Young Britons feel disconnected and locked out of creative arts, charity says

Rising costs, the disappearance of third spaces and reduced access to artistic opportunities are causing young people to feel “disconnected, isolated and locked out of creativity”, according to research commissioned by a youth arts charity. The Roundhouse , a multi-arts venue in north London that reopened in 2006 with a focus on running youth programmes, has released the findings to coincide with the publication of its 20-year impact report on Monday. It found that 87% of 18- to 30-year-olds believe they have fewer in-person opportunities to connect with others, build confidence and be creative outside school and work, compared with previous generations. Just over half of respondents pointed to a lack of safe community spaces, such as youth clubs, as one of the main barriers to forming connections with a community. In a statement, the Roundhouse said that “young people are losing the environments that help develop the confidence, relationships and transferable skills needed to enter employment” and referred to the £1.2bn real-terms cut in youth service spending by English local authorities since 2010. It also acknowledged the higher rate of youth unemployment in London, 24.6%, compared with the national average of 14.6% . …