Sian Bailey has written about Creative Access’ newester report on disabled workers career progression in the creative industries. Read The Bookseller coverage here.

Pippa Consadine has reported that the findings showed the extent to which disabled UK workers have experienced prejudice around access to jobs or progression opportunities in creative industries. The gap widens when disabled individuals also identify as being from a Black, Asian, Ethnically Diverse (BAED) or low socio-economic status (LSES).

Read the article in full.

• Only a quarter feel they have access to the contacts and networks needed to progress their creative career (vs. 62% of general respondents) 
•  88% cite the two biggest barriers as: lack of employer understanding of ‘reasonable adjustments’, and awareness of disability issues among colleagues 
• Many candidates choose not to disclose disability to potential or current employers 

Creative Access has today published a new report on Disability equity in the UK’s creative industries, which reveals the shocking extent to which disabled UK workers have experienced prejudice around access to jobs or progression opportunities in creative industries. The gap widens when disabled individuals also identify as being from a Black, Asian, Ethnically Diverse (BAED) or low socio-economic status (LSES).  

Creative Access data showed, when asked to agree or disagree with the statement ‘I feel I have the the necessary confidence to progress in my career’ 70% of respondents who identified as BAED agreed, this dropped to just 40% when respondents identified as BAED and disabled³. When asked about seeing opportunities for career progression, the answers were 71% vs. 60% respectively³. 

In the UK currently 1 in 5 in UK workers are disabled, and the likelihood of unemployment is higher with disabled workers (81% vs. 52.7% of non-disabled workers)¹. And while the employment gap had been closing, the pandemic took us back a step. Disabled workers are also more likely to be in lower-skilled occupations, self-employed, working part-time (and subsequently less hours), working in the public sector or temporarily away from work¹. 

We asked candidates about tactics to improve the accessibility of roles and opportunities in the creative economy to disabled people. The most important thing was that employers be responsive to employees negotiating a working pattern that met their individual needs; over three quarters of respondents cited that they’d like: 

• More flexible working  
• Training for line managers in supporting disabled employees to thrive 

The survey found 56% of respondents are affected by more than one category of disability (rising to 86% of respondents affected by mental illness and at least one other). Only a third of respondents felt they had confidence to progress their creative career, citing negative experiences at work contributing to low confidence. And only 1 in 3 stated that their organisation had an inclusive culture.  

On intersectionality, BAED respondent Lily Ahree Siegel said: “It’s not about the lack of talent but lack of access. It seems no matter how qualified or excellent I am, I need to be extraordinary to receive praise and access to similar institutions to my white, able-bodied peers…Like many jobs, there’s a lot hinging on others to “take a chance” on someone. Not to mention other systemic disadvantages – disabled people are more likely to be unemployed or living in poverty. I have [also] yet to see a person like myself in a leadership position.” 

While there was no ‘one size fits all approach’ for adjustments or considerations for employers when it comes to helping disabled workers and candidates thrive. A common theme appeared among immediate considerations, including: 

• Audit your staff to ensure hiring and line managers (and third party recruiters) sufficiently understand their legal duties towards disabled people as set out in the Equality Act 2010 
• Undertake appropriate team training, e.g. on embracing neurodiversity, mental health or disability equity to ensure staff are more aware of what ‘reasonable adjustments’ can and should be made
• Consider making adjustments to your application procedures regarding forms, interviews and communication around the recruitment process

Josie Dobrin, Executive Chair, Creative Access: 

“In the creative industries – in which disabled people are under-represented – there is a huge opportunity for employers to gain from the advantage of a more diverse workforce. And disabled candidates are clear about what will best set themselves up for success, whether that’s around flexible working, better training at all levels of the organisation or bespoke routes into mentors. It’s collectively down to us all in the creative economy to decide to listen to the data, spot room for improvement and act upon it. 

“We at Creative Access also don’t shy away our part to play as a diversity, equity and inclusion organisation that connects diverse candidates with opportunities for jobs and career advancement. We have already begun implementing numerous changes to how we recruit and support our own staff, and we will also be exploring how we support disabled candidate access to networking, bespoke mentor matching and potentially ringfenced access to bursaries for career development.” 

• Creative Access disability equity report 2022
• Inclusive employer action plan resource (disability) 
• Upcoming open employer training: mental health, neurodiversity, disability equity

We designed the survey in consultation with a disability consultant. This was sent to approximately 8,000 contacts on the Creative Access candidate database who had identified themselves as disabled, Deaf or neurodivergent. It was sent by email and completed via an online form during September 2022. In total we received responses from 770 candidates. 

