Space for Exchange - Peer Perspectives: Blair and Beth  

12 August 2026

Space for Exchange is our free professional development programme in which peers who work with children and young people in the cultural sector are paired up over a five to eight-month process. We recognise the challenge for cultural education leaders to carve out a space to network and flexible opportunities to gain first-hand experience of different leadership cultures and creative practices. Space for Exchange gives participants permission to create this space and time, to learn, to reflect on our work, to share best practice with peers and build a stronger, more reflective cultural education sector together. 

In this blog series, we are sharing the experiences from the first cohort who took part in the pilot of the programme in 2025 – 2026. Together, they explored fundamental questions about their work — why they do what they do, what defines ‘good work,’ and who ultimately benefits — deepening both insight and practice. We’re delighted to share a glimpse into the connections and insights that emerged. 

Blair Davis 

Organisation: Barbican Centre 

Partner: Beth from WEST Youth Zone 

What I was hoping for? To connect with peers across the sector, develop best practices, and gain perspectives outside my organisational silo. 

What happened when I visited my partner? 

Beth welcomed me to WEST Youth Zone, where staff introduced me to their incredible facilities and culture. I met the team and was able to attend a staff meeting, which was something that we had discussed in our first Space for Exchange session as a group (meeting culture and the ways in which it often feels like it gets in the way of action). We then attended a meeting with the “juniors” team covering activity assignments, schedules, and safeguarding. I was impressed by the team’s deep knowledge of each young person’s dynamics and how staff interests were matched to activities. 

Watching the space in action as young people arrived showed how structure, safety, and stimulation combine to support young people who thrive on this care. I joined basketball, sensory room sessions, and cooking classes, hearing from participants that WEST differs from school because it is “more fun and creative and you get more choices”. 

Beth and I discussed the importance of third spaces for developing self-concept without the fear of academic repercussions. We explored embedding creativity into all activities, not just arts-based ones, and encouraging young people to view the arts as integral to life, regardless of career paths. What stayed with me was the holistic care at WEST: from the £1 daily contribution from attendees teaching investment in their own experiences, to the warm meals provided, to the responsibility and confidence that comes with choosing your own schedule, it was clear that they support the whole young person. 

 What happened when I hosted?  

I hosted Beth at the Barbican during regular working hours to observe day-to-day operations rather than just big events, something we both agreed was important in order to reflect on the actualities of our roles. During a tour of the Centre her insightful questions challenged me to rethink the Barbican as a civic space for intergenerational community. Our team lacks dedicated space, often borrowing venues managed by other departments, a frustration Beth reframed for me as a creative challenge. 

Beth attended my weekly team meeting and early planning for Young Barbican Takeover, our annual event for 16–29 year olds. She contributed valuable insights on reaching new audiences through marketing and helped refine logistics for a maker’s market we planned, drawing on her experience with an event for her ‘seniors’ group, her input directly contributed to the event’s success. 

What surprised me was… 

How much our work was related even though we are often working with different populations. Having started my career in an organisation like WEST, reconnecting with that ethos was joyful. Working at a large multi-arts centre involves high footfall and less continuity, but partnering with Beth reminded me that every interaction, even one-off events, can seed long-term relationships with young people if approached with intention. 

The biggest challenge was… 

Making the time and space to schedule our check ins, creative encounters and visits! The work we do can be so busy and all-consuming but both Beth and I reflected that it was important to us to prioritise this time as both professional development and time to recharge outside of the regular delivery of our roles. Using voice notes for communication reduced pressure and became a space for reflection and connection throughout the process. 

The best thing about the experience was… 

Allocating dedicated time to connect with a peer who understands and cares deeply about the work you do but doesn’t come with the baggage associated with colleagues who come from the same organisation or friends who don’t quite get it. This allowed for honest, open dialogue that led to profound realisations about my practice and its impact on young people.  

What did you do for your creative encounter?

Beth and I attended two performances - one at the Almeida, REVERB a performance from the Almeida's Young Company revisiting shows from the last 12 years which was incredible, seeing these young artists work together to bring these shows new life and seeing those who are clearly the future of our artistic community was exciting! We also saw Avenue Q on the West End which was so joyful, we spent the entire time doubled over in laughter. We reflected that in this time of incredible social and political strife, it felt important to be in a space with an audience who wanted to join together in a moment of collective fun for one afternoon. We also shared long meals discussing dreams, challenges, and accountability for maintaining our own creative practices, which often get sidelined in this sector. 

One thing I’m taking from this exchange is... 

I’m taking forward so many things: a commitment to a more holistic approach to programme development, recognising the vital role of third spaces, and understanding how to establish such spaces within larger organisations. Lastly, how attending cultural experiences with peers remains crucial for critical reflection and pure enjoyment, it is life-affirming and makes me a better practitioner and producer. 

The impact on the young people I work with is… 

Greater perspective and better practice on approaching large-scale activities with the personal touch typical of smaller organisations like WEST. This ensures young people feel they have both a future in our space and agency over what it offers them. 

Describe the experience in three words… 

Nourishing, connective, inspiring! 

Beth Dickinson

Organisation: WEST Youth Zone

Partner: Blair from the Barbican

What I was hoping for?

I was hoping to devote some time to developing myself and my practice.

What happened when I visited my partner? 

I visited Blair at the Barbican, she gave me a tour around some of the spaces she uses in her day-to-day work, they were packing down from their recent event called 'Dirty Weekend'. There were lots of different spaces which her department had access to, including their incredible greenhouse space, and in the middle you could envision amazing events. We discussed her upcoming youth takeover weekend, and where they envision things happening. It was great to get an idea of how they flexibly programme their spaces and the ideas she has as a creative producer. We sat in the café and discussed a range of things including how she got to grips with such a large space and large workforce, creating lasting change in roles, and how to connect with our community. We ended the day with me sitting in on their meeting around the youth takeover and joining in their discussions.

What happened when I hosted

When I hosted Blair, she came to WEST Youth Zone and arrived in the afternoon, she joined into our full team meeting and sat in with the whole team. Following that I gave her a short tour and she got a chance to experience our Junior session (with young people aged 8-12 years old). She also had a chance to meet with all my team, including our CEO. We had a lot of good discussions around her background and how she used to work in a similar way with young people, and the nature of the chaos! She got a chance to join in activities with our younger age group.

What surprised me was…

I was genuinely struck by how welcoming and warm Blair is to everyone, I really admired her approach.

The biggest challenge was…

Making time for the programme is always a challenge when you have a busy schedule, but I'm so glad I did.

The best thing about the experience was…

Honestly, all of it! I think at it's core, the meaningful and thought-provoking conversations.

What we did for our creative encounter?

We did two creative encounters following the end of the programme. We went to see the Almeida Young Company, who performed a range of extracts from the Almeida's vast library of previous productions. We were both impressed by the high level of performances and moving extracts they chose. We also went to see Avenue Q, we had dinner before hand and had a great time watching a fun play. Particularly for Blair, being from New York.

One thing I’m taking from this exchange is...

That I need to continue to prioritise time for developing and learning within my work. It is nice to connect with people who are external but have similar values and this provides a great support.

The impact on the young people I work with is…

Having taken time for myself, I believe I am in a better place generally to support our young people, meet their needs and give them time to thrive. It really reminded me that I have great opportunities to work directly with young people every day who are talented.

I have made connections with other cultural organisations which are not only valuable for me personally, but I hope will create connections for the young people I work with, by providing them with opportunities outside of our own organisation.

I think it reminded me to be aspirational not only for myself but also for the young people I work with.

Describe the experience in three words…

Pause, Reflect, Laugh