In Aotearoa New Zealand, national and local arts and culture policy is inconsistent in addressing the needs of children and young people, despite growing recognition of the arts as a vital space for youth development. Opportunities to perform outside of school and to build community connections are important for the development of young musicians. This paper explores the experiences of young musicians in Baycourt Community & Arts Centre, a council-owned performing arts centre in Tauranga, NZ. A two-phase qualitative research design was used to explore the role the venue plays in shaping young musicians’ performance identities and enabling cultural participation. In phase one, adults were surveyed (n=76) and interviewed (n=13) about their memories in the venue; and in phase two drawing was used to elicit conversations with children aged 5- to 12-years old (n=19) about their recent experiences. Thematic analysis of the data identified key themes: developing performance identities; a sense of belonging; lasting impact; schools as pathways to performance opportunities; and accessibility. Findings show that the venue acts as a site for the development of cultural citizenship, enabling young musicians to develop their performance identities, form social bonds, and experience belonging in a public cultural space. The venue’s pricing policy enables schools and organisations that produce music events for children and young people to access the venue, thus facilitating opportunities for young musicians to perform to and connect with the wider community. We argue that even modest policies - such as venue hire discounts - can have significant implications for equitable access to the arts and the development of cultural citizenship. This study calls for a greater recognition of children and young people in local arts and cultural policy and highlights the importance of community venues in enabling participation and engagement in the arts.