¹ ONS ‘The employment of disabled people 2021’, 11 February 2022 

²Responses in the category ‘other’ included responses such as Hard of hearing/Deaf, Epilepsy, PTSD, Dyslexia, Cerebral Palsy, Stammer and Multiple Sclerosis amongst others. 

³Creative Access 2022 Thrive Report which surveyed employers and employees in creative industry roles

In 2022 we commissioned a survey in consultation of all those within the Creative Access community who identified themselves as disabled, Deaf or neurodivergent. 

The findings, published in a new report, show a pressing need for creative employers to improve access for disabled workers and support progression within the sector. Key observations about disabled individuals working in or looking to break in to the creative sector were:

• Only a quarter feel they have access to the contacts and networks needed to progress their creative career (vs. 62% of general respondents)
• 88% cite the two biggest barriers as: lack of employer understanding of ‘reasonable adjustments’, and awareness of disability issues among colleagues
• Many candidates choose not to disclose disability to potential or current employers

Over three quarters said they would like to see more flexible working and training for line managers in supporting disabled employees to thrive.

Read the report in full here: Disability inclusion report 2022.

Read our employer resource on disability equity in the creative industries here.

To mark #WorkinPublishing week we hosted an all-star panel (including four of our very own Creative Access alumni!) from leading publisher Penguin Random House. The panellists talked about their journey into publishing, the day-to-day of their roles, and gave a bucket-load of inspiring advice for those pursuing a career in the book trade. Below are some of their top tips, or you can head over to our YouTube channel to catch up on the full conversation. The panel comprised of:

• Josie Dobrin, Founder & Executive Chair – Creative Access
• Mubarak El Mubarak, Head of Digital Marketing & Brand – Penguin Michael Joseph
• Candy Ikwuwunna, Brand Marketing Manager (Youth Engagement) – Penguin Random House
• Malissa Mistry, Sales Manager – Vintage
• Gaby Puleston-Vaudrey, Editorial Assistant – PRH and BBC Audio
• Priyanka Moorjani, International Communications Assistant – Penguin Random House UK

The panel covered wide-ranging themes from favourite books to top tips for covering letters and interviews. On the subject of CV and applications, Malissa, stressed how important it is to tailor your cover letter to the role in question saying “it will take more time, but applications that aren’t changed across roles are immediately obvious to the reader. Instead, break down the job description into key points and apply your skills and experience to any activities or requirements. Find something you like from the publisher’s output or activities to talk about in the interview or application.”

When moving to interview stage, Gaby cited that she used the STAR method; this stands for situation, task, action, and result. Think outside the box when it comes to your experience, as interviewers will be more interested in your approach to a challenge and how you applied yourself to it.

Gaby described passion for books as ‘the one thing you can’t learn.’ This is something that anyone entering the industry will have but being able to showcase your genuine interest in the current book market when applying or interviewing is key.

There are plenty of ways to show you have your finger on the pulse, whether it’s through knowing the top charts or having a favourite BookTok campaign – something that Candy remembers bringing up in the interview for her current role.

Before he found his internship, Mubarak spent 9 months applying and getting nothing – ‘I had to check if my inbox was working!’ – and said that you don’t need to rule out a career in publishing to justify taking a break from sending applications. No two paths into publishing are the same.

Priyanka also mentioned that gaining publishing ‘adjacent’ experience is still massively worthwhile and sets you up for success even if you aren’t landing the dream job just yet. If you have experience on TikTok, highlight that on your CV. Even if you think it’s just silly videos you’re making from your bedroom, BookTok is now a hugely influential platform and can shape the market.

Gaby advised using transferable skills – such as the ones she gained as a student ambassador – when writing successful applications, and Malissa described how helpful it was to build an understanding about books and current trends by starting out as a Christmas temp at Waterstones.

The panel discussed the ongoing dilemma of whether or not a degree is needed to enter the sector. Whilst acknowledging the benefits of university eduction for those who can access it, the consensus from the panel was that there’s no barrier to entry without it. There are numberous pathways to a career in publishing – such as publishing apprenticeships – and plenty of other things will stand out more on your CV. Of the panel, only Priyanka had completed a Publishing MA; she said that it was a good route to picking up more publishing vocabulary and getting to grips with the process, but that the essentials of what you need to know can be learned and fleshed out through doing the job.

When discussing the skills needed for their individual roles, Gaby (who first worked with an independent publisher before moving to her current role) said that needs will vary between teams. Priyanka – working in communications – communicates with a lot of different people! She encourages individuals in similar roles to think about how to adapt their tone and approach with different people you’re in touch with, from more informal conversations with book bloggers to an attentive and generous approach to relationships with authors. Malissa said that to succeed in sales you don’t need to be an extravert, but you’ll be good at building genuine relationships with external parties, and this is just as valuable as hard data.

