Shifting the balance – how culture enables young people to become leaders

London Borough of Culture can be a catalyst to shift the relationship between councils and the creative potential on their doorsteps.  In 2018, Lambeth received the Mayor of London's Cultural Impact Award, as part of the London Borough of Culture Programme. The grant of £200,000 launched Elevate – with the mission to inspire the next generation of culturally diverse artists and industry leaders.

Abstract Benna is a leader, storyteller, spoken word artist and Lambeth’s Poet Laureate who was involved in the Elevate programme right from the start. We met with him to hear about his journey.

So tell us, how did you get into this?
I have been writing since the age of eight - it stemmed from listening to rap music, and then I moved into script writing. I realised I was in love with storytelling, but being on set just wasn't for me. So I kept the storytelling aspect and combined it with music, and that's where my journey began.

In terms of being a poet laureate, that arose from the Elevate programme. Elevate, funded by the London Borough of Culture, exists to open up the creative and cultural sector for Lambeth residents.

After seeing the success of Elevate and the impact it had on future industry leaders, I pitched the idea of being a Poet Laureate to Lambeth Council. They went with it, and we had the official launch in the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall last year.

What opportunities have arisen out of being a Poet Laureate for Lambeth?
The poet laureate award is a recognition for what I have done to date. I’ve been involved in school talks and workshops to inspire the next generation of leaders. The benefit for me has been networking and meeting different people in the entertainment industry, which has allowed me to grow.

Can you talk to me about the impact of Elevate?
Elevate was borne out of the London Borough of Culture bid, it funded different activity in the borough, from coding to multimedia projects, work placements to masterclasses.

I was part of the programme’s creative panel, which empowered the emerging creatives involved to grow and shape our individual career paths while getting involved in a social community project with a greater impact.

The real impact for me was the peer-to-peer support. I really enjoyed the consultancy aspect of my role at Elevate. I developed leadership skills, and it allowed me to talk to young people who were getting involved and filter that information back to the council. We actively worked together to shape the programme.

Elevate is still running and has built a legacy by creating young leaders. I still support talks for the programme, and its impact can still be felt. 

What did Elevate mean to you?
Elevate enabled me to have my creative contribution valued and taken into account. I have had experiences where young people are placed on panels and play a performative role. Their opinions don’t go anywhere, and they don’t get to push the conversation forward and make a difference. Through Elevate, we could see our perspectives were consistently shifting things from writing to funding applications.

Tell us what's next for you.
I am the poet laureate for Lambeth until October 2023. I want to use this year to build networks and help build a platform for the laureate award. I released an EP called ‘Out of Darkness’ last year, and I am also working on a book, so watch this space.

Why is the London Borough of Culture funding so important for young people?Elevate enabled me to speak with more young people outside of my network, compare our lived experiences, and realise that they transcend cultural boundaries. Programs such as Elevate offer young people control and ownership over their city. There is a lot of talent here, as we know - in Lambeth and London.  The true worth of a city lies in empowering young leaders to exercise control over their talents.

Find out more about Abstract Benna's work on their website.
Explore Lambeth's Elevate programme and accomplishments. 

London Borough of Culture supports and empowers young leaders. Find out more about how the Mayor’s London Borough of Culture programme is open for councils to bid to be the next to hold the Title Award.