Voice for Youth - how it went

Last week we hosted our first Voice for Youth, an event dedicated to gathering young people’s feedback on a variety of topics, including the development of our new home at Harmony Works. The event took place at Sheffield College’s Silver Plate, a unique restaurant where catering students gain hands-on experience in a real working environment.

The evening featured performances from three talented students who had successfully auditioned for the event.

Our Youth Co-Lead, Samuella, led duscussions from young people on a variety of topics.

We discussed “What does Music Hub means to you?”. This led to insightful discussions about accessibility, with students highlighting the perception of music hubs being traditionally associated with an "upper-class classical" perspective.

“What could the Music Hub do for you?” which sparked meaningful conversations about how the Hub can be more inclusive and meet the needs of all students.

We discussed the Music Hub rebrand, inviting young to suggest new names. These suggestions will be shortlisted, and the final three options will be put to a public vote on social media—so keep an eye out for that!

Samuella facilitated a discussion on bridging the gap between young musicians and the music industry. This was an area of strong interest among the students, who shared ideas on how the Hub could create more opportunities for real-world connections.

The evening featured an architect working on the Harmony Works building, who presented updates based on previous student feedback. Students had the chance to explore design concepts for the space, discuss how different rooms could be used, and share ideas about the overall aesthetic.

A break during the event featured high-quality food prepared by Sheffield College’s catering students. This informal setting encouraged more open conversations, with students becoming increasingly engaged and offering additional feedback.

We are committed to gathering and acting upon feedback from young people and everything discussed and fed back during the event will be carefully reviewed and embedded into our ongoing development plans. As the music hub for Sheffield, we want to make every part of every young musician’s musical journey the best possible experience. Our work if for young people and should be shaped by young people.

We’re already looking forward to the next Voice for Youth event in July, where we will continue building on these ideas. Stay tuned for more updates—your voices are shaping the future of the Music Hub!