Most Significant Change story: Lauren, Young Curator

As part of our new approach to reflecting on our Young People’s work, we spoke to Young Curator Lauren about her experience in our 2024-25 cohort.

The approach we used for gathering and sharing this story is called Most Significant Change (MSC) – a participatory, story-based evaluation method that avoids leading questions to explore impacts and learning.

Read about Lauren’s experience below.

Lauren joined the Young Curators programme with a long-standing interest in the arts but no clear way to access it, believing that creative opportunities were not available in Leeds.

The most significant change was the increase in Lauren’s confidence and sense of possibility, shifting from feeling disconnected from the arts and believing opportunities did not exist in Leeds, to recognising her own value, building networks, and seeing a realistic pathway into a creative career.

Full story

Lauren begins by recalling the moment in July 2024 when she received a phone call offering her a place. The moment felt unexpected and exciting. ‘It was a shock… but really exciting. I remember thinking, wow, it’ll be interesting to see what happens.’ Having lived in Leeds her whole life and always considered herself creative, she had never come across an opportunity like this before. Despite wanting to immerse herself in the arts, she had not found a way in. ‘I’ve lived in Leeds my whole life and I’d never heard of anything like that… even though I’ve always wanted to get into it.’

When she attended her first session in September, she immediately noticed something different about the space. It felt welcoming, inclusive and genuinely centred around the young people in the room. ‘It felt like everyone plays a big role… you could tell that Transform really cares about everyone.’ This sense of being valued marked an important starting point. It contrasted with previous experiences where creative opportunities had felt distant or inaccessible.

In the early stages, the programme focused on discussion, research and exploration. Lauren and the other young people met regularly to learn about different art forms, festivals and ideas. For Lauren, this opened up an entirely new understanding of what art could be. ‘I’d only really known music and visual art, but I didn’t realise how many different types of art forms there are and how they can all come together.’ Just as important was the opportunity to meet other young people who shared similar interests. ‘Just meeting other young people who were creative… I’d never done that before.’ Through these conversations, ideas began to develop collectively, shaped by different perspectives and shared curiosity.

As the programme progressed into 2025, the group began working towards contributing to the festival. They developed ideas together, exploring themes around truth, politics, love and hope. ‘It was like feeling off each other and building ideas together.’ Lauren felt that these ideas were not only listened to, but genuinely taken forward. ‘It was a collective choice… our ideas were heard the whole time.’ Seeing their work become part of a larger public event strengthened her sense of agency and possibility.

Through this process, Lauren began to experience a significant shift in her confidence. While she had seen herself as somewhat confident before, this experience deepened that in new ways. ‘I feel a lot more confident now… speaking to people, sharing ideas, just being in those spaces.’ Engaging with a wide range of people and perspectives helped her feel more comfortable expressing herself and trusting her own voice. ‘My confidence really developed… in communicating, networking and believing in my abilities.’ This was closely connected to feeling valued within the group. ‘It showed me that people actually appreciate me and that I have good ideas and that I’m valued in these spaces.’

Another important change was how she viewed the arts as a potential career. Before the programme, this had not felt realistic or accessible. She had been working in an administrative role and believed that creative opportunities existed elsewhere, particularly outside Leeds. ‘I thought there was nothing here unless I moved to London… I just accepted that.’ Being paid for her participation in the programme challenged this perception in a tangible way. It helped her to see the arts as something real and achievable.

Alongside this, her perception of Leeds itself began to shift. Before, she had felt that there was little happening creatively in the city. Through the programme, meeting other young people, attending events and engaging with the festival, she discovered a very different reality. ‘There’s so much happening… there’s such a creative community in Leeds.’ She began to understand how networks and connections operate, and how people build opportunities within the city. ‘I’ve met so many people… and now I can see how everything connects.’ What had once felt closed off now felt accessible. ‘It’s always been here… I just didn’t know how to access it before.’

Reflecting on what made this change possible, Lauren points to both the opportunity itself and the way it was delivered. Being supported, listened to and included throughout the process was central. ‘You really did pour into us… it felt like we were genuinely supported.’ The programme created space for exploration, collaboration and ownership, allowing young people to shape their own ideas and see them realised. ‘It felt like anything was possible.’ At the heart of this was the simple but significant act of being invited in. ‘Just being chosen and getting the opportunity… that’s what made the difference.’

For Lauren, this experience has had a lasting impact on how she sees her future. It has expanded her sense of what is possible and given her the confidence to pursue it. She reflects on how important this is for young people more broadly, particularly at a time when they are making decisions about their lives. ‘It’s such an important time… you need to know what’s possible.’ Access to opportunities like this can open up pathways that might otherwise remain invisible. ‘To see that there’s something you can actually do and get into… if you keep putting yourself out there, you can make anything happen.’

She also emphasises the wider importance of creating spaces where young people can come together, share ideas and create work collectively. ‘Young people need somewhere to come together, share ideas and create something.’ For her, the impact of the programme goes beyond the sessions themselves. Despite relatively limited contact time, the depth of change has been significant. ‘The impact it’s had… it’s just invaluable.’

Lauren’s story reflects a clear shift. She has moved from feeling disconnected from the arts and uncertain about her place within it, to recognising herself as part of a creative community with the confidence, networks and belief to participate in it.