Mubarak had a final piece of wisdom on this topic:

The panel also spoke about diversity within industry; Priyanka didn’t shy away from the topic of where the publishing industry can do better when it comes to hiring talent from under-represented backgrounds. However, the diversity (or lack thereof) of larger publishers is becoming increasingly transparent – Penguin Random House has recently published statistics on this. Candy said that since coming back to the industry after a short hiatus, efforts across the board to improve social inclusion is more noticeable with positive action schemes like those run by Creative Access or The Scheme by Penguin Random House.

Candy’s final piece of advice was to not give up!

And don’t feel afraid to reach out to publishing industry experts who are public on social media. ‘I reached out to someone who directly helped me with my application,’ Gaby said. People who are as passionate about publishing as you are often generous with their time in giving feedback.

You can watch the full panel conversation on our YouTube channel here

Follow Penguin Random House on LinkedIn to keep up with the latest news from company news, employee stories, new roles, programme dates etc. or explore publishing roles from the wider industry on the Creative Access opportunities board.

Creative Access has partnered with the School of Arts and Creative Industries at LSBU since 2018 to improve access to work for students and graduates from under-represented communities.

Creative Access has provided a targeted programme of support for students which includes interview practice clinics, creative showcases on campus and student training days, to equip them for apply to roles upon graduation. We also deliver an annual 1:1 mentoring programme, matching students with professionals in the industry in which they aspire to work.

Creative Access has supported over 15 students from LSBU to secure paid roles at leading employers across the creative industries. We have also provided crucial employability support to many more students who benefit from Widening Participation support.

London Southbank University is a leading London institution committed to supporting its students from Black, Asian and ethnically diverse communities, which now make up over 55% of their graduates.

  

  

Jo Faragher has written about McLaren Racing’s drive to improve diversity in the motorsport industry. One of Creative Access’ interns at McLaren, Margo Bondar, was featured, as well as the Creative Access x McLaren Engage programme.

“When 19-year-old Margo Bondar arrived in the UK as a refugee from Ukraine, her hosts drove her past the space-age McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) in Woking. “It was the first thing I saw after I was picked up from the airport,” she says. It would also be the site of her first UK internship with McLaren Racing as part of its Engage programme – an initiative aimed at boosting diversity in motorsport.

Since April, Bondar has been working in fan engagement, meaning her day typically involves opening thousands of emails and letters from Formula 1 fans, including artwork and gifts for the McLaren team’s drivers, Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo. Her role came up as part of the Creative Access route into the Engage programme, which aims to build more inclusive practices into how the company hires into creative roles.“

Read the article in full here.

For Creative Access’ latest masterclass, Warner Music UK hosted a stellar panel of speakers working in different arms of the organisation to discuss the rich variety of roles on offer behind-the-scenes in the music industry. 

Our chair Jeremiah Gogo is the head of data & A&R analytics at Atlantic. He delivers research and analysis projects to help inform marketing, A&R and streaming decisions.  

Arina Logacheva is the senior A&R Manager at Parlophone. She was previously the first female A&R at Sony Publishing Scandinavia.  

Maláika Carr-Haji is a marketing manager, Warner Records, where she has worked since 2019. Maláika is also a content creator and tastemaker.  

Priya Jaspal is the head of streaming & digital at Warner’s distribution arm, ADA, working across multiple platforms including Spotify and TikTok.  

Rotimi Skyers is digital and marketing at Warner Music Group’s Rhino label and formerly he was at Universal Music Group. 

Different paths – how can you land a role in the industry? 

When asked about how they got into the industry, each of our panellists had differing career journeys but agreed that networking and demonstrating your passion for music will get you far. Both Jeremiah and Priya went down the more ‘traditional’ routes of getting internships at record labels (coincidentally – both at Universal at around the same time!) and then worked their way up from there. Jeremiah and Priya emphasised the importance of being ‘in the room’ and embracing every opportunity you’re given. Priya built on this to explain: “Put your hand up to every task. Learn and do as much as you can. Spot gaps in what you think people need – how can you make somebody’s life easier?” 

Meanwhile, Arina has been in the industry for 10 years and said she had spent time volunteering at music festivals, working in radio and taking part in mentoring programmes, before getting told her opinionated nature would be perfect in an A&R role. She said that if you want to work in A&R, the best thing to do is start yourself: this could look like going out there and managing an artist or putting on club nights. “You need to speak the same language as the artist”, she says. The most important part of being in A&R is being able to connect with people at every different level.  

