Give Them the Spotlight: How Hayley Wensley Is Building Nexus Creative Studios Around Young People
One of the most valuable things we can give young people is not another perfectly planned activity.
It is the chance to contribute.
To shape an idea. To make a creative decision. To discover what happens when somebody trusts them with a meaningful role rather than simply asking them to follow instructions.
That belief sits at the heart of Nexus Creative Studios, the Lincoln-based creative hub founded by Hayley Wensley.
Although Nexus only launched in summer 2025, Hayley brings almost 25 years of experience in performing arts education. The new business gives her space to create collaborative projects that do not fit neatly within a traditional weekly academy model, from filmmaking and theatre productions to showcases and cabaret.
Creating Space for Different Ideas
Hayley’s performing arts journey began with dance before she studied drama and English literature at university.
Her original ambition was to move into drama therapy, and she spent time volunteering with social services while developing her understanding of how creative work could support people beyond the stage.
Her career later took her through freelance writing, event management and corporate roles before she began running a theatre school franchise, which she led for almost a decade.
After returning to performing arts and spending a further eight years within another academy network, Hayley began noticing projects and ideas that needed a different home.
Nexus Creative Studios was created to become that home.
Rather than launching with one fixed programme, it operates as a hub for collaboration.
“We’re open to projects, collaborations and ideas.”
That flexibility allows the work to respond to the people involved rather than forcing every young person into the same format.
From an Idea to a Finished Film
The first Nexus project was a one-week short film experience for young people aged around eight to 16.
The group did not simply arrive to perform a script somebody else had written.
They worked together on:
- The initial concept
- Building the story
- Developing the project
- Filming and performance
- Understanding post-production
That process gave them an insight into the full creative journey, while also making their ideas part of the final result.
The aim was not to direct every decision from the front of the room.
Hayley wanted the young people to feel ownership.
“We want them to really have that sense of investment for themselves in the project and also in their own development.”
That principle has shaped everything Nexus has done since.
Building the Project Around the People
Nexus’s first major theatre production was a youth version of Six.
Hayley initially expected to cast one main group with younger performers supporting them. When the auditions revealed far more talent, commitment and energy than anticipated, she changed the plan.
Instead of asking talented young people to wait for another opportunity, Nexus created two full casts.
Some of the younger performers had not originally met the planned audition age, but they asked to take part and proved they were ready.
They were given lead roles.
The experience left several performers saying:
“I didn’t think I could do this.”
For Hayley, that is the impact.
It is not simply putting on a successful show. It is helping a young person see a new possibility in themselves.
More Than a Route Into the Industry
Some of the young people joining Nexus are serious about pursuing careers in performing arts.
Others simply love performing, enjoy the friendships or want to develop confidence and communication skills.
Both are valid.
Hayley believes creative projects can help young people build skills that matter in almost any future career:
- Confidence and communication
- Collaboration
- Curiosity
- Creative problem-solving
- Commitment
- The courage to try something unfamiliar
Career paths are becoming less predictable, and many people will move between different roles, industries and interests throughout their working lives.
Creative work teaches young people that they can explore different doors rather than believing there is only one correct route.
Collaboration That Works Both Ways
Nexus has also built a strong relationship with a local college in Lincoln.
Students have supported performances through lighting, set design, events and front-of-house roles, giving them practical experience within live projects.
Nexus has supported the college in return, helping with costumes, contributing to student projects and sponsoring a community spirit award.
The relationship is not simply about finding free support for a production.
It is about creating useful opportunities for everyone involved.
That same collaborative approach is opening the door to future partnerships, funded projects and community-focused work.
Letting Everyone Step Forward
Hayley is currently developing a cabaret project for older young performers.
Rather than choosing every number first and then fitting people into the available spaces, the team is building the project around the cast.
The question is not only, “Who is the strongest performer?”
It is, “How do we give everybody a meaningful opportunity to show what they can do?”
Hayley wants performers to experience their own moment in the spotlight, rather than leaving some people permanently at the front and others disappearing into the back row.
That does not mean lowering expectations.
The young people involved are committed, serious about the work and willing to put in the effort.
It means creating a collaborative environment where opportunity is shared more thoughtfully.
Watch the Full Interview
Hayley Wensley’s story shows what can happen when young people are trusted with more than a place in the cast.
Nexus Creative Studios is giving them the chance to contribute ideas, shape projects, discover their strengths and achieve things they did not believe were possible.
Hayley Wensley is a finalist in The Class Business Awards 2026.
👉 Watch Hayley’s full interview here.
And we are only just getting started.
Join us on Saturday 10 October 2026 at the National Conference Centre in Solihull for The Class Business Live, where finalists, judges and sponsors will come together for a packed day of brilliant conversations, practical ideas and genuine connection across the class-based business sector.
Then, from 6:00pm, it is time to get dressed up, celebrate the people making a real difference and enjoy The Class Business Awards & Afterparty.
Book your tickets for the Class Business Awards here!
