The creative future lab · Ages 16–25
LEVEL
UP XR.
Where culture, technology, performance, wellbeing, gaming and immersive storytelling collide. A talent development and future opportunities pipeline for young creatives from the global majority.
Who Level Up is for
Built for the
overlooked.
Level Up XR is not just a creative course — it's a route in. Designed for young people the traditional system too often misses, and powerful enough to ignite the ones who are already burning.
- 16–25 year olds finding their voice
- Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET)
- Creatives underrepresented in tech, performance & immersive industries
- Anyone at risk of exclusion or disconnected from traditional pathways
- Beginners with no prior experience — and advanced creatives ready to level up
- Young people from the global majority hungry to build cultural futures
Fully funded places are available — nobody is locked out by cost. No prior experience required.
What you'll build
Twelve disciplines.
One creative future.
Real projects: immersive experiences, performances, digital installations, interactive worlds, future-facing cultural work.
01
Immersive technology
Headsets, sensors, spatial computing — the rig real productions use.
02
Projection mapping
Light as a material. Map buildings, bodies, scenes.
03
AI creative tools
Generative imagery, story engines and sound — with cultural literacy baked in.
04
XR & VR experiences
Author worlds you can step inside. Theatre, training, art.
05
Digital storytelling
Voice, narrative arc, character — across screens and chambers.
06
Movement & performance
Body in space, presence, ensemble. The discipline behind the spectacle.
07
Game interaction
Mechanics, agency, world rules. Build playable experiences.
08
Music & sound experimentation
Beat-making, production, spatial audio and live sound design.
09
Cultural storytelling
Diaspora, lineage, heritage — translated into immersive form.
10
Creative wellbeing
Practice as care. Breath, ritual, reflection woven through the work.
11
Teamwork & collaboration
Real productions are team sports. Learn the practice of building together.
12
Leadership
Lead a cohort, run a session, hold a room. Practical, supported, real.
Projection mapping
AI creation
Unreal Engine / XR
Performance
Studio practice
The cohort
Real outcomes
for real lives.
01
Confidence
Speak, perform, present and pitch in front of a room.
02
Social skills
Real friendships, support networks and creative collaborators.
03
Collaboration
Practical experience of building inside a small, focused team.
04
Communication
Articulate your work, your craft and your story — in any room.
05
Employability
Industry-recognised skills, mentors and direct introductions to studios.
06
Leadership
Workshop-leading, peer mentoring and cohort facilitation.
07
Digital skills
XR, AI, projection, sound and game tools — fluent, not surface.
08
Wellbeing
Practices for nervous system, focus and creative sustainability.
09
Fitness & movement
Body-led work that builds physical confidence and presence.
10
Creative industry pathways
Routes into theatre, film, gaming, XR, advertising and beyond.
Not a workshop.
A pipeline.
Level Up XR is a genuine talent development route. Every participant leaves with a certificate, a portfolio, mentors and real next steps mapped to their ambition.
Certificates of completion
Every participant who completes the programme receives a TOK Level Up XR certificate.
Accredited creative skills pathways
Selected modules can be mapped to accredited creative skills frameworks via our partners.
Portfolio development
End the programme with a portfolio piece performed/exhibited at our showcase — and ready to share with universities or employers.
Industry experience
Paid commission opportunities and real-world placements on TOK productions and partner studios.
Further education & creative careers
Direct support — references, portfolio reviews, applications — into FE, HE and apprenticeships.
Future progression pathways
Talking to the institutions
that matter.
University of Kent
Conversations underway with Kent's drama, film and computing faculties for progression routes.
Rose Bruford College
Performance, theatre and immersive technology pathways — a natural progression for our cohort.
Creative technology training providers
Apprenticeships and technical specialism in XR, AI, projection, game dev and virtual production.
We work with universities, FE colleges, apprenticeship providers and creative industry partners to map every participant to the right next step.
Built together
with aligned organisations.
We co-deliver Level Up XR with referrers, funders, hosts, commissioners and intervention partners. Here's who we work with — and the ways you can engage.
Partner types
- Youth organisations
- Local authorities & councils
- Organisations supporting NEET young people
- NHS wellbeing & referral pathways
- Schools & colleges
- Pupil referral units
- Alternative education providers
- Community organisations
- Housing associations
- Creative industry partners
- Universities
- Cultural institutions
- Sponsors
- Funders & trusts
Engagement modes
- Refer participants
- Co-deliver programmes
- Fund placements
- Sponsor workshops
- Support outreach & engagement
- Host activity at your venue
- Commission experiences
- Support wellbeing & youth intervention pathways
The cohort
You won't
do it alone.
Twenty creators per cohort. Real friendships, real collaborations, a network you'll carry for years.
Before you apply
Talk to us
before you commit.
Not sure if LEVEL UP is right for you, your portfolio, or your timeline? Book a 20-minute scheduled call with our cohort lead — free, no obligation, no application required.
16 – 25
Discovery call with the cohort lead
20 minutes. Talk through the pathway, portfolio expectations, funding, accessibility.
Acuity scheduling opens shortly · join the waitlist now
Partners
Schools & council partnership call
Briefing on how LEVEL UP plugs into your schools, alternative provision or council programming.
Acuity scheduling opens shortly · join the waitlist now
LEVEL UP ecosystem
Built with real partners, not in isolation
Our 16–25 pathway runs alongside Medway Youth, Hypha Studios, Medway and Kent councils, and Arts Council England — meaning every cohort sits inside a wider creative-industry network from day one.
Flagship partner
Hypha Studios
Home venue, Chatham — large-scale immersive production space, projection rig and creative residencies.
Funded / supported by
Arts Council England
Investment Principles aligned. Funded creative practice, talent development and access programmes.
Ecosystem collaborator
Medway Council
Cultural strategy, schools outreach and the Medway-wide programming partnership.
Ecosystem collaborator
Kent County Council
Kent-wide cultural access, alternative provision and youth pathway partnerships.
Ecosystem collaborator
Medway Youth
Youth voice partner — referrals, co-production and progression routes for 16–25s into LEVEL UP.
Ecosystem collaborator
Global Majority Creators Network
Network of African, Caribbean and global majority artists, technologists and producers shaping TOK commissions.
Application
Join the
programme.
One form for Apply / Register / Join. We read every application and reply within 5 working days.
- Ages 16–25 · UK-based
- Fully funded places available
- No prior experience required
WhatsApp · Channel
GET NOTIFIED WHEN APPLICATIONS OPEN
LEVEL UP cohorts fill fast. The WhatsApp Channel is where intake dates and casting calls drop first.
- Application windows & deadlines
- Open days and taster sessions
- Casting calls and paid creative work
- Funding and bursary announcements
- Pathway updates into University of Kent & Rose Bruford
Be the first to hear about new experiences. No spam. Leave anytime.