Shaping Middlesbrough’s Cultural Future
Putting young people’s voices at the heart of Middlesbrough’s UK City of Culture 2029 bid
Zest was commissioned to work with young people across Middlesbrough to help shape the emerging programme for the town's UK City of Culture 2029 bid. With ambitious ideas already taking shape, our role was to bring young people into the conversation, explore their responses and make sure their perspectives could inform what happened next.
Through a series of creative workshops in June 2026, we translated complex programme proposals into accessible, engaging ideas that young people could explore, challenge and build upon. From gaming, technology and sport to music, public art and green spaces, we encouraged honest conversations about what excited them, what felt relevant, what they would change and what was missing.
Drawing on Zest's experience of creative consultation and youth-led practice, our approach went beyond simply asking young people what they liked. We created space for them to think critically, share their experiences and imagine what culture in Middlesbrough could look like.
The workshops helped bring a fresh perspective to the developing bid, connecting ambitious cultural ideas with the realities, interests and aspirations of young people growing up in Middlesbrough. By involving young people while the programme was still taking shape, the project created an opportunity for their voices to influence the thinking behind a major cultural moment for their town.
