What a fantastic year it has been! The Summer Show was a wonderful celebration of the outstanding achievements of Saturday Clubs from across the UK.
A sincere thank you to over 2,000 Club members, 107 Saturday Clubs, 80 universities, colleges, and cultural institutions hosting the Clubs, 400+ tutors, 200+ student assistants, and the 175 Masterclass givers who supported the programme this year. The National Saturday Club thrives because of your commitment, energy, and dedication.
The Summer Show exhibition and Graduation Ceremonies were filled with unforgettable moments, showcasing the ideas, creativity and innovation of young people across the nation.
Discover our highlights below…
1. Admiring Club members’ projects on display at Somerset House
“Saturday Club is so important because it allows young people to engage in education in a different way, which they don’t usually get to do.” Jordan Campbell, Club tutor at University of West London Society&Change Club
The Summer Show featured an impressive array of creations, including prints, podcasts, short films, ceramics, zines, embroidery, robotics, illustrations, bookbinding, papercraft, garment construction, poetry, animations, 3D printing, posters, wire sculptures, and more! The diversity and creativity of the Club members’ work was truly inspiring.
This exhibition was made possible by the generous support of Somerset House, Dallas-Pierce-Quintero, Studio Quercus, Pelekinesis, Kitmapper, Beam Lighting Design, Rockit Event Production, Lettice Events, Imagination and Arcola Products. Thank you!
2. Celebrating Club members at their Graduation Ceremony
“Youth is not about age but about the courage to chase dreams relentlessly” Sim Scavazza, Guest speaker
This year’s Graduation Ceremonies, kindly hosted by the prestigious Institution of Engineering and Technology, wonderfully celebrated the achievements of the Club members who have achieved so much at their Saturday Clubs!
We extend special thanks to guest speakers Robin Belfield, Nyasha Daley, Lucy Kennedy, Tom Ryalls, Sim Scavazza, and compère, Liam Shea.
3. Welcoming guests to the Private View
“I needed to be up there so I can give a genuine representation of how impactful the National Saturday Club was for me!” Liam, National Saturday Club alumni and Youth Board member
It was wonderful to welcome guests from across the National Saturday Club’s network in further education, the creative and cultural sector, government and policy to the Summer Show Private View.
In a co-curated performance, guided by multi-disciplinary artist and producer Nyasha Daley, alumni members shared their experience of the National Saturday Club programme and the impact it’s had on them as the have progressed towards their future in the creative sector and beyond.
Additionally, we heard from Diana Spiegelberg, Deputy Director at Somerset House, Sir Nigel Carrington, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Lucy Kennedy, Chief Executive of the National Saturday Club.
4. Reading your ‘Future Aspirations’ on the chalkboard!
This year, a giant chalkboard with three prompts: “I hope to achieve…”, “I want to be…”, and “I will always…” captured the aspirations of Club members and those who attended the Summer Show. Here are a few examples:
‘I will always love my family and friends’
‘I will always stay cool’
‘I will always achieve the best I can for myself’
‘I want to dream big’
‘I want to be the reason the world lives in harmony’
‘I want to be a film director’
‘I hope to achieve eternal happiness’
‘I hope to achieve peace of mind’
‘I hope to achieve everything’
5. Enjoying the Screening Room curated by Film&Screen Club members
“Taking part in a Film&Screen Saturday Club is a fun way to help you get a feel for the different jobs available in screen and might just help you decide if a career in screen is for you (we hope it is).” Sara Whybrew, Director of Skills and Workforce Development, British Film Institute (BFI)
Film&Screen Saturday Club delves into the vast world of film, media, and screen, covering everything from production and sound design to VFX and animation. The Screening Room highlighted an array of films made by Club members throughout the year, featuring comedy skits, horror films, music videos, and animations!
The Film&Screen Saturday Club is supported by the British Film Institute (BFI) awarding National Lottery funding.
6. Publishing this year’s edition of the POST
This year’s Club member publication, the POST, included interviews with the National Saturday Club Youth Board and industry professionals, a round-up of the national programme including the London Visit and Masterclasses, plus, a massive poster of Club member self-portraits!
Thank you to the team at Pentagram!
7. Exploring the Online Summer Show
If you missed the Summer Show exhibition at Somerset House you can still visit the Online Summer Show! The virtual galleries feature Club members’ work, behind the scenes insights, Masterclasses, Self-Portraits, and more. Click to explore
Thank you to the team at Imagination!
Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who made the Summer Show possible!
Thank you to our sponsors, funders and partners for enabling another fantastic National Saturday Club year: Arts Council England, National Lottery, Department for Education, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, British Fashion Council, British Film Institute (BFI), Clore Duffield Foundation, Howdens, Pentland Brands and Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust.