Calling All Care Experienced Performers! Showcase Your Talent at United for Change 2026

Are you a care experienced artist, poet, musician, or performer? We want to celebrate your skills and creativity!

At this year’s United for Change event, co-hosted with, the National House Project, and the Care Leavers National Movement (CLNM), we want to leave our delegates in absolutely no doubt that the care experienced community is creative, courageous, and hugely talented. This is your collaborative platform to showcase that talent and make your voice heard.

The Event Details

  • What: United for Change for Care Leavers

  • When: Tuesday 17th November 2026

  • Where: The Vox, Birmingham

A note on the spaces: We know performing can feel a bit overwhelming, especially since this is a large event with up to 650 attendees. While our main stages are big, we also have smaller, more intimate performance spaces for around 150 to 200 people. We want to be open about the scale of the event so you know what to expect, but please remember you won’t be doing this alone. We are here to support you every step of the way to ensure you feel comfortable, confident, and ready to shine!

What We Are Looking For

Performances should be short (up to 5 minutes), such as a song, dance, theatrical piece, or spoken word/poetry. Our selection panel of care experienced individuals and professionals will look for entries that meet some or all of the following criteria:

  • A themed message or story: Reflecting on care experience or some of our key messages and themes.

  • Original work: We want to see your original songs, poetry, dances, or sketches.

  • Confidence and support: We are looking for experienced performers who feel confident on stage and are supported by professionals or their leaving care organisations to take part.

Why Take Part?

  • Development and Exposure: Perform in front of a large audience of care experienced individuals, professionals, policy-makers, and businesses.

  • Real Impact: Use your creativity to influence services and organisations across the country.

  • Future Opportunities: Network with individuals and orginisations who may want to talk to you about future performance opportunities.

How Decisions Will Be Made

We know choosing our performers will be incredibly tough. Here is how the process works:

Application Deadline: Wednesday 12th August 2026

The Panel: A panel of care experienced volunteers and professionals will review all entries.

The Outcome: We will share final decisions with all applicants by Friday 21st August 2026.

How to Apply

Ready to take the stage? Click the link below to submit your application or share it with a talented young person you know:

👉 Apply via our Online Form

Questions? If you have any questions about the application or the event spaces, please reach out to Nat O’Brien at nat.obrien@catch-22.org.uk.