Formerly 'Viral', Lighthouse Young Creatives is our acclaimed mentoring scheme assisting young people to pursue careers in the creative industries.

Why does Viral exist?

As public funding cuts continue across all areas of life, many support services that may have been available in the past, through local authorities and other public bodies, have decreased or disappeared, with greater demand and competition for the support that remains. As an arts organisation that receives public funding, Lighthouse has a role and responsibility to help address this gap.

Brighton & Hove is home to a thriving digital and creative sector, full of jobs and potential for the next generation. But these opportunities aren’t always accessible, or visible, to young people from all backgrounds.

Viral aims to help change that, by supporting participants to develop their technical and creative skills, build their confidence and improve their professional prospects. The project opens up alternative pathways to creative and digital careers, benefiting both the young people and the industry.

We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to engage with culture and creativity, no matter who they are, or what advantages they’ve had.

How does Viral work?

The project is designed around the interests and needs of the participants. Over the course of six months the young people take part in weekly training sessions led by experienced artists and creative professionals, held in Lighthouse’s training spaces and at Bottega Rooms, where they have access to a recording studio.

The participants work with artists and professionals; Abraham Moughrabi (Music and Production), Megan Clifton (Music and Performance), MOBO award-winning video director Reece Proctor (Film and Creative Management) and Lauren Joy Kennett (Film and Photography). The participants are also supported by Bex Fidler and Sarah Brownlow, skilled creative producers with years of experience managing creative projects that work with young people.

Through the practical advice provided by the mentors, the young people are also able to learn about the day-to-day realities of life as a professional creative.

The growing community of young creatives, mentors and businesses is hugely valuable. Past participants can return as peer-mentors, and many new collaborations emerge through the connections formed during the project. Lighthouse also holds regular Open Session events that enable even more young people to learn from the project and mentors.

Partnerships with local businesses

A vital part of Viral is bringing the young people together with professionals and businesses in the city. As well as providing sponsorship to help make the project financially possible, our business partners run workshops and skills development sessions for the participants, covering topics such as branding, budgeting, digital marketing and data analysis.

These partnerships enable the young people to build confidence and gain a greater understanding of how different workplaces operate, as well as offering the businesses a chance to get to know the younger generation.

We’re continuing to work with our founding sponsors Brandwatch and Brilliant Noise, and we’re looking for other sponsors in the city’s creative and digital industries. If you’d like to find out more about supporting the project, get in touch.

If you’d like to support the project you can make a donation here.

Open Sessions

During the Viral programme we hold monthly, public Open Session events, featuring invited artists and creative professionals speaking about their career pathways. Lighthouse Open Sessions began during our Last Dance programme and continue to provide a social space for discussion and connection.

Lighthouse Young Creatives is supported by: