Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and ABBA Voyage collaborate to support the next generation of creative talent in East London.

Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad welcome nearly three thousand local school children at special performance.

ABBA Voyage today announced the launch of its expanded Education Programme at its purpose-built 3,000 seat ABBA Arena in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, The long-term initiative, developed in collaboration with London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), the organisation responsible for the Park, has been designed to support and create pathways into the creative industries for young people across East London.

The programme builds on the work ABBA Voyage has delivered with LLDC and partners from the Park’s cultural quarter, East Bank, since opening in 2022. Together these initiatives have already engaged thousands of young people via schools concerts, careers workshops, skills development programmes and employment opportunities. Drawing from its four neighbouring boroughs, this initiative has created greater access to and engagement with the creative industries for young people from underrepresented communities

The launch event brought together children, students, educators, industry leaders and local stakeholders for a special schools concert and reception celebrating the power of music, creativity and access to the arts. Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid were thrilled to meet some of the children and experience their enthusiasm and curiosity first-hand.  

ABBA said: “Music has an incredible ability to stimulate creativity and confidence in young people. We hope this programme helps inspire young people to be curious about the world of performing arts and what they can achieve in the future. We feel privileged that ABBA Voyage can play a part in that journey.”

Existing education and community initiatives

The education programme builds on a series of initiatives already delivered by ABBA Voyage as part of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s Talent Pathways programme since opening in 2022. These include:

• Twice-yearly schools concerts for state primary and secondary school pupils across the four local boroughs (Newham, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest)
• Summer and Autumn Schools providing young people aged 15-17 with practical insight into careers within live entertainment;
• East Careers Week workshops showcasing the breadth of opportunities available across the creative industries;
• Teach Meets for local teachers and careers leads;
• subsidised young persons ticketing schemes designed to improve access to live music experiences;
• continued commitment to local employment, with a minimum of 50% of employees sourced from the surrounding area.

New initiatives for 2026

The next phase of the programme will focus on deepening long-term impact and creating clearer pathways into employment within the creative industries. New initiatives launching from 2026 include a fully sponsored Autumn School programme, a new mentoring scheme connecting young people with creative professionals across Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the introduction of new apprenticeship opportunities within live events and technical production, as well as a freelance charter to support fairer, more transparent and more sustainable working practices across the creative sector..

To date, ABBA Voyage has engaged more than 8,500 young people through its education and outreach activity and remains committed to local employment and inclusive growth within East London.

Long-term social impact commitment

The programme has been developed around a number of key principles, and responds to the untapped opportunity in east London’s young and diverse community, including widening access to creative careers, supporting existing local education infrastructure, improving routes into employment, and ensuring measurable long-term impact for young people across East London. Working alongside partners including Good Growth Hub and Sound Diplomacy, ABBA Voyage will continue to track outcomes and evolve the programme to maximise engagement, skills development and future employment opportunities.

Craig Hartenstine, Group CEO for ABBA Voyage said: "Since ABBA Voyage opened in East London, we've been committed to creating meaningful opportunities for the communities around us. This programme is about much more than introducing young people to the creative industries. It's about helping them build the skills and confidence that can lead to real opportunities in the future. We're proud of what has already been achieved alongside our partners, and excited to deepen that impact through new mentoring, training and employment pathways in the years ahead."

Shazia Hussain, CEO of London Legacy Development Corporation said: “Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park brings together a unique combination of cultural, commercial, educational and community assets. Our focus is on leveraging these to create opportunities for local people, support inclusive growth and strengthen the innovation and creative economy of east London. The next chapter of our partnership with ABBA Voyage reflects this ambition. By connecting young east Londoners with one of the world’s most innovative live entertainment experiences, the programme will help transform early inspiration into tangible career pathways. It shows what is possible when industry leaders, civic partners and local communities come together to unlock opportunity and nurture the next generation of creative talent..”

The Education Programme forms part of ABBA Voyage’s wider social impact strategy, which includes ongoing investment into local communities, youth engagement, employment initiatives and support for the cultural economy surrounding the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The launch event on 3rd June marks the beginning of the next phase of the programme, focused on creating deeper, longer-term opportunities for young people to access careers in music, live entertainment and the wider creative industries.

About ABBA Voyage

ABBA Voyage opened in May 2022 in the purpose-built ABBA Arena located at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London. Redefining the boundaries of live entertainment, this pioneering concert brings one of the biggest pop acts of all time, back to the stage. Blending cutting-edge technology, spectacular lighting, and some of the most beloved songs ever written, ABBA take to the stage in a whole new way alongside a ten-piece live band.

ABBA Voyage has been created with Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The concert is directed by Baillie Walsh and produced by Svana Gisla and Ludvig Andersson. ABBA Voyage is owned by Goldonder AB, a company founded by Conni Jonsson, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, and operated in London by its subsidiary, Aniara Ltd.