For our April Creative Access masterclass, we were lucky enough to be joined by our friends at McLaren Racing to learn about the huge array of different careers within marketing, branding and design.

Creative Access and McLaren Racing have been partners since June 2021 when we joined the McLaren Racing Engage Alliance, which aims to diversify talent in motorsport. Last autumn we launched our first Career Development Bursary together to provide funding to help people overcome the financial obstacles to career progression.

We’re now excited to announce three, month-long paid internships at McLaren Racing this summer. Keep on eye on our website and social media in the coming weeks for more details to follow…

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The masterclass, chaired by Creative Access chief executive, Josie Dobrin, featured McLaren Racing’s head of merchandise and licensing, Caroline Land; Callum Willcox, senior specialist: fan and brand strateg  and Simon Dibley, senior specialist: design.

We were curious to know how our panel got started in their careers at McLaren Racing. Kicking us off was Simon. His design team covers everything from car livery to 3D animation and everything in between. Originally from New Zealand, Simon had studied design at university and told a careers advisor he would love to design cars. However, he was told to pick something “realistic” and cast his dreams of designing F1 cars aside whilst looking for other jobs in the design field. Although he didn’t have much experience in the industry, he passed his CV around and began to work at an agency which ended up working on a project with McLaren Racing and the rest is history!

Caroline oversees the creation of everything from merchandise, such as T-shirts and hoodies, to NFTs. She had started off in fashion merchandising working for British retail brands, specifically in menswear. However, Caroline quickly grew bored and realised she wanted to keep working in products, but in a new area. After working on the London 2012 Olympics, she began working for Puma where she started to work in sports licensing such as with football teams and F1, giving her the experience she needed to join McLaren Racing.

Callum’s role focuses on partnership development, pulling together pitches to target new partners to sponsor and support the McLaren Racing team. Recent partners to join the team, include Google. After studying economics through which he got a feel for marketing, Callum ended up doing a masters in marketing. He got into McLaren Racing by writing his dissertation on social media activation within sponsorship, which he put on his CV. This caught the eye of a recruiter who wanted to interview him on behalf of McLaren Racing.

Although the perception of F1 is that it’s a ‘man’s world’, Caroline says things have changed over the past 5 years, and that McLaren Racing makes an effort to create an inclusive working environment. Caroline laughs that you do have to do your homework in order “to hold a conversation with the engineers and the mechanics.” However, our panel all emphasised that while having an interest in F1 is helpful, it’s not essential within the creative teams at McLaren Racing. In fact, having a fresh perspective can actually be a real benefit, with Simon adding that not being an avid fan may improve your ability to question the way things are done and improve them. Caroline summed it up:

However, Callum warns that once you’re in at McLaren Racing, it’s difficult to not become F1-obssessed!

So, what were our panel’s tips for aspiring marketeers, designers and branding specialists? Simon recommends immersing yourself in your chosen industry. For example, with design, read about industry trends, search out award-winning agencies or new agencies popping up, listen to podcasts featuring designers you admire – essentially learn as much as you can so you’re ready to tackle whatever jobs come your way. As he explained, he had no prior experience in the creative industries, just a passion and drive which helped him land his dream job. Caroline adds that it’s important to form your own opinion and states: “Don’t be shy!”.

Marketing as a department encompasses so many different roles, as depicted in the diversity of roles within our panel. However, whichever niche you find yourself in in the industry, it’s vital to keep up with trends. Callum recommends reading trade press like Marketing Week and Campaign. He also explains that working for a big organisation like McLaren offers lots of progression, so if you find yourself gravitating to a different part of the marketing world, there’s room to explore that. Caroline continues that there is constant communication between the different teams within the department for each project.

Similarly, marketing is all about knowing your audience and how you can reach out to them, whilst also reaching an audience who might not be aware of you yet. And in line with this, our panel all emphasised the importance of listening to McLaren’s fanbase. Callum explained, they host fan surveys asking about everything from merchandise to partnerships and that the marketing team go down to the track and ask fans questions directly such as ‘What can we do better?’ or ‘What do you like?’ He states: “Fans do make a difference!” Even when deciding which other brands to partner with, they keep the fans front of mind.

