The Heart of Brixton - Youth creative hub

The project ‘Heart of Brixton: Youth Creative Hub’ will transform a tired, unused office in one of Lambeth’s landmark community buildings into a vibrant, youth-designed creative hub. This will be a safe, inclusive, and accessible space where young people aged 14–25 can learn the digital and creative skills of the future — from podcasting and design to fashion and entrepreneurship.

We have already secured match funding to install new carpets and a brand new podcast studio for young people. This grant will enable us to complete the renovation by:

• Knocking down two adjoining walls to open up a larger, flexible floor plan
• Installing two modular, foldable partition walls to create versatile learning zones
• Covering the first two months of rent while works are underway
• Purchasing 20 new ergonomic office chairs for safe, comfortable learning
• Installing an AC unit for year-round temperature control
• Adding a portable water fountain for clean drinking water access
• Installing CCTV for enhanced safety and safeguarding of young people and staff
• Providing a one-year licence for podcast and audio design software

Who this project supports:

The Heart of Brixton directly supports communities most affected by health and social inequalities in the borough. This includes:

• Black, Asian, and ethnic minority young people facing systemic barriers to the creative industries
• People on low incomes who often lack access to safe, well-equipped learning environments
• People living with disabilities, through new accessibility improvements and inclusive design
• Young people in or leaving care, who will be offered creative training, mentoring, and community connection

By creating a safe, welcoming, and inspiring hub, this project supports the wider neighbourhood health collaboration in Brixton — improving wellbeing, confidence, and sense of belonging among groups most at risk of social isolation.

What difference it will make for our community:

The project will repurpose up to 700 sqft of underused office space into a youth-led cultural and creative facility. At least 150 young people each year will access the hub for training, co-design, and enterprise support. 

The project tackles the root causes of inequality by providing equitable access to creative and digital skills training. It promotes social inclusion, reduces isolation, and connects young people to new opportunities in Lambeth’s thriving creative sector. 93% of all young people we have supported stated that we provide them with a ‘safe space to express themselves’. The space will be co-designed by 10 local young people through Trash Gxng Academy’s youth-led design programme, embedding community voice at every stage.

Why this project will succeed:

Trash Gxng Academy is an established Lambeth-based non-profit that delivers creative skills programmes for underrepresented youth. We have a proven track record of supporting our communities in Lambeth with over 90% of our interventions supporting global majority young people and over 80% identify as being economically disadvantaged or low income households.

With youth co-design, targeted inclusion of underrepresented groups, and a focus on health, safety, and wellbeing, The Heart of Brixton: Youth Creative Hub will become a beacon for collaborative regeneration.