Both Maláika and Rotimi didn’t start off working in the music industry at all. Maláika had always worked in retail, but she spent time outside of work talking about music online and establishing herself as a tastemaker. This led to her applying for an internship at Warner, and despite not having the ‘work experience’, her passion for music meant she was offered an assistant role instead. She advised to think about what you’re currently doing that shows you actually have an interest in the industry you’re coming into. “When I turned up for my internship interview, I spoke about things I was currently doing – I had a playlist, I was on a show on Linkup TV, I was also trying to get a show on Rinse FM – even though my CV was just retail and I don’t have a degree, the things I was doing in music were what got me the job,” she said. 

Rotimi who studied architecture at university, stated that he “didn’t take the standard path”, explaining that he did “everything under the sun” from working at McDonalds, to carpentry, to doing exhibitions. He then fell into his data analyst role and applied for an internship at Universal. Similarly to Maláika, they said he was applying for the wrong job and they offered him a job in digital marketing instead proving the importance of putting yourself forward for opportunities even if you might not be considered the right “fit”. Rotimi explained that it is vital that if you haven’t got the experience, do your research before an interview: “You get one shot, go for it”.  

Researching your role and the industry is something Jeremiah agrees with. He says that you should “get to know the tools that the industry is using”, stating that in data, Chart Metric is a great tool, sign up for a free trial and play around. This can help you stand out amongst other candidates.  

“It all comes down to the human element” – what’s it like working in music? 

Our speakers all agreed that data and new technology such as streaming and TikTok is playing a huge part in the ever-changing landscape of the industry. Jeremiah and Arina noted how important data is for A&R and marketing, but they insisted that while data helps, you still need to use your gut and emotional intelligence to discover new artists and get the deal signed.  

As for marketing artists now with the rise of TikTok, Maláika explained that whilst there is an over-saturation of new music and you’re competing for everyone’s attention, her job is to “champion the artist and their story, and their music”. For example, with Pa Salieu, Coventry was integral to his campaign and she had to ensure that came across, as well as ensuring that they used photographers and videographers who could capture black skin. “We work in a business, but we work with artists every day. Once they’re at a place where their happy to bring out music, my job is to support them in any way I can,” she said.  

Like Jeremiah’s role, Priya’s job is pretty new and only came about in 2014 post the growth of streaming. While she’s aware that people don’t really understand what her job is, she describes its 3 different pillars:  

1. Sales pitch – trying to sell the artists to Spotify, telling the story in an authentic way and getting them on playlists 

2. Marketing – pitching for billboards and campaigns  

3. Data – you don’t have to be a data expert but you need to understand trends in data and think about what the artist needs in their campaign to feed into their streaming story  

She explains that her role bleeds into data and marketing, highlighting the collaborative nature of working in the music industry. Similarly to Maláika’s story about Pa Salieu and the importance of understanding your artist, when Priya led streaming on Central Cee she stated that it “all comes down to the human element”. She went on to say, “we have to lean into what he wants and just advise him on what’s currently happening in the industry.” 

Rotimi works on historical artists: his job is to repackage and retell these stories. Much like Maláika and Priya, he says that the “beautiful” part of his job is to “make sure the stories are still being told with love and care”. He works on everything from big artists like David Bowie’s catalogue, to Kate Bush’s syncing with Strangers Things, to Warner’s Black British catalogue who weren’t supported enough in the first run, explaining that now he can give these hidden gems a second life.  

What challenges have you faced in your career? 

As with any job, there are challenges. Maláika explains that being from an under-represented background in music can be difficult at times: “There’s being a woman, there’s being a Black woman. Also depending on your class, that factors in.” She states that it’s harder as a junior being around men as “your voice might not be heard”, but she highlights the importance of seeing female role models in leadership positions in giving you hope of what you can achieve.  

Rotimi said: “Being Black and where I’m from, you get pigeon-holed because you’re in an office with people who aren’t like you.” He continued that he’s had people question his vocabulary, but he advised the importance of utilising your knowledge and recommended networking – “there will be people in the building who can relate to you”. This partners with Maláika’s advice of finding the power of your voice and knowing the importance of it so that no matter what room you’re in, you’re adding value. 

Overall, our panel agreed that in the music industry you have to have confidence in your own opinion and trust yourself, but that this can be built upon simply by having a passion and love for music and telling stories. 

A massive thanks to our panel for their honesty, advice and for sharing their inspirational career journeys with us. Keep an eye out for details on our next masterclass on 5^th December 2022 which is being hosted by the Financial Times!  

