Kids

Roundhouse Studios
Age group: 13-25
Set up in 2000, the Roundhouse’s eight-week summer term programme offers 32 arts-based courses covering five creative areas, including performing arts, music, film, TV, radio and digital media. In addition, a schedule of special events include Network Night, a chance to share ideas with other artists, while weekly Base Sessions offer emerging young talent support and advice from creative industry professionals. More courses are available, see their website for details.
Cost: Regular membership is free; special membership is £10 per person or £15 per family per year and includes one free workshop/term and cheap tickets for Roundhouse performances and special events.
Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, London, NW1 8EH (0870 389 1846/www.roundhouse.org.uk/studios) Chalk Farm tube. Feature continues

Old Vic New Voices
Age group: 8-25
The Old Vic provides mentoring and nurturing for new creative talent aiming for a career in theatre. The New Voices Club provides the chance for young writers, producers, actors and directors to meet like minded peers at a series of social events, masterclasses and workshops run year-round by industry professionals including the theatre’s artistic director and Hollywood veteran Kevin Spacey. See the Old Vic website to download the most recent programme of events.
Cost: From free, prices differ for each course, see the programme for further details.
The Old Vic, 103 The Cut, Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8NB (0870 060 6628/www.oldvictheatre.com/ovnv) Waterloo tube/rail.

National Gallery, Get Into Art!
Age group: 12-17
The National Gallery’s practical art workshops offer young adults a chance to develop a portfolio of art, learning from contemporary sculptors and painters and offers full use of the gallery’s studio space and equipment. No experience is required and all materials are provided. Workshop schedule varies by month in addition to social events, lectures, discussion groups and study days: check website for details.
Cost: Free but advance booking essential. To book call 0207 747 2894.
National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN (020 7747 2885/www.nationalgallery.org.uk) Charing Cross tube/rail.

Dulwich Picture Gallery
Age group: 11-18
Offers excellent portfolio-building courses for older teens who are serious about art, as well as after-school classes focusing on developing specific techniques for 11- to 14-year-olds.
Cost: From free
Dulwich Picture Gallery, 7 Gallery Rd, SE21 (020 8299 8732/www.dulwichpicture gallery.org.uk). West Dulwich rail.

National Portrait Gallery’s Young People’s Programme
Age group: 14-21
Practical music, photography, poetry, drawing and art workshops are led by well-known artists and aim to explore various aspects of portraiture, inspired by the gallery’s permanent collection or temporary exhibitions. Day-long Sunday Sessions are held on the first Sunday of the month while the free-to-join creative Youth Forum – a social group for budding artists – meets once a month on Thursday evenings. All events and workshops are free and run throughout the year. See website for a current programme.
Cost: Free; to book email youthbookings@npg.org.uk or call 020 7312 2483. To join the Youth Forum, contact Rachel Moss, Young People's Programmes Manager, at rmoss@npg.org.uk.
National Portrait Gallery, St Martin's Place, London, WC2H 0HE (020 7306 0055/www.npg.org.uk) Charing Cross tube/rail.

Somerset House Studio Days
Age group: 13-18
Studio days for teenagers to tie-in with works from the Courtauld Gallery and exhibitions in Somerset House's new Embankment Galleries. The days run from 10.30am-6pm and combine engagement with the works and teenagers creating their own responses to it. Next up on Nov 22 is 'Urban Jungles' to respond to the current 'Wouldn't it be Nice' show.
Cost: £10; booking essential: contact learningbookings@somersethouse.org.uk.
Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA (020 7845 4600/www.somersethouse.org.uk). Cahring Cross tube/rail or Temple tube.

South London Gallery
Age group: not specified
The SLG has a number of ongoing, often refreshingly quirky, projects for teenagers. The peer-led young people’s forum meets every Thursday with the aim of gaining an insight into the workings of a contemporary art gallery. The forum is currently working toward organising its own event/party/performance for people in a similar age group inspired by Rivane Neuenschwander’s exhibition. The forum will be recruiting again in January 2009, and the group will work with the artists, curators and other gallery staff. The forum is free to join.
Cost: From free
South London Gallery, 65 Peckham Rd, London, SE5 8UH (020 7703 6120/www.southlondongallery.org). Tue-Sun 12noon-6pm. Oval tube.

The Photographers’ Gallery Teen Talks
Age group: 14-19
Aimed at exploring the appreciation and interpretation of visual art, young critics in waiting are helped to research, develop and deliver a twenty-minute talk on a current exhibition at the gallery. Artists and gallery curators provide support, feedback and advice, offering opportunities to attend exhibition-related talks and private views. Work experience is also offered.
Cost: Participation is free, to take part email projects@photonet.org.uk, see website for dates of up-and-coming talks.
Photographers' Gallery, 5 & 8 Great Newport Street, London, WC2H 7HY (020 7831 1772/www.photonet.org.uk) Leicester Square tube.

