Reel Youth grew out of the MAYS Youth Film Festival which began in the Market Area Youth Service in 2001. The Market Area Youth Service had made a number of short films and realised the importance of a premier screening for the young people to reinforce the sense of value, achievement and celebration inherent in their experience. Realising that it would be impossible for one youth project to sustain the costs incurred in this process other youth projects were approached to get on board. In 2003 support and funding was offered from the partnership of Dublin City Council, CDYSB and CityArts and the programme became known as REEL YOUTH in 2003. Since then it has been co-ordinated and funded under this partnership which in 2008 became known as Young Urban Arts.
Reel Youth is a cross-city and cultural programme that invites young people and youth workers from different locations around Dublin City to come together through a creative film making process. In 2008 13 youth projects got involved, some had experience with film making others did not. The coordination and delivery of this was co-ordinated by Young Urban Arts and the collective of youth workers who take on the varying roles and responsibilities to make this happen.
Every year the programme is open for new youth projects to get involved.