The Impact of Giving Unprivileged Kids Access to the Arts
By Stella Speridon-Violet
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When we think about creating opportunities for children, we often focus on academics, sports or career readiness. Yet, one of the most transformative tools for growth is access to the arts, which remains deeply underappreciated, especially for lower-class children.
The question should not be whether underprivileged children are creative; it’s whether they are given the space and resources to express it.
When they are, the results are nothing short of revolutionary.
Photo Credit: David M. Benett on Getty Images
Skins UK (2007)
Big names like Dev Patel, Kaya Scodelario, Nicholas Hoult, Daniel Kaluuya, and Jack O’Connell all got their breakout roles in Skins UK.
Since then, we’ve seen them on the silver screen in notable movies: Slumdog Millionaire, Black Panther, Pirates of the Caribbean, Nosferatu, and more recently, Sinners.
Their experiences are raw, unfiltered, and textured with the kind of nuance that can’t be manufactured in a writing room or rehearsed in an acting class. When working-class youth are given the platform to create, they bring authenticity – a visceral truth that resonates beyond entertainment and taps into something deeply human.
Skins UK is a powerful case study. Not just because it launched major careers, but because it showcased what happens when young people from working-class backgrounds are trusted with real storytelling.
Photo Credit: Pinterest | The New York Times
Daniel Kaluuya, who got his first job on Skins UK, was not only an actor but also an accredited writer on the television series.
“[So] being in the Skins writers’ room, I think I wasn’t aware of it then, but I was probably so happy to be in that room,” Kaluuya said in an interview with The Talks.
“That stuff is invaluable, it just opens your world.”
Similarly, Jack O’Connell, who played James Cook on Skins UK, had a lot to say about the representation and opportunities the show gave him that no longer exist due to a lack of funding in an interview with COS.
“I have seen things drastically decline since I started in terms of opportunities for less privileged actors. Avenues once available to me are now shut because of a lack of funding, and yet again, there is a distinct shortage of working-class performers in the industry. It's a societal issue.”
O’Connell talks about what he thinks should be changed to allow children, like his younger self, to succeed in an artistic environment and grow in the already oversaturated entertainment industry.
“The first thing that needs to change is that the arts should be made accessible across the entire educational system as a priority, not a luxury. Then we need to figure out how to subsidise scholarships more fairly, as drama school isn't affordable to the vast majority of people in this country. It’s all very doable.”
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Working-class storytellers will always portray deeper stories more accurately because they have lived through them.
And, this phenomenon isn’t limited to television. Across all mediums – visual art, music, theater, dance – when underprivileged children are given access to creative tools, they don’t just learn to imitate; they learn to lead.
They build new genres, push boundaries, and force society to confront uncomfortable truths.
But access remains the biggest hurdle. In too many communities, arts programs are underfunded, sidelined, or seen as an extracurricular luxury rather than a critical component of human development.
Creativity shouldn’t be a privilege afforded only to those who can pay for private lessons or expensive materials.
It should be a birthright.
When we invest in the creative potential of underprivileged children, we are not simply fostering future artists; we are cultivating critical thinkers, empathetic leaders, and resilient human beings.
Their stories, when given the chance to be told, can shift perspectives, challenge power structures, and inspire collective change.
The success of actors like Dev Patel or Daniel Kaluuya isn’t just a testament to their talent; it’s a reminder of the countless voices still waiting for a stage.
Imagine the untold stories, the unseen performances, the unwritten songs that could emerge if more children were allowed to create without limits.
We don’t just owe it to the arts to invest in these young voices – we owe it to our future.
Resources to help fund arts programs:
