CSES has been working with ARU, Culture Chelmsford and the Spark! Youth Forum to bid for a significant national funding package that will enable three projects, including an expansion of the Chelmsford Science Festival. The full press release follows.
As part of a pilot project, we are seeking schools and industry partners who would be interested in holding an event focused on careers in the gaming industry (in the broadest sense). Please contact Adam Wood if you'd like to find out more.
Chelmsford, Essex – Tuesday 27 May – Young people in Chelmsford are taking the lead in shaping the city's cultural future, thanks to a major £250,000 investment from Arts Council England, through the National Lottery Place Partnership Fund. This two-year, youth-led initiative marks the largest strategic cultural grant ever awarded in the district. It represents a bold new model for youth-powered civic leadership in the UK.
The Young Cultural Changemakers Programme will put 13–25-year-olds from local youth changemakers, Spark!, in the driving seat of decision-making. They’ll deliver cultural events, influence public policy, and help build a stronger, more inclusive creative economy that will benefit the Chelmsford district. The project is produced by Culture Chelmsford, and delivered in partnership with Chelmsford City Council, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford For You, and Chelmsford College.
Formed in 2022 through the Local Cultural Education Partnership (LCEP), Spark! was established to amplify young voices, remove barriers to accessing creative opportunities and develop the next generation of civic changemakers. Now, thanks to the joint investment of Arts Council England and citywide partners, this expanded programme places young people in leadership roles, shaping Chelmsford’s cultural landscape and building pathways into the UK’s £124 billion creative industries.
Read more: CSES helps to secure major investment for Chelmsford Science Festival
CSES is delighted to announce that, following a nomination by Chelmsford County High School for Girls (CCHS), we have been selected as a winner of the 2025 SheCanCode STEM Educator Awards!
The SheCanCode team said:
Your organisation's dedication to inspiring the next generation of women in STEM has not gone unnoticed. Through your work, you’ve helped break down barriers, spark curiosity, and create more inclusive opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and maths.
Our community and judging panel were incredibly impressed by your passion, innovation, and commitment to driving change.
Our sincere thanks to Preena Kurian, Physics & STEM Lead at CCHS, with whom we have been collaborating on several projects recently and who very kindly nominated CSES for this award (citation below). We look forward to continue working with Preena and the team at CCHS!