Our panel finished by reminding the audience that working in Formula 1 isn’t ‘stuffy’ or ‘mechanically-focused’ – it’s so much more than that as a brand and there is a lot of scope for creativity. Caroline came back to the idea that it’s important to have people come in and ‘shake things up’. She said, at entry level, there are so many opportunities to be a sponge and suck up knowledge and work out where your passion lies. Caroline stated: “Sports marketing isn’t 9-5 so you really need a passion for it, but it’s an amazing job.” Chiming in with this, Simon said the most challenging part of his role is also his favourite: the fast-natured pace of the sport itself. While Callum advised:

A massive thank you to both our panel and audience for joining us! You can watch the masterclass in full here. To coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, our next masterclass on 11th May will be focusing on mental health and wellbeing in the creative industries. Sign up to join here.

We’re excited to announce that disability and diversity consultant Simon Minty will be joining the Creative Access team of trainers. He’ll be delivering workshops which support our employer partners to broaden their understanding of disability in the workplace and beyond; starting with an open workshop – Disability 101 – on June 9th.

The workshop will include discussing best practice, reasonable adjustments, approaching conversations around disability at work, and dealing with microaggressions and ableism.

Simon has delivered public speaking, training and consultancy in diversity and inclusion since early 2000s and helps improve the portrayal of disabled people in television and on stage.

He is a non-executive director of Motability Operations, is on the board of the National Theatre and co-chair of StopGap Dance. He is an Ambassador to the Business Disability Forum and Business Disability International. He also helped establish the Disability Media Alliance Project in California.

Simon co-hosts two podcasts, BBC Ouch! and The Way We Roll, he regularly reviews The Papers for BBC News, and in 2021 he joined the cast of Channel 4’s Gogglebox. He also co-produced and performed in the Edinburgh Fringe comedy show Abnormally Funny People.

In 2016 GQ named Simon Minty as one of the 100 best connected men in the UK. He has featured on the Power 100 List of disabled people for many years. He has personal experience of disability being of short stature and limited mobility.

Disability 101 Open Workshop led by Simon Minty

Thursday 9th June, 2 – 3:30pm

Sign up for the open workshop here.

If you are interested in organising disability training for your team or organisation, please contact us here.

Curated by Arlo, trainee communications assistant at Creative Access.

At Creative Access, we believe it’s important to uplift and support the trans people around you. We asked trans people working in the creative industries for their opinions, concerns and advice about being trans in the workplace.

Arlo: Being trans definitely influences my creative side, you will always find references and inspiration to queer culture through my work. I think that’s down to the sense of safety and community I am fortunate enough to have found in queer spaces.

Loke: I definitely think being trans influences my creativity (and vice versa). For me a large element of my creativity is about the making process – which I feel draws parallels to the way being trans is about making yourself.

Arlo: Workplaces can do a lot to support their trans employees such as pronoun pins/email sign offs, gender neutral bathrooms, sanitary products in both men’s and women’s bathrooms, offering legal and preferred name boxes on forms and documentation/systems. Advocating for their employees would be really helpful too in terms of customer/client interactions and educating staff.

Loke: I think a good way to support trans workers is to ask that all staff include their pronouns on email signatures or zoom profiles, so it becomes a normalised thing. It’s also useful to have open space for conversation about being trans (but not asking invasive questions unprompted of course.) Perhaps in some cases if a workplace is in the space to aid a trans person to get corrected documents or other things, that support would be really lovely too.

Arlo: Co-workers can best advocate for their trans colleagues by asking them and checking with them how they’d like to be referred and defending/correcting others even in the absence of their trans colleagues.

Loke: Co-workers specifically both listening to the trans people they work with, and being willing to do their own research, sets a really good basis for allyship. In a customer service front, correcting customers on pronouns can also be really good.

 Arlo: Every trans person navigates the workplace in a different way. Some people choose to go stealth (a person who passes as their desired gender and doesn’t share that they are trans with others) at work and some don’t. I personally would only discuss trans issues with people I know I would be safe to do so with. Having people around me in my work environment that can and do advocate for me in my absence and presence is so important for me as sometimes I do not always have the emotional capacity to continuously correct others when they get my pronouns wrong or misgender me.

Loke: I think it’s good, if you’re confident enough, to actually mention and ask about how being trans will be in the workplace when being interviewed. It can keep you potentially from taking on a job you might not feel safe at. I’d also say take it in small steps once you’re in the workplace. I knew my co-workers were all safe, but I was still reading what level of things I could share.

