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Graeae Theatre

  • IMG_4446 (1)

    Involving young people at Esmée: The journey so far

    Since 2020, we have worked closely with the Involving Young People Collective to involve young people more directly in our work, and this report reflects on our five-year journey, the impact of the partnership and what we have learned along the way.

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  • IYPF Group Photo

    The Involving Young People Fund: supporting young people to invest in their communities

    From 2024 to 2025, 11 young people from Wakefield and Barnsley co-designed a £90,000 Fund to support projects that address challenges faced by young people in their communities.

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  • Citizens for Culture - Photo credit Ciara Hillyer

    Citizens for Culture: the making of a citizen-led Cultural Plan

    A new 16-minute documentary tells the story of the West of England’s Citizens’ Assembly for Culture through the people who took part – and invites more people to be part of what happens next.

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  • IYPC (2)

    Our time on the Involving Young People Collective: what we've learned

    As Dan, Mel, Francesca, Ines, Shirley, Chelbi and Aaliyah from our Involving Young People Collective come to the end of their time as consultants at Esmée, they talk about what they've learnt, what they’ve valued and how their time with the IYPC has influenced them.

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  • People stand on a grassy riverbank watching a calm, shallow waterway with small plants and reeds along the edges under a partly cloudy blue sky.

    Land truths, when the fires are burning

    As devastating fires have spread across parts of the UK this summer, it’s clear we are already feeling the impacts of climate change. In the media, there is a debate about rewilding. Some have blamed it for the severity of the wildfires. Others have said rewilding is a solution. Who is right?

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  • IYPC

    Lessons from co-designing the Youth-Led Creativity Fund

    Louise Chandler from our Involving Young People Collective shares her reflections from the co-design process for the Youth-Led Creativity Fund and what it taught her about power, responsibility and youth-leadership.

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  • White wall with lots of colourful post-it notes

    What do people think about Esmée Fairbairn Foundation 2026

    Read the key findings from a 2026 survey of successful and unsuccessful applicants on their experiences of working with Esmée, alongside what we plan to do in response.

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  • Gina Crane standing in the woods

    People can’t build for the future while they're fighting fires

    In Gina Crane’s final project for Esmée, she has been working with Oliver French to pull together six years of learning about Esmée’s strategy for Trustees. In this blog, Gina shares the challenges organisations we fund are facing and shares three things she'd like funders to do.

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  • annual report 2025

    Annual Report and Accounts 2025

    Our 2025 Annual Report and Accounts gives an overview of our funding, investments and operations during the year.

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