Kingston charity launches FUSEBOX as a new creative space for young performers

Kingston-based charity Creative Youth has launched a six-month pilot of FUSEBOX, a new space for young artists to showcase their work.
Located underneath John Lewis, the basement space was renovated on AS a joint project supported by the charity, Kingston Council, John Lewis, and the Mayor of London.
Creative Youth was founded in 2008 to support the artistic talent of young people aged between five and 26.
Creative Youth’s Chair Robin Hutchinson MBE said: “It has been a dream for Creative Youth to have a home to support young talent to explore and develop their cultural ideas and practices.”
As part of the pilot season, FUSEBOX holds scratch nights, named Creative Sparks, for young artists to perform their developing projects to members of the public.
Creative Sparks hosts different types of performances from experimental dance pieces and play excerpts to debut musical performances and DJ sets.
“FUSEBOX gives us that opportunity in a remarkable new space that will be a playground for the imagination,” Hutchinson said.
Creative Youth said FUSEBOX offers young people the space to experiment without risk, as well as providing networking and mentoring opportunities.
The basement space holds the remains of the 12th century Kingston Bridge, which had been hidden under the department store for 30 years.
Two free art exhibitions covering topics of Black mental health and material threadwork feature, to celebrate previous and current artists as part of the Creative Talent Programme in the charity.
FUSEBOX will run comedy nights on April 12, 19 and 26, as well as several art exhibitions celebrating the creative productions in Kingston on April 20.