21 April 2026
Venture Arts has been awarded £200,000 through Youth Music’s national Shift the Scene Fund, supporting new creative opportunities for learning disabled and neurodivergent young people in Manchester.
Youth Music has announced the recipients of its £2.25 million Shift the Scene Fund, a major national programme designed to improve access to the arts and creative education for disabled children and young people across the UK. Venture Arts is one of 13 organisations selected from more than 150 applicants nationwide.
This funding will support Venture Arts to expand opportunities for learning disabled and neurodivergent young people to develop their creative practice, explore new ideas and take part in ambitious artist-led activity where Disabled voices shape what happens next.
Venture Arts is an award-winning visual arts organisation based in Hulme, Manchester, working with learning disabled and neurodivergent artists. The organisation supports artists to build sustainable creative lives through studio practice, exhibitions, commissions, residencies and partnerships across the UK and internationally.
The Shift the Scene Fund responds to findings from Youth Music’s national Excluded by Design report, which highlights the systemic barriers Disabled young people continue to face when accessing the arts, creative education and employment opportunities.
The report found that Disabled young people participate less in the arts than their non-Disabled peers, experience shorter-term engagement and are less likely to take part in creative activity outside the home. It also highlights that Disabled young people are significantly underrepresented within the creative workforce.
Through this funding, Venture Arts will continue developing accessible creative pathways for young people, building confidence, skills and opportunities to shape their own futures as artists and cultural contributors.
“Youth Music’s support will enable Venture Arts to expand paid residencies, training and progression pathways for learning-disabled and neurodivergent artists in our local area, strengthening access to creative careers and increasing representation across Manchester’s cultural sector. What is unique is our co-designed, disabled-led model that places lived experience at the centre of decision-making. We’re especially excited by the opportunity to deepen sector change, develop inclusive progression routes, and support young artists to lead.”
Katherine Long, Head of Creative Development, Venture Arts
“Unfortunately the arts sector is still failing Disabled young people. Although our Excluded by Design report charts some good practice, there is still lots of work to do. We’re tackling this head-on through this £2.25million fund, made possible thanks to National Lottery funding via Arts Council England. Crucially, Shift the Scene will provide long-term investment to equalise access and help create lasting change.”
Carol Reid, Youth Music Interim Co-CEO
Find out more about Youth Music’s Shift the Scene Fund: https://www.youthmusic.org.uk/funding/funding/i-need-funding/shift-scene-fund
Press contact:
For more information, please contact Kristy Stott, Marketing and Communications Manager at comms@venturearts.org
