Where do young people get to be enterprising? The short answer: they often don’t.
Space. It’s expensive. It’s scarce. And for young creatives, it’s essential. Whether it’s a studio, a rehearsal room, a collaborative hub, or just a place to sit and think – having somewhere to work without financial barriers is a game-changer.
Ideas Work, Kindred’s ‘young people arm’, ran Occupy in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle in September 2024, offering a space that was free to use for young people. A place to experiment, to try out ideas and to collaborate.
“Space or money? Space. You can do things without money, but it’s hard to invest out of your own money in a space,” says Lewis.
The ability to experiment, to try things out without commitment or pressure, is rare. Maria recalls, “It reminded me of being at art school – the last time I can remember having free space. A real luxury.”
Young people need spaces that are flexible, open and not transactional. Coffee shops don’t cut it and home often isn’t an option. And, for many, the cost of renting a dedicated space is out of reach. The idea of ‘third space’ has become more prevalent in the public narrative, particularly since lockdown and the rise of working from home – places that exist outside of work and home. While they are places to encounter ‘regulars,’ and make new connections, fewer ‘third spaces’ are now free to access, making them increasingly inaccessible for young people.
“To be creative, you need space. You need time and space. You can’t force it, can you?” asks Rosie.
A number of Occupy’s participants talked about the significance of time for them, thinking of the significance of money equalling time. “Was the money important?” asked Phoebe. “Yes. It allowed me to put more time into the work. I work shifts when I can get them and a lot of projects I’ve done before I have had to squeeze around work shifts. This allowed me to say no to a few shifts, to have time to do the work.”
Beyond physical space, there was also the issue of age barriers, with much funding reserved for the under-25s, leaving those still figuring things out stranded. “Will I be funded in my 30s?” Rosie wonders. “At what point can you just be an artist?”
Support is key. Not just financial, but trust-based support – the kind that encourages taking risks and trying new things. “It was nice to be trusted,” says Jen. “The opportunity to make mistakes is really nice. It’s about trust, and this is huge,” adds Rosie.
It’s clear that the social value of shared spaces, open opportunities and trust can’t be overstated. Young people don’t just need space to create; they need space to belong.
Emma Rushton, who led Occupy, says: “A number of themes emerged from the programme, including access to space, age, on-line versus physical communities, support and trust. Generation Z suffers from a preponderance of on-line and virtual communication with a lack of real life, physical places to come together, communicate, debate and socialise – as well as try things out with and for others. It was fascinating to see some of the ideas they were able to experiment with when given a space, and better understand the barriers to starting off.”
Phoebe adds, “Occupy prompts us to consider our relationship to space. Private space, public space, third spaces. Spaces that restrict us, spaces that liberate us. If given the opportunity to do anything in a space – what would we do?”
Space is vital across the social economy. Kindred’s own evaluation of our investees shows that 78% are building-based – and that 62% are looking for larger premises to expand into, suggesting they have an unmet property requirement that may restrict their growth. In St Helens, Street and a Half (SnA) – a partnership with St Helens Borough Council – is the first step in creating a social innovation cluster in the town.