Compulsory Subjects 2022

Supported by the Trinity Buoy Wharf Trust, the 5-day creative course of everything school never told you:

• Helping the next gen of artists, creative entrepreneurs & activists learn more about themselves, art & culture, business, society & how to build their career
• Presented by Sunday Times best-selling author Hussain Manawer & Hackney Empire’s Joint CEO & Artistic Director Yamin Choudury
• Panellists include: Arts Council England, BBC, Global Citizen, TEDX, Centrepoint, United Agents
• Plus speakers: Heartstopper’s Corinna Brown, visual artist Kevin Morosky, BLM Fest’s Kayza Rose & award-winning cultural producer Tobi Kyeremateng
• Hussain Manawer says: “To be here for a third year running, despite everything all of us have gone through is truly special and divine. I’m grateful for the support from the Trinity Buoy Wharf Trust, Yamin, our teams, speakers and, of course, the young people who are the beating heart of all we do, bring on year 3!”

Compulsory Subjects founders Hussain Manawer and Yamin Choudury are calling on London’s creative 18-25 year olds once again to question, expand, effect, and network.

2022’s 5-day programme will empower the next-generation of changemakers and leaders to be as informed, independent and empowered as possible. This is the type of vital intervention that is needed now more so than ever and Compulsory Subjects are proud to be able to work alongside incredible people and organisations from across the UK to do so. 2022’s cohort of 25 18-25 year old changemakers are from across Newham, Tower Hamlets and Hackney, with a high level of exceptional entries, they were selected from an open recruitment process led by Hackney Empire’s Creative Futures team.

Yamin Choudury says:

“Compulsory Subjects is the result of Hussain and I daydreaming. What advice and teaching did we wish we had when we were 21 years old? How much less isolated and less scared, to pursue our ambitions would we have been if someone had created an environment for us to have access to the information necessary to kickstart the change we wanted to see. That is the point of Compulsory Subjects.”

Evie Golding (Writer & Director), 2020 Compulsory Subjects alumni says:

“Compulsory Subjects opens doors, giving young creatives the tools and direct support networks to thrive. You can speak and feel honestly, you’re given space to grow, you’re challenged, pushed, and can elevate yourself effectively. As creatives, especially from working class backgrounds, we aren’t taught how to succeed in these industries, there isn’t a set path and our society doesn’t champion for creatives to thrive - but Compulsory Subjects does the complete opposite. The growth mindset and knowledge that this programme embodies should be taught in schools.”

Compulsory Subjects is a unique opportunity to allow young people that represent the broadest range of London’s communities to come together; to share and learn from each other and some of the leading figures from across arts, business, activism and politics.

2022 sees them celebrate the third year of this annual 1-week programme originally created in response to the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns specifically experienced by Black, Asian and ethnically diverse communities from across the capital.