Arlo: I have found the creative industries to be the largest gathering of queer and trans individuals – so much more so than any other field. The industry, while still dominated by men, is much more saturated with like-minded and open people who create a safe and comfortable environment to flourish in.

Loke: I think the creative industries are a good place because generally speaking it attracts more accepting people/other lgbt+ folk – which just works out to make it a safer place. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that it can be a tough sector in terms of salaries – which I’m acutely aware is a troublesome issue from many for trans folk.

Arlo: Personally, I haven’t encountered many challenges as a trans person, but I have encountered many opportunities for myself and other minorities, such as minority-specific communities/workshops that help people connect with each other and network with others in the industry.

Loke: I think there are definitely opportunities opening up in the creative industries for trans people. People want to see themselves represented more within art and media and it’s better to hire a trans person to make art/content reflecting trans people than asking others to do so. I know some artists who help illustrate for trans-specific educational sources; stuff like that is definitely popping up more and more.

For their article exploring ‘Are diversity recruitment schemes successful in increasing inclusion and equality in the workplace?’, Hiyah Zaidi spoke to Creative Access, including our director of recruitment Anoushka Dossa, about the use of positive action schemes and how they can influence diversity within the workplace.

Anoushka stated:

Read the article in full here.

For our March masterclass, award-winning documentary filmmaker – and Creative Access alumnus – Matt Kay (Little Miss Sumo, Over the Wall) interviewed independent producer Damian Jones (The History Boys, Kidulthood, Blue Story) about what he’s learnt from over 30 years working in the film industry. Read on for both Matt and Damian’s top tips on how to navigate the industry, network and some great stories from projects they’ve worked on over the years.

Damian – who has been in the industry for 30 years – revealed that he didn’t study film at university, but knew that he loved movies and “there was nothing else” he wanted to do. His first job in film was as a driver, and after working as a runner and location scout, he realised there was only 3 jobs that interested him: actor, director and producer. He said: “I couldn’t do the first two but I thought producing I could do”. Since that epiphany moment, he has worked on 50 films spanning different genres, explaining that he’s “worked on such a diverse slate of films because the projects and stories have interested me.”

Part of being a good producer is trusting the talent that you work with, be that the director, the scriptwriter, or the actors. He said, “I do have an overview of everything. I regard myself as being able to do all aspects – as long as I’ve hired the right people to execute“. However, he emphasised that there is also a lot of opportunity for creativity too; being a producer is not only about organisation.

Matt has been in the industry for 10 years, starting his career with a paid Creative Access internship at Sky. When asked by an audience member why he was drawn to documentary-making, Matt said he had studied fiction film at university, but documentary simply felt like the easiest way into filmmaking as “life is happening all the time around you.” On his first documentary shoot, Matt went to Egypt and happened to be there during the Revolution creating an amazing story for his film. He quickly fell in love with the form and has stuck with it ever since. He focuses on socially-conscious stories and was shortlisted for an Oscar for his documentary, Little Miss Sumo.

Ever-changing technology and the use of social media has shaped the industry since Damian began working in the 1990s, and even over the past 10 years of Matt’s career. Damian said he advises writers and directors to “just do it” and start creating films – even if it’s just on their phones. Rapman started out creating short films on YouTube with his friends, but eventually there was a bidding war between independent distributors for his film Blue Story. Matt also referenced Munya Chawawa, who has been creating comedy videos on his Instagram page for years, and has just won an RTS award and is nominated for a BAFTA. Matt said this is also how he gained experience in the industry, by creating his own projects. He recommended not doing this in isolation and ensuring you keep building your network and collaborate with other people at the same time.

Social media can also help you to establish connections in the industry, but Damian also recommended joining film clubs, such as the BFI, where you can meet people as passionate about film as you are. He also encouraged anyone starting out to go to as many events as possible connected to the creative industries – even if not specifically film events – as you never know who you will meet. Damian and Matt both acknowledged that it’s not always easy to progress in the film industry, but that it can happen through a combination of hard work, building a network and collaboration.

