National Saturday Club: Creativity, Heritage and Youth Voice in Kirklees

In early 2025, Kirklees Museums and Galleries partnered with the University of Huddersfield to deliver the National Saturday Club - a six-month creative programme that gave local young people the chance to explore art, design, and heritage in exciting new ways.

From January to May, around 20 young people aged 13-16 took part in weekly sessions across our museums, historic sites, and cultural venues. Their commitment and enthusiasm made the project a vibrant journey of creativity, confidence, and connection.

Creative journeys across Kirklees

One of the most exciting aspects of the programme was the variety of venues involved. The group sketched, collaged, and printed at the West Yorkshire Print Workshop; explored textiles and architecture at the Barbara Hepworth Building; and found inspiration at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Sessions at Tolson Museum and Oakwell Hall encouraged them to link their creative work directly with local history.

A key highlight was working in the photography studios at the Barbara Hepworth Building at the University of Huddersfield. Here, the young people learned to experiment with image-making, exploring how photography can be used to express identity and place.

By moving between these different settings, the young people discovered that art and design are never separate from the world around us - they are closely tied to place, history, and community.

Skills and inspiration

Over 16 weeks, the group tried their hand at a wide range of creative disciplines. They explored quick ideas through sketching and collage, learned the craft of printmaking and textiles, and experimented with architecture and sculpture to think in three dimensions. Photography and music offered powerful ways to express identity and personal stories.

The club explored the themes of identity, place, and change, encouraging reflection on personal experience as well as on the wider world. The final piece, titled What We Leave Behind, reflected on the legacy of ideas and materials, drawing inspiration from the museum collection while also considering sustainability and the environment.

All of this work was rooted in Kirklees' rich collections. From the Votes for Women gallery and the Bird Room at Tolson Museum, to the transport displays and the atmospheric period rooms at Oakwell Hall, heritage became a springboard for fresh artistic expression.

Impact on young people

The Saturday Club proved to be a real turning point for many participants. Some began to imagine future creative careers, while others simply enjoyed the chance to try new techniques, collaborate with their peers, and build confidence.

Parents also noticed the difference, telling us how their children returned home from sessions energised, inspired, and more engaged than they had been in other activities. For us, this underlines just how important it is to offer creative, supportive spaces for young people in Kirklees.

Legacy

In July, the programme culminated in a special highlight: a graduation trip to London. The young people visited Somerset House, where they saw What We Leave Behind, created collaboratively with artist Benaiah Matheson, displayed alongside work from Saturday Clubs across the country. Before its journey to London, the piece was also showcased at the Summer Show at the University of Huddersfield, giving the group the chance to celebrate their achievements locally.

For many, this was their first experience of exhibiting in a professional context, and it gave them a real sense of belonging to a wider creative community. Importantly, the Saturday Club was completely free for participants, made possible through funding from the University of Huddersfield, ensuring access for all.

The legacy of the project continues. It has opened up new career possibilities for participants, while also helping our museum service learn more about how best to engage and support this age group. We have already shared these insights at the GEM (Group for Education in Museums) conference this September, alongside colleagues from the National Saturday Club, and we look forward to building on this success in the years ahead.