Young Talent 25 artists selected for Leicester’s biggest public art exhibition

The Leicester Open exhibition, held at New Walk Museum and Art Gallery, showcases work from artists across the city and county with more than 1,000 submissions competing for a place. Only a fraction are selected by judges.

This year, artwork created by children involved in Talent 25 has been chosen for display in the junior section of the exhibition, which is open to children aged five and over.

Talent 25 is a 25-year research study led by DMU and supported by Arts Council England, exploring the long-term impact of arts and creativity on children’s development, confidence and life chances.

Six-year-old Norah, from Blaby, created The Edible Road, featuring a sweetcorn path and trees made from vegetables. She has been part of Talent 25 since she was just six weeks old and was in the very first cohort.

Her mum, Tyra, said the programme has played a key role in shaping Norah’s creativity and problem-solving skills.

“She is so creative – her problem-solving skills are amazing,” she said. “When she finds a task difficult, she comes up with really creative solutions.”

Since joining Talent 25 from early childhood, Norah has engaged widely in the arts and is also a competitive dancer, coming second at the British Championships.

Five year old Viaan, who lives in Belgrave with his parents Rachana and Krunal, designed a Lego-inspired artwork for the exhibition, sourcing the images and materials himself. He made sure to include a picture of his favourite Hulk.

“He was so excited to do this,” said Rachana. “He found everything himself – the pictures, the magazines – and put it all together.”

She said Talent 25 has helped him become more open and confident.

“He always looks forward to the sessions. He’s excited to explore things and he’ll try new things now instead of immediately saying no. We’re really proud of him, this is such an opportunity.”

Five-year-old Mussa, from Leicester, was part of Talent 25’s second cohort. His younger brother Adam, three, also attends sessions with the family.

Asked what he thinks about art, Mussa said simply: “I like art. I am good at it.”

His mum, Nabila, said the change in his confidence has been striking.

“When he was Adam’s age, he wanted to get up and run around in the sessions,” she said. “As he’s attended more, he now gets his craft box out at home and creates his own sessions. He loves making cards.”

She added: “I work on Sundays and I’ll come downstairs to find my husband – who isn’t really into art – sitting there drawing and colouring with both boys. I’m proud of Mussa every day, but seeing his work in the gallery is something really special. I’m excited to see what he does in the future.”

The selected artworks were created during a Talent 25 creative family workshop led by Leicester-based artists Sim Seema titled My World. The session explored what children enjoy and love, using collage and mixed media to create bold, visual designs.

Parents were invited to submit the work to the Leicester Open Exhibition, which accepts entries from children aged five to 12.

Six designs from the Talent 25 youngsters were displayed together in a single large frame which takes pride of place in the gallery.

Professor Bertha Ochieng, who leads the programme, said: “Talent 25 children’s artwork being selected and featured at the city’s largest free public art show reflects years of consistent, supported creative engagement from early childhood and the sustained opportunities available to them.

“Parents of the 400 children participating in the Talent 25 research programme consistently report that early involvement in the arts supports their children’s confidence, social skills and broader development, as well as their willingness to step into opportunities like this. These achievements highlight why sustained access to creative experiences matters: when creative doors are opened early and kept open, children flourish”.

The Leicester Open Exhibition runs at New Walk Museum and Art Gallery and is free to attend. It finishes on January 30.

Posted on Monday 22 December 2025