Damian feels that the industry has opened up a lot and become more inclusive over the course of his career. Unfortunately, as Matt stated there is still not enough diversity in film. However, if you’re from an under-represented background trying to get into film, Matt told the audience to see it as “your advantage not disadvantage. Your unique experience and story will benefit you in the industry”. He called on the audience to:

At times, it can be difficult to balance the financial side of filmmaking with the creativity. Damian explains that when he started out, he did not know a lot about financing a film and budgeting, and urged the audience to not worry about the specifics before they start their career, as they will learn on the job. He recommended filmmakers seek funding from the BFI, British Pathé and Film Four, but warned: “Make sure you’re pitching to someone who makes your kind of films! Like you would with any job, you need to know what the company is.” He also added the importance of taking criticism on board when you are putting projects out there, but don’t let the no’s get you down – you have to keep trying.

Ultimately, though, filmmaking can be fun. Matt said the thing he loves the most about his job is being able to travel the world and meet interesting people; he was flying to Australia after the masterclass! Both Matt and Damian emphasised that filmmaking is hard work – with long hours, high pressure and responsibility – so it needs to be enjoyable: “You have to love what you do.”

Make sure you keep an eye out for Matt’s upcoming documentary on Lewis Hamilton for Apple TV and Damian’s upcoming “very silly comedy” with Sex Education’s Aimee Lou Wood and Nick Frost!

If our film masterclass has you feeling inspired to step into the industry, check out our film roles here, or watch Matt and Damian’s conversation in full below.

As part of Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we at Creative Access want to highlight the lived experiences of neurodivergent people within the workplace and the strengths and skills they bring to their roles.

We sat down with CA’s employer training trainee Simba, to chat about what adjustments work for her as someone with ADHD, and her top tips for neurodivergent people in the workplace.

As someone with ADHD, one thing that often gets brought up is time management. You can be perceived as lazy, or not prioritising correctly, or in general, your work ethic can be questioned if you’re not coming in on time, or they wonder how serious you are as an employee because you can’t meet certain time expectations. However, I think a strength that neurodiverse people can bring to roles off the back of that misconception is that we have the ability to hyper-focus. That’s a noticeable strength. It’s expected that you’re not necessarily hardworking, or that you can’t apply focus to a task, but you can.

As a person with ADHD, another strength we bring to the table is socialising. We have really good oral abilities; we enjoy socialising, we enjoy networking. Sometimes I feel like we’re like bridges to other people.

And another strength is our visual abilities – neurodiverse people in general share that strength. We tend to be able to see things in big pictures, or mind-map, or visually see things.

On top of that, enthusiasm and optimism. In the general workplace, if you’re used to not being the ‘best’, you have to offer optimism to keep you going. You have to keep that optimism and that drive which is really valuable in the workplace.

You also think outside the box. An opportunity might come where your skills might work well for a task in another department and you can then use that to get closer to your desired career goals.

Finally, I have so many interests and passions. I can put my hand in many different bags! You can take us out of our comfort zone and I think we can seize the challenge and have a level of enthusiasm and problem-solving skills. It might not be approached in the way that’s expected, but we’ll find a way.

More than average regular check-ins with my line manager.

Sometimes I can get lost in a task or the opposite, [and] lose focus on a task. I have a really good relationship with my line manager and it is super helpful. It means that no matter what, I can go to her about a series of things. She also sends me emails after a verbal discussion. I know dyslexic people also have difficulties with taking on verbal conversations and making sure you have all the details relevant to the task.

Avoid glaring lights and find a quiet place to work

It will help you stay focused. I’ve not personally had to do this, but it is ok to ask for a quiet space so that you can focus. In the workplace, you might be prone to anxiety or agitation if there’s a lot of lights and a lot of noise. Lots of neurodivergent people have an issue with sensory overload like glaring lights and overhearing other conversations, so a good adjustment is a quiet room with dim lights.

Fidget spinners and spinny rings!

Alongside this, I have other things, like a lavender bag because I stim off smells. People stim off different things, such as music. I just sniff the lavender bag and it calms me down. Same with my spinny rings, if I’m in a meeting and I need to move, I have my spinny ring. At work, if I’ve been stuck on a task too long, I’ll feel in my body that I need to move.

Make sure that you go on regular walks

Even going on walks around the office, exploring different floors.

Snacks!

Have snacks with you! People with ADHD also crave things that are high in dopamine: foods high in sugar and saturated fats, basically things that give you energy really fast. This is helpful but can ultimately lead to a crash, so you should try to go for nutritious but high complex carbohydrate