The Young BAFTA Roadshow with Place2Be returns for 2025

The British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) and Place2Be launch their Roadshow series today with school visit to Beckfoot Heaton Primary in Bradford, with TV presenter and comedian Ben Shires and TV presenter and actress Kia Pegg.

The Young BAFTA Roadshow with Place2Be returns this month for its ninth year, continuing its nationwide journey to inspire the next generation of creative talent. This powerful partnership between BAFTA and leading children’s mental health charity Place2Be brings a day of creativity, confidence-building and connection to primary school pupils across the UK.

The Young BAFTA Roadshow is a series of visits to Place2Be partner schools in some of the most disadvantaged communities around the country. Each Roadshow aims to inspire creativity, encourage confidence, build communication skills, and promote teamwork. Through engaging interactions with an inspiring range of role models from across the screen industries, pupils gain insight into the diverse and exciting careers behind film, television, and games — broadening their horizons and raising their aspirations.

This year’s Roadshow kicked off today at Beckfoot Heaton Primary School, which is located in this year’s City of Culture, Bradford, with TV presenter and comedian Ben Shires and TV presenter and actress Kia Pegg. Further visits will follow around the country, including Enfield, Oldham, Birmingham, and Lambeth.

Each visit offers an engaging and memorable day for pupils, comprising inspiring presentations, hands-on workshops and meaningful conversations with industry experts. From hearing how professionals got their start in the industry to celebrating student creativity in a nationwide drawing competition, the Roadshow creates opportunities for young people to imagine their future in the creative world.

Since the start of the partnership in 2016, the Roadshow continues to demonstrate the impact of early exposure to the creative industries — not just in sparking ambition, but in supporting mental wellbeing, building self-belief and aspiration.

The Place2Be and Young BAFTA Partnership History

Since 2016, Place2Be and BAFTA have collaborated to support children's creativity, confidence and mental wellbeing across the UK. The Young BAFTA Roadshows, in partnership with Place2Be, bring film, TV, and games professionals into schools to deliver engaging workshops that boost pupils’ self-esteem and life skills. After the pandemic, the Roadshows resumed in 2022 and have continued to reach children nationwide.

This partnership contributes to Children’s Mental Health Week (CMHW) by producing multiple video series featuring on-screen talent such as Kit Connor and Amita Suman discussing their emotional wellbeing. BAFTA’s annual Young Presenter Competition uses the theme of CMHW to provide young people a platform to share their views and communication skills. This year’s theme is ‘Know Yourself, Grow Yourself’ and the winners are due to be announced this summer.

Place2Be and Young BAFTA have also created impactful projects such as the ‘At Home’ series during lockdown, the Schools Time Capsule Project with Oak National Academy, and the ‘River to Sea’ art activity supporting school transitions. In 2021, this partnership received the ‘Outstanding Contribution Award’ from Action for Children’s Arts.