Government partners with The King’s Trust and Idris Elba to unlock creative careers for young people
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-14)

Hundreds of young people locked out of creative careers will get their chance as the government invests £500,000 to expand The King's Trust delivery of Creative Futures in partnership with Elba Hope Foundation.

- £500,000 expansion of Creative Futures, delivered through The King’s Trust in partnership with the Elba Hope Foundation, will support 400 more young people across England
- More than 100 young people have already taken part in courses in DJing, theatre, visual arts, events and enterprise, through the project’s first year
- Investment announced during Discover! Creative Careers Month - a government programme to open up creative industries to underrepresented talent
- Partnership with The King’s Trust and The Elba Hope Foundation delivers hands-on training and direct routes into jobs, education and training
The programme, funded jointly by government and The Elba Hope Foundation, breaks down barriers to the creative industries as part of our Plan for Change to renew Britain. It will provide hands-on training, professional mentoring and direct pathways into in music, theatre and creative media. More than 100 young people have completed the first year, building their confidence and skills for careers in the creative industries.

As a result of the funding, 400 more young people aged 16-30 will access free places across Greater Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Bristol and the South West, and the South Coast.

The programme targets young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) or at risk of being so, particularly those facing significant barriers and currently underrepresented in the creative industries.

Today’s announcement delivers on the government’s mission to rebuild opportunities for young people, so that every young person can fulfil their potential.

Informed by the biggest listening exercise in a generation, the forthcoming National Youth Strategy will shape a future where every young person has somewhere to go, someone to talk to and a community they feel part of.

Secretary of State for Culture Lisa Nandy said

For too long, talent has been locked out of creative careers because of background, not ability. We want to change that so that every child can follow their ambitions and pursue a career in the creative industries.

Coupled with our Discover! Creative Careers programme, this investment will open doors for hundreds of young people across England, giving them the training, support and opportunities they deserve.

Working with Idris Elba and The King’s Trust, we’re building a creative sector that reflects the diversity and brilliance of modern Britain as part of our plans to renew the country.

Idris Elba, Actor, Founder of the Elba Hope Foundation, and alum of The King’s Trust said:

Creative Futures is about building pathways into industries that young people might not otherwise see as accessible. Through the foundation, Sabrina and I are committed to expanding opportunity and creating routes into sustainable careers. With this support, we can scale Creative Futures to reach even more young people across the UK.

Creative Futures builds on the government’s Discover! Creative Careers (https://discovercreative.careers/employers/discover-creative-careers-month-2025/) programme, which reaches over 100,000 young people annually with employer encounters and work experience in creative sectors.

Participants of Kings Trust Creative Futures can access three different pathways:
- ‘Get Started’: a social development programme where young people engage with specialist creative organisations, build skills, work together as a group and access personalised support.
- ‘Get Into’: a pre-employment programme delivered in partnership with employers and training providers, equipping young people with the skills and experience needed to secure employment with direct progression pathways into work.
- ‘Enterprise’: supports young people interested in self-employment to explore and test their ideas, write plans and start their own businesses.
The programme sets ambitious targets: 75% of participants moving into employment (including self-employment), education, training, apprenticeships, volunteering or other educational outcomes after taking part. It also aims for 90% of participants reporting greater sector awareness and 90% believing the creative industries offering opportunities for people like them.

The expansion follows government investment in Young Futures Hubs and comes ahead of the publication of a National Youth Strategy, which young people are co-producing with Ministers.

Creative industries offer 2.4 million jobs across the UK, with growing opportunities outside London in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and other cities.

ENDS

Notes to editors
- The King’s Trust celebration event takes place at 11am on Friday 19 September 2025 at King’s Trust Manchester
- Creative Futures launched in Autumn 2024 with funding from The Elba Hope Foundation
- More information on the Creative Futures Programme can be found at https://discovercreative.careers/employers/discover-creative-careers-month-2025/
- The Government’s Discover! Creative Careers Programme aims to get young people from underrepresented backgrounds outside of London to consider a career in creative industries
- Every Child Can is a bold, unapologetic commitment to rebuild opportunities for young people - starting with £132.5 million from the Dormant Assets Scheme, but going much further. It marks the beginning of a long-term mission to invest in our communities for our children and young people, funding youth centres, grassroots sport, arts and music programmes that build skills, opportunity, connection and belonging.
About The King’s Trust (formerly The Prince’s Trust)

The King’s Trust believes that every young person should have the chance to succeed, no matter what their background or the challenges they are facing. We help those from disadvantaged communities and those facing the greatest adversity by supporting them to build the confidence and skills to live, learn and earn.

The courses offered by The Trust help young people aged 11-30 to develop essential life skills, get ready for work and access job opportunities. We support them to find work because having a job or running a business can lead to a more stable, fulfilling life.

Since The Trust was founded by HM The King in 1976, when he was HRH The Prince of Wales, we have helped more than a million young people across the UK. Three in four of those we supported over the last five years have moved into work, education or training.

We are pleased to have changed our name to The King’s Trust, reflecting our Royal Founding President’s continued dedication to our work. We remain committed to working for young people and enabling them to create a better future for themselves. By helping them today, the benefits will be felt for years to come – not just for those we support, but for their communities and the wider economy.

About Elba Hope Foundation

The Elba Hope Foundation, founded by Idris and Sabrina Elba, is committed to advancing equity through youth advocacy, opportunity access, employability, and education. Through flagship programmes such as Creative Futures, Don’t Stop Your Future, and the Hope Power Project, the foundation delivers long-term pathways into opportunity. The King’s Trust is a valued delivery partner on Creative Futures.

The Don’t Stop Your Future (DSYF) campaign, led by the Elba Hope Foundation, addresses the rising issue of youth violence and knife crime. Following on from this campaigning for and with young people, Creative Futures expands positive opportunities – with a focus on the creative and digital industries.