Space for Exchange -Peer Perspectives: Nishi and Holly 

23 June 2026

Space for Exchange is our free professional development programme in which peers who work with children and young people in the cultural sector are paired up over a five to eight-month process. We recognise the challenge for cultural education leaders to carve out a space to network and flexible opportunities to gain first-hand experience of different leadership cultures and creative practices. Space for Exchange gives participants permission to create this space and time, to learn, to reflect on our work, to share best practice with peers and build a stronger, more reflective cultural education sector together.

In this blog series, we are sharing the experiences from the first cohort who took part in the pilot of the programme in 2025 – 2026. Together, they explored fundamental questions about their work — why they do what they do, what defines ‘good work,’ and who ultimately benefits — deepening both insight and practice. We’re delighted to share a glimpse into the connections and insights that emerged.

Nishi Begum  (she/her)

Organisation: Coin Street 

Partner name and organisation: Holly from Rosetta Arts 

What I was hoping for? 

I wanted to grow in my leadership towards being more outwards facing, meet other creative educational leaders. See other possibilities of what my future in the field might be like. 

What happened when I visited my partner? 

It was by pure luck that my partners organisation was local to where I lived, so I was excited about the possibility of that space and creative engagement in my local area for my younger cousins or children of friends. I was also really struck by the physical space itself, and by Holly’s vision for what the site could become, particularly the different ways it could engage with the community as a neighbourhood-rooted space.  

What happened when I hosted?

I invited Holly to visit one of my older adults’ sessions for arts and then gave Holly a site visit across the different venues we hold our activities. We walked and talked to each venue with me pointing out a place and telling a story about it.  

What surprised me was…  

Holly seemed complimentary of the walk and talk method, although this was a normal way of working for me. It’s easier for me to show physical examples than describe them in abstract. It made me reflect on different working cultures and ways of sharing.  

The biggest challenge was… 

Scheduling visits and organising within a short space of time. Although 6 months sounds like a long time, in reality it goes fast with the day to day working in the sector also around busy periods and closing shop for New Year.   

The best thing about the experience was… 

Meeting everyone, expanding my network, and learning more about each person’s role was a really valuable experience. I was especially moved by the collective passion within the group for improving access to the arts and creating meaningful opportunities for engagement. Everyone brought a depth of knowledge and commitment to their work, and it was inspiring to see the range of opportunities and work taking place across London. 

What we did for our creative encounter? 

We had planned to visit Bradford as it was names the city of Culture and was also hosting this year’s turner prize winners. Unfortunately, on the day Holly was ill and unable to make it, however I still went and I sent her plenty of photos. I went to see the Turner prize, Bradford Industrial Museum, and Science and Media Museum. I'd never been to Bradford before, so it was interesting learning about the city and its history through visiting the various exhibitions.  

One thing I’m taking from this exchange is...  

I was struck by the shared commitment across the group to doing meaningful, impactful work. The breadth of cultural knowledge and the goodwill of people working within it really stood out. At the same time, there was an honest recognition of the varied complexities and barriers we face in this field, whether structural, personal, or shaped by differing organisational aims. What felt especially powerful was everyone’s openness, people were eager to share knowledge and learn from one another, without any sense of gatekeeping. There was a genuine atmosphere of support, generosity, and mutual understanding throughout the group. 

The impact on the young people I work with is…  

I have a wider network to lean on, if a young person asks me about an opportunity to do work experience in a museum, I know I can ask a member of the group for advice. It's also brought opportunities to collaborate with other organisations.

Describe the experience in three words… 

Honest, warm, optimistic.

Holly Burton (they/she)

Organisation: Rosetta Arts (now at Young V&A)

Partner name and organisation: Nishi from Coin Street

What I was hoping for?
To meet inspiring people, to learn from their practice, to set aside the time to reflect, to come away energised to switch things up a bit.

What happened when I visited my partner? 
Nishi took me on a tour of Coin Street, sharing the inspiring history of the organisation and the amazing work they are doing now.

What happened when I hosted? 
We were at Rosetta Arts in West Ham - I gave Nishi a tour of the building (joined by my colleague Kodhai) and we discussed the potential of the space for the local community.

What surprised me was…
A massage therapist. Nishi and her colleagues were running their weekly art group for over 50s, and in the corner of the workshop space one of the participants was getting a massage from a physical therapist. I left feeling so inspired by this approach to holistic care.

The biggest challenge was…
Not having any active programming for Nishi to see, as my project delivery in schools wasn't starting until after Space for Exchange finished. However, the time to reflect together was invaluable and meant I could include some of my learnings into programme planning and development.

The best thing about the experience was…
Meeting Nishi and everyone else on the programme – there was an infectious energy in the room calling for systems change.

What we did for our creative encounter?
A visit to Bradford to explore the City of Culture exhibitions but I was too unwell to join. Nishi sent me loads of photos and updates from the day, so it felt like I got to experience it in a small way too. We had a second chance for our encounter and went to see the Tracey Emin exhibition at Tate, with a lecture beforehand.

One thing I’m taking from this exchange is...
I wrote down a few words after my visit to Coin Street, thinking about my time with Nishi, the work they do, and the exchange programme: connection is everything.

The impact on the young people I work with is…
I'm thinking about how I can bring more of a holistic care approach into our programming.

Describe the experience in three words…
Shifts in thinking.

Space for Exchange is continuing for 2026 – 2027 with a new cohort! Find out more about the programme here

Read the report on the pilot programme by John Riches here