We Don’t Settle (founded as Beatfreeks Arts in 2013) encourages and provides platforms for young people who don’t want to settle for the status quo. We supported them through our £10million Kick The Dust programme which transformed youth engagement with heritage.

Sharing stories

Their Kick The Dust project, Don’t Settle, launched in 2019 as a partnership with Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham City University, Chance Heritage Trust and Roundhouse Birmingham. Over 200 young people from diverse ethnic communities actively took part in their heritage development programmes.

The project’s young Curators and Activators co-designed exhibitions, heritage tours and alternative museum guidebooks. The free black histories audio tour, My Voice, My Path, Our History was co-written and researched by five young women of colour who worked with producers at We Don’t Settle and Roundhouse Birmingham.

We are unearthing stories of communities that are often overlooked.

Andreea Chelaru, General Manager at We Don’t Settle

The young Curators responded to the Black Lives Matter movement through exhibitions such as ‘Black Is Beautiful. Blackness without apology’ at Aston Hall. Lunar Campfires created space for young people from diverse ethnic backgrounds to shape discussions about personal identity, culture and representation.

Building a community

Creating a blossoming community of young people, We Don’t Settle are committed to empowering young individuals to become the driving force of the future arts, culture and heritage workforces.

Andreea Chelaru, General Manager at We Don’t Settle, said: “With the support of lottery players, We Don't Settle has been and is able to further our mission of creating a more equitable and welcoming heritage sector, through the power of minoritised young people. By platforming their stories and championing their voices, we are unearthing stories of communities that are often overlooked.”