Creative opportunities for under-26s in Birmingham and Sandwell

Birmingham Opera Company is developing a new year-round programme for young people aged 16-25 across Birmingham.

Summer 2026

This summer, Birmingham Opera Company will be bringing together young people from youth centres and community organisations across Birmingham and Sandwell to create a collection of original digital performances.

Working with professional artists, participants will explore themes that matter to them through spoken word, music, singing, movement, dance and digital storytelling. Each group will create its own response, reflecting the unique experiences, ideas and perspectives of its community.

Together, these pieces will form a city-wide digital anthology celebrating the creativity, diversity and voices of young people across Birmingham and Sandwell.

Alongside making new work, participants will build confidence, develop creative and communication skills, meet new people and explore future opportunities with Birmingham Opera Company.

No previous experience is needed, just curiosity, creativity and a willingness to get involved.

2026 and beyond

Working alongside professional artists, participants will explore music, performance, movement, storytelling, digital creativity and production, helping to shape the future of Birmingham Opera Company while developing skills that can be used in work, education and everyday life.

Our partners include and have included organisations such as Factory Young People's Centre, YMCA West Bromwich, ME Dance and others across Birmingham and Sandwell.

Building on relationships developed through our Four Hubs and Sandwell Creates programmes, we're creating more opportunities for young people to take part year-round. 

Get involved

Interested in taking part?

Register your interest here and we'll keep you updated about workshops, events, training opportunities and future projects.

Interested in working with us?

If you're involved in partnering with us, drop our Associate Artist Nyasha Gudo a line to chat about how we can work together - email [email protected]. 

Support this work

We're launching this programme thanks to support from Big Give and our "Voices of the Future" donors. Every contribution helps us create more opportunities for young people across Birmingham and Sandwell. Donations made through our Big Give campaign will be doubled during the campaign period 22-29 June. 

Click here to find out more about our Big Give campaign.

Our work with young people

In January to March 2026, we worked with the young people at Factory Young People's Centre to create "The Stage is Yours" with participants performing original songs and covers alongside professional Birmingham Opera Company musicians. We're now working on a new project as part of our Summer 2026 activity. 

The performers for The Stage is Yours at Factory Young People's Centre

Over in Sandwell, we worked in partnership with YMCA West Bromwich in 2025 to explore creativity with a group of young people aged 16-25, alongside our 'Songs of Sandwell' open workshops as part of Sandwell Literature Festival. "Are you ready to be heard?" was free performance of new music and new writing, created and performed by our Songs of Sandwell Emerging Artists.

And we also co-created a brand new dance piece, bringing together ME Dance Youth performers and professional composer Milicent B James and poet Sipho Eric Ndlovu. The final piece was sung by soprano and winner of Voice of Black Opera Awards Rachel Duckett and, with  Birmingham Opera Company's ensemble.