Come and join us for an inspiring evening of talks, music, film screenings and creative networking at the Library, as we celebrate our Young Creators Lab programme, and our new series of films exploring the change-makers.
Bringing together exciting experts from the worlds of social media, journalism, and the museum and heritage sector, this event is the perfect opportunity to get inspired, grow your network and meet other young creatives.
What’s on
Hear inspiring talks from special guests, author Yomi Adegoke and journalist Sophia Smith Galer who’ll be exploring how to tell stories with impact, and get hands-on advice from expert TikTokers Keith Afadi and Historical Han. Enjoy the perfect summer evening with live DJs, a pop-up outdoor cinema, creative stations including painting and tote bag printing, and meet other young creatives and professionals to gain advice, tips, and support on your creative journey.
Who are the change-makers?
Our Young Creators have been diving into the our collection to share inspiring stories of powerful change-makers throughout history, from 19th-century satirist William Hone, to activists Angela Davis and Malala Yousafzai and the UK’s first queer bookshop, Gay’s The Word. Visit our outdoor cinema to watch the films at the event, or follow us on TikTok or YouTube @britishlibrary to watch them online.
The Helen Hamlyn Trust Young Creators Lab is an exciting digital content project for 18–24 year olds, sparking global conversations inspired by our collection.
More information
About the speakers
Yomi Adegoke is a multi award-winning journalist and author. She is a columnist at The Guardian, a contributing editor at Elle UK and the former host of the Women's Fiction Prize podcast. In 2023, she released her debut novel The List, which was an instant Sunday Times Bestseller; she is currently writing and executive producing the TV adaptation. In 2018, she co-wrote the bestselling book Slay In Your Lane and the same year was named one of the most influential people in London by the Evening Standard. She also was awarded the Groucho Maverick and Marie Clare Future Shaper awards. In 2021, she was named on the Forbes 30 under 30 list and in 2023 was named a GQ Man of Year honouree.
Sophia Smith Galer is an author, journalist and content creator credited with pioneering journalism on TikTok in the United Kingdom. Sophia’s investigative reporting for the BBC and VICE News have won her awards around the globe and her videos on TikTok and Instagram have been viewed more than 160 million times. She is a British Journalism Award winner, a Forbes Under 30 honoree and named one of the 25 most influential women in the UK by British Vogue in 2022. She is writing her second book, How To Kill A Language, about her journey reporting on the disappearance of languages across four continents.
Han Parker, a.k.a. Historical Han, is a public historian and presenter bringing the ancient world to life through engaging storytelling. Creating accessible content on art, archaeology, and women's history, she aims to make the past relatable – and emotional – to a modern audience. In 2024, she served as the inaugural Expert in Residence at The Classical Association, was recognised as one of BBC HistoryExtra's 30 Under 30, and worked as one of 20 Creative Collaborators for the National Gallery.
Keith Afadi is a storyteller who aims to capture the world around him with a unique perspective using his experience in creative direction and strategy. Keith loves to learn and adapt to new situations that help him to execute his vision, whether it be with photography, design or filmmaking. With strong interests in fashion, tech, music, anime and film; he aims to produce work that presents lifestyle themed content in a relatable way, wherever he may travel. His driving force however, is to help people. As a former youth-leader, Keith is passionate about helping young creatives with the tools and knowledge to enter and navigate creative industries.