Welcome to Forge! 

We are Forge. We want to make sure young people to 25 years old have access to great arts, culture, and creative opportunities. 

We are a group of different organizations—like schools, art groups, local government, sports and health bodies, and even the National Park—all working together. Our main mission is to improve access to arts and culture for all children and young people. We want to work with you to create a cultural scene where everyone can reach their full potential and where your mental health and well-being are supported. 

We promise to listen to your voice and ideas. We also believe that art and culture are super valuable and want to make programs based on what you need. 

We also promise to: 

  • Make sure everyone is included, no matter their background, and remove any barriers that might stop you from participating. 

  • Help bring the benefits of culture into the lives of young people. 

  • Protect the environment by promoting a low-carbon way of working. 

How We're Organized 

Forge has a few different groups that run things: 

The Management Group: This group meets once a month to make the big decisions for Forge. It has no more than ten members. They are led by two or three co-chairs. 

Forge Focus Groups: These are smaller, flexible groups created by the Management Group to work on specific projects. They report their progress to the main Management Group. For example, our first one is called COAST, and it works in a specific area from Staithes to Filey. 

Forge Network Partners: This is anyone who regularly attends our network meetings or gets involved in our mailouts. You might be invited to join a Focus Group or the Management Group. 

What Do We Do? 

  • Co-Chairs: They work together to make sure Forge follows its yearly plan. They set the agenda and lead the Management Group meetings. They serve for a three-year term and can be re-elected up to three times. 

  • Management Group Members: They are active in the group, lead projects, and help coordinate network meetings. They also help find and welcome new members. 

  • Focus Group Members: They contribute to the projects and report their progress back to the Management Group. 

  • Network Partners: You can be an active partner by helping with Focus Groups, attending meetings, or contributing to mailouts.  

What’s in it for you? 

As a Forge Network Partner, you can: 

  • Help shape our cultural strategy. 

  • Attend our meetings to share ideas and connect with others. 

  • Get updates and hear about opportunities from our partners. 

  • Share examples of your great work through our newsletter and meetings.