The Summer Show at Somerset House was an amazing celebration of an incredible year with the National Saturday Club, bringing together young people from across the UK to showcase their creativity, hard work and personal growth.
We are incredibly proud of the 2,300 young people aged 13–16 who took part in 122 Clubs across 98 colleges, universities and cultural institutions — all completely free. This year’s programme offered 78 expert-led Masterclasses delivered by 250 industry professionals, and included national events such as The Visit, Graduation, and the Summer Show.
Discover the highlights below…
1. Club members’ seeing their work at the Embankment Galleries, Somerset House
This year’s exhibition presents bold and thought-provoking work created by Club members across the UK. Featuring everything from textiles and dance to filmmaking and heritage crafts and exploring themes such as identity, sustainability and self-expression, the Summer Show offers a vibrant snapshot of what matters most to the next generation of creators and changemakers.
This exhibition was made possible by the generous support of Somerset House, Public Art Matters, Studio Quercus, Kitmapper, Beam Lighting Design and Arcola Products. Thank you!
2. Celebrating Club members at their Graduation Ceremony
This year’s Graduation Ceremonies were kindly hosted by the prestigious Institution of Engineering and Technology, providing a fitting setting to recognise the commitment and achievements of Club members.
The ceremonies were filled with energy and pride, with heartfelt speeches from Ngoni Chikwenengere, Councillor Anthony Okereke, Babak Jani, Rico Johnson-Sinclair, and Anne Morrison, and brilliantly compered by Andrew Tomlins.
3. Welcoming special guests to the Private View
The Private View welcomed guests from across the education, culture and policy sectors to experience the exhibition.
Speeches from Diana Spiegelberg (Deputy Director, Somerset House), Sir Nigel Carrington (Chair of the Board of Trustees), and Lucy Kennedy (Chief Executive, National Saturday Club) set the tone for a powerful evening. We also heard moving reflections from Club tutor Sabby Jamal and alumna Betsy Ballisch, whose words reminded us all of the transformative impact of extracurricular creative education.
4. Announced at the Private View, Goldsmiths’ Company and National Saturday Club partner to reach more young people with free Art&Design Clubs nationwide
During the Private View, Chief Executive Lucy Kennedy, announced an exciting new partnership between the National Saturday Club and The Goldsmiths’ Company. As headline subject partner for the Art&Design Saturday Club, the Goldsmiths’ Company will help expand access to free creative education over the next three years.
This year alone, more than 1,000 young people explored over 200 creative disciplines in 49 locations through the Art&Design Clubs. We are deeply grateful for the Goldsmiths’ Company’s generous support and shared belief in nurturing the next generation of creative talent.
5. Take one, Leave one Activity
Club members and guests wrote motivational messages on colourful bracelets, leaving one for someone else to discover and taking one in return. The exhibition also featured a ribbon installation, created during The Visit, where Club members shared handwritten messages and creative doodles!
6. Designing the Summer Show with the Youth Board
Members of the National Saturday Club Youth Board played a key role in shaping the Summer Show’s design.
Working closely with exhibition designer Juliet Quintero and graphic designer Tom McEvoy, they met over three sessions to offer ideas and feedback. Youth Board members wanted the exhibition to reflect the full journey of being part of a Saturday Club, not just the outcomes but the emotional growth and community developed week by week. This vision was bought to life through speech bubble quotes that captured Club members’ voices, reflecting their thoughts and feelings throughout the programme. The Youth Board also helped shape the idea for a fun selfie section at the end of the exhibition, which the guests loved!
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped bring the Summer Show to life!
We’re deeply grateful to our sponsors, funders and partners for making another incredible year of the National Saturday Club possible: 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, and the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust.
Your continued support ensures that thousands of young people can access free creative education across the UK.