BBC Radio Cumbria

All about BBC Blast

Blast is the BBC’s youth creativity service.

From first-timers to emerging artists, Blast is a powerful and free resource which inspires and supports creative journeys for 13-19’s.

Blast online

Blast Online provides a raft of interactive tools, safe message boards, video how to’s, industry tips and behind the scenes as well as masses of portfolio space for young people to upload their work, get it commented on and share in an online creative community.

Blast Online provides a year-round calendar of competitions to act as a motivator out of school or as part of formal learning with money-can’t-buy experiences as prizes. 

Blast on Tour 

Blast on Tour takes its mobile media village to around 30 locations each year.

In 2008 it travelled the UK to provide free creative arts workshops and showcases for 150,000 participants.

With purpose-built digital workshop spaces and a performance area, young people can book into activity led by BBC mentors and industry professionals or drop in to taster sessions, Q&A’s with celebrity talent and just chat to one of the team in the Discovery Space. 

Blast on TV

Blast on TV goes out on BBC2 every autumn to showcase the very best in UK youth arts and young people’s work.

The season also premieres a festival of films made by 13 – 19’s and is a launch pad for yearly Blast film bursaries.

Blast out Loud

Blast out Loud is an audio strand, new for 2009. It’s both a Blast on Tour in-house radio station run by young people and a series of discrete audio projects with broadcast partners.

Blast hubs

Blast Hubs exist for year-round face to face activity for young people in Bristol and Salford. The work is entirely youth-led with a team of practitioners to support and mentor original work.

Blast opportunities

Blast Work Related Learning schemes offer over 300 placements a year for young people to work across the BBC in meaningful and creative roles:

• Your Label - a creative social enterprise spanning 1 year from concept to product launch. The Rogue and Rascal fashion label in 2008 saw a fashion collection launched at London Fashion Week with an online store ready for Christmas.

Blast graffiti

• Creative Traineeships - 3-month peach placements with Blast, Radio 1, 1Xtra, Switch and CBBC.

• Work Experience - 2/3 week regional placements helping to make Blast events a reality.

• Film Bursaries - 6 month mentoring prizes offered to young people to support the making of their next film feature.

• Young Reporters - 8-week placements in every UK local BBC station. In 2008 Blast Reporters got their stories on News 24, BBC One, Radio 5Live, 1Xtra and local BBC radio.

• Blast Youth Panel - advising us on what young people want to see from Blast and from BBC programming.