Tate Modern’s Raw Canvas
Age group: 15-23
A fun, activity-based youth initiative aimed at encouraging the appreciation and critique of contemporary art. Regular peer-led events run year round and include weekend and evening workshops, social events and holiday short courses run by artists, designers, curators and cultural critics. A broad knowledge of art is not essential.
Cost: All events are free, see website for 2008 events. To book call 020 7887 3959 or email education.bookings@tate.org.uk.
Tate Modern, Bankside, London, SE1 9TG (020 7887 8888/www.tate.org.uk) Southwark tube, Blackfriars tube/rail.

Saatchi Gallery
Age group: 6-14
The gallery launches its interactive workshops for young artists. The first workshop in November is aimed at teenagers and will include a talk and project based on current exhibition ‘The Revolution Continues: New Art From China’. The talk, featuring Wu Shanzhuan’s graffiti-inspired paintings, will introduce ideas about political pop and expressivism in contemporary Chinese art. Participants will have the chance to take to the studio and create their own political pop-inspired work after the talk.
Cost: TBC. Call for details.
Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, SW3 (020 7811 3087/www.saatchigallery.com). Sloane Square tube.

National Theatre
Age group: 15-19 (Entry Pass); 11-19 (NT Young Company)
The NT’s Entry Pass is a young person’s membership scheme that offers £5 tickets to most of the theatres shows in addition to free pre- and post-show talks and backstage tours. Plus, The NT Young Company provides training for aspiring writers and actors, auditions for the group are held in September – all applications are considered.
Cost: Free. Application forms and free workpacks for various shows are available on the theatre’s website.
National Theatre , South Bank, London, SE1 9PX (020 7452 3400/www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/entrypass) Waterloo tube/rail.

BAC
Age group: 12-25
BAC YPT gives participants the chance to create theatre productions, work with professionals in the field and perform their work on stage. The terms run for ten weeks, are suitable for all levels of experience and include free tickets to all BAC shows. Age 12-25.
Cost: £3-£65
BAC, Lavender Hill, SW11(020 7223 2223/www.bac.org.uk). Clapham Junction rail.

Wigmore Hall
Age group: 15+
Designed to better young people’s access to classical music, Wigmore Hall run a series of day-long workshops throughout the year. Recent highlights include ‘Discover Your Voice’, where choral leader Gillian Dibden demonstrated how Karl Jenkins's work 'The Armed Man: a Mass for Peace' was influenced by a variety of musical forms, teaching excerpts which participants performed on stage at the end of the day.
Cost: From free, see website for details of up-and-coming events.
Wigmore Hall, 36 Wigmore Street, London, W1U 2BP (020 7935 2141/www.wigmore-hall.org.uk) Bond Street tube.

Royal Court Young Writer’s Programme
Age group: 16-18 (Summer Theatre Project); 18-25 (Introduction to Playwriting)
Currently run by resident playwriting tutor Leo Butler, this 11-week evening course based at the theatre aims to encourage and support new writers of contemporary drama. Recent graduate and ambassador for the course, 21-year-old playwright Polly Stenham’s ‘That Face’ debuted at the Royal Court before receiving its West End transfer to the Duke of York Theatre. The week-long intensive Summer Theatre Project is available for younger writers and takes place in August.
Cost: Introduction to Playwriting: £50-£100; Summer Theatre Project £50.
Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London, SW1W 8AS (020 7565 5000/www.royalcourttheatre.com) Sloane Square tube.

Half Moon Young People’s Theatre
Age group: up to 18
This small theatre in Limehouse focuses on work for and with young people up to the age of 18. It has a particular emphasis upon engaging those often excluded in terms of culture and ability, with seven youth theatre groups. Every year Half Moon commissions a show for teenagers in consultation with young people in London. The theatre also has an extensive work experience programme. In the pipeline are plans for a VJing project, an extension to the youth theatre programme and a major artform development project, Exchange for Change. Next year the focus will be on work for teenagers.
Cost: £5.
Half Moon Young People’s Theatre, 43 White Horse Rd, E1 (020 7265 8138/www.halfmoon.org.uk) Limehouse DLR/rail.

Young Vic
The theatre’s work with young people is mainly focused on those living in the local boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. Opportunities to get involve include workshops for developing theatre skills; parallel productions running alongside those playing in the main house; projects to develop independent theatre-going; and opportunities to learn about careers in theatre (acting, directing and technical). See website for details of upcoming courses.
Young Vic, 66 The Cut, SE1 (020 7922 2922/www.youngvic.org/get-involved/young-people). Southwark rail or Waterloo tube/rail.