Introduction
In 2025 Rotherham will become the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture.
This title is a bold mandate bestowed upon Rotherham by its children and young people. Children’s Capital of Culture belongs to our children and young people, and has done since 2017, when they reimagined a Rotherham filled with even more creative venues, cultural festivals, outdoor activities, and community gardens – as well as flying cars, powered by clouds!
Since then, we have been working with Rotherham’s children and young people to realise their Manifesto for Reimagining Rotherham. From celebrating a cinema reopening in Rotherham for the first time in thirty years, to reimagining museums, to launching new music festivals, pop-up skate parks, and exhibitions curated by children and young people, we’re working together to fill our borough with culture, creativity and community!
Children’s Capital of Culture is an open invitation for individuals and organisations to help the children and young people of Rotherham realise this dream. It is a project led by children and young people but delivered in partnership with artists, communities, performers, musicians, and more.
So, if you have an idea for our festival year, and want to be part of this unstoppable movement towards a borough that embraces the ideas of its children and young people, empowers them to ignite their imaginations, and equips them with the skills to co-create the future they dream of, then read on…
Everyone is welcome
It is important to us that Children’s Capital of Culture is a fair and equal programme, giving everyone the opportunity to take part and supporting those who need help, guidance or alternative options to submit their ideas.
We ask that people with ideas for activities they would like to make happen as part of our 2025 festival year first complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) form to tell us a bit more about their plans.
These are requested by default to be submitted in writing, but if you would prefer to submit your application as a video or audio recording, which talks us through your idea and answers the questions in the EOI form verbally, then this is fine too.
Video or audio recordings can be sent to ccoc@rotherham.gov.uk, with the subject line ‘Festival Year EOI submission.’
If English isn’t your first language and you need any of the guidance or support – including forms translating, or help from an interpreter – then just let us know by contacting our Programme Coordinator, Sarah Williams, at sarah.williams@rotherham.gov.uk or 01709 254964. And please don’t worry about overcoming dyslexia and other challenges – we aren’t interested in your grammar or spelling, we’re here to support your ideas and celebrate your creativity, imagination, and cultural ambition.