I’ve been sniffing around the building site at the back of John Lewis in Kingston for ages. I had heard the renovation was going to include a co-working space. This piqued my interest!

I had also heard that the project would include some space for Creative Youth. They are a local charity working with young people to help them nurture and develop their creativity.

I was delighted to receive an email from Creative Youth a couple of weeks ago. It was an invitation to the launch of FUSEBOX, the new home for Creative Youth underneath John Lewis. 

There’s still lots of building work going on, including the co-working space, FUSEBOX is now open for its pilot phase. Over the next few months, Creative Youth will be holding a series of test events. It’s an opportunity to welcome the local community whilst finalising the space.  

Launch Event

On Friday, I excitedly headed off, with my invite, to FUSEBOX. I was greeted by the PR Manager when I arrived. Also with her was Archie, our tour guide, and Chiyana, one of the artists whose work was on display. 

Whilst waiting for the other guests to arrive, I chatted with a lovely Journalism student from Kingston University. As we chatted, I found myself wishing there had been a space like FUSEBOX when I was younger. It would’ve been great to get to know and hang out with other creatives. Come to think of it, a space like FUSEBOX for adults would also be fantastic!

History and Art Combined

Once everyone had arrived, our tour began. One of the exciting things about the venue is the way it combines creativity with history. Many of the features have been part of the site for time. It includes the footings of the original Kingston Bridge and a medieval cellar. The cellar was used to store goods when they came off the river, before there onwards journey to market. You can see both of these structures from the entrance. But they look even more incredible from the basement, which also houses art installations and a stage. 

As the tour continued, we headed to the basement, which opened into the most incredible space. The basements design is really clever. It’s an open space that can be divided to accommodate multiple events and displays.

Meeting the Artists

We met one of the resident artists, Chiyana Ankhrah, whose photos focus on raising awareness about mental health in the black community and trying to break the stigma within their communities around seeking help for their mental health. 

Chiyana took us on a journey through four installations, explaining the meaning behind each one. 

Next, we saw the artwork of a current Creative Talent Programme artist, Tanvi Ranjan. 

Through her artwork, Tanvi explores the relationship between humans and machines, the techniques of textile making and the role of women in sculpting the future of the digital and information age. 

Also in the basement is the only permanent feature, a stunning vibrant mural, and a stage for the young creatives to perform.

Scratch Night!

I was lucky enough to stay on after the tour to enjoy the scratch night. If you’re unsure of what a scratch night is (admittedly, I had to google it when I received my invite to the event!), it’s a platform for artists to ‘test’ their material on a live audience. 

I saw three very different performances from some incredibly talented young people who are part of the Creative Youth community. Sadly, as it was a scratch night, I can’t tell you much about the individual performances because the performances we saw probably won’t be the final versions. But one secret I’ll let you into is that Creative Youth are working with some brilliant young talent, and I do not doubt that we will see many of them on stage or on our tv and cinema screens in the future. 

Creative Minds

And I, for one, can’t wait to see more live performances and young artists displaying their work at FUSEBOX in the future. 

My biggest takeaway from the event? I feel torn between excitement for the future of of young creative minds in Kingston Upon Thames, AND complete and utter envy that I didn’t get to experience something like this as a kid! The space oozes creativity and as I walked around, I couldn’t help but think that those basement walls have got some very exciting times ahead.

The whole area between the back of John Lewis and the riverside is being slowly being transformed. Landscaping, seating, and a cafe are all to come. I can’t wait to see what it looks like once it’s complete, and who knows, I might even find myself a nice little co-working space there!

Click here to find out more about Creative Youth and FUSEBOX.

Thank you to Creative Youth for inviting me to this fantastic event.