John Elmes has written about Creative Access’ latest 16-strong group which aims to create a pathway for future leaders into non-executive roles. Read the article in full here.

Evie Barrett has highlighted Creative Access’ new steering group initiative for PR Week. Barrett describes how the programme aims to prepare rising PR pros for leadership roles in PR and other creative industries. Read more here.

Creative Access’ newest initiative will bring together a group of 16 individuals from the Creative Access community. Ruth Comerford in The Bookseller has reported how the programme will provide a leadership pathway for participants to becoming trustees or non-executive directors of other creative organisations, social enterprises or charities. 

Read in full here.

Creative Access is delighted to announce the launch of their Steering Group; a brand-new initiative bringing together a group of 16 individuals from the Creative Access community. This unique year-long programme will provide a leadership pathway for participants to becoming trustees or non-executive directors of other creative organisations, social enterprises or charities. The group will also provide feedback, input on and steer various Creative Access programmes and areas of development.

Creative Access – a leading diversity and inclusion social enterprise – has selected members of the Steering Group from its own alumni community; candidates from groups that are under-represented in the creative industries in terms of ethnicity, socio-economic background or disability. By the end of the year-long programme, participants will be supported to apply for leadership positions.

Josie Dobrin, Executive Chair, Creative Access said: “We are hugely excited about this new initiative. Our community have a huge amount of skills and energy to offer to leadership teams of commercial and not-for-profit organisations.  All too often, job descriptions require applicants to have experience for non-executive roles, so by creating this leadership pathway, we are removing obstacles for progression. In the long run, we’re creating a pipeline of candidates from communities that are under-represented at non-executive level, who will help organisations to innovate, future-proof decision-making and better reflect the organisations in which they serve. Any organisations interested in hearing from our budding trustees should get in touch!”

The new programme – which will be repeated annually – offers members the opportunity to share perspectives and network with people working cross-sector in the creative industries, gain insight into the responsibilities that come with being a trustee, and give members the chance to meet and be mentored by senior figures in the creative industries. This reflects Creative Access’ wider goal of creating sustainable change across the creative economy.

Lizzy Burden, interned via Creative Access at The Times in 2017 and is now the Europe, Middle East & Africa Economics & Government Correspondent at Bloomberg TV, will act as co-chair of the committee. She said: “Creative Access opened the door to my dream career in journalism so it’s important to me that I pay forward that opportunity. By co-chairing the steering group, I want to learn how the organisation runs — both financially and in terms of strategic decision making — so that I can help to drive its success further.”

Hetty Ashiagbor, who started off as a researcher at Lime Pictures through Creative Access in 2015 and is now a managing producer at BBC Good Food and OLIVE magazine, explained: “I am so excited to be part of the steering group for Creative Access. I am most looking forward to making an impact in the creative industries regarding diversity and inclusion, addressing challenges and evoking positive change. Creative Access played a huge part in kick starting my career in broadcast. It is an honour to be able to give back, share my experiences and knowledge and be part of positive change.” 

Appointments to the Steering Group will last for a one-year term. During the course, the Group will attend workshops with multiple external speakers, covering themes including charity and Community Interest Company status; the role and duties of a trustee; financial literacy and liabilities; principles of good governance and trusteeship; responsibilities of non-executive directors.

The members of the 2022-23 Steering Group are:

• Abs Gandhi, PR Manager, EMEA, Snowflake
• Alex Zepherin-Pinnock Founder / Creative Director, Don Dada Studio
• Amir Amirsolimani, Development Editor, SunnyMarch
• Arshdeep Kaur, Product Lead, Sky Glass, Sky
• Cameron Myers, Commissioning Editor (Penguin Business), Penguin General
• Charlotte Gray, Creative Designer /Partnerships Assistant, Freelance / SafetyWing 
• Cheyney Smith, Marketing Manager (Macmillan Children’s Books), Pan Macmillan
• Hetty Ashiagbor, Producer (multiple platform film/video producer)
• Isabella Silver, Branded Content Editor, Hearst
• Lizzy Burden, Europe, Middle East and Africa Economics and Government Correspondent, Bloomberg TV
• Nikou Asgari, Reporter, Financial Times
• Nitin Rishi, Producer / Director / Cinematographer
• Rabeeah Moeen, Audio Publishing Assistant, Pan Macmillan
• Saphia Abrahamovitch-Venner, Assistant Curator: Artist Development & Engagement, Spike Island
• Shamima Noor, Communications Co-ordinator, Fuel Theatre