
Workshop
The Story Only You Can Tell with House of Vox
Workshop
G20
Discussion
Funding your work
Discussion
G16
Drop-in
1:1 Support Space
Drop-in
River Rooms
Drop-in
Palestinian Tatreez Embroidery
Drop-in
Lancaster Room
Drop-in
Algae Pigment Screen Printing Lab
Drop-in
Lancaster Room
Drop-in
Dream the Check! A creative drop-in workshop from Run the Check
Drop-in
River Rooms
Drop-in
Know Your Work. Own Your Story. 1:1 Portfolio Reviews with NewComma
Drop-in
River Rooms
Drop-in
1:1 Mentoring
Drop-in
River Rooms
Speakers:
Zulum Elumogo – BUSINESS/ ENTERPRISE
Vanessa Maria - MUSIC
Sam Williams – GRAPHIC DESIGN
Julia Head- THEATRE
Sanchit Bembi – DESIGN
Drop-in
Planning Your Career Flight Path
Drop-in
G18
Discussion
Working with Nature: Regeneration as Creative Practice
Discussion
G16
Workshop
FUTURE FREE-PLAY WORKSHOP hosted by Studio TIP
Workshop
River Rooms
Workshop
The Story Only You Can Tell with House of Vox
Workshop
G20
Workshop
Steal like an Artist: Marketing lessons from the underground
Workshop
G18
Workshop
FUTURE FREE-PLAY WORKSHOP hosted by Studio TIP
Workshop
River Rooms
Workshop
Power to the People: Using Comedy to Back Yourself
Workshop
G20
Workshop
FUTURE FREE-PLAY WORKSHOP hosted by Studio TIP
Workshop
River Rooms
Drop-in
Sharing space
Drop-in
Lancaster Room
Workshop
Power to the People: Using Comedy to Back Yourself
Workshop
G20
Across both days
Central Hub - Lancaster Room
Throughout the festival, Lancaster Room will be your central hub for relaxing, eating, reflecting, and being supported to connect, create and share without pressure. Throughout the festival, the space will offer:
- Free food and drinks provided by Clement Worrall
- Opportunity to network and connect with others, hosted by Strangers in the City
- Craft and Connect, facilitated by artists embedded in community and regenerative practices
- Headshots with Kwame Dapaa
- Run the Check Jobs Board IRL jobs board of current creative opportunities, from Run the Check!
- Jobs and freelance work to open calls, commissions, and paid projects. Curated by Run the Check, this in-person jobs board brings together opportunities across the creative industries, inviting you to explore current roles that align with your interests, skills, and aspirations
Access information
Our ambition is to make this event accessible to everyone, but we know there is work to do!
Upgrade Yourself Festival will take place in G Rooms, River Rooms and Lancaster Rooms at Somerset House (New Wing). The space is on the ground floor and accessible to wheelchair users. There is an accessible toilet close by and all toilets will be gender neutral. There will also be a quiet space available
The event will be supported through BSL Interpretation on Friday 7 August and Saturday 8 August.
If you would like more information or to request specific access support, please email: engagement@somersethouse.org.uk prior to arriving.
We are constantly working towards making our events more accessible, if you have any feedback on how we can improve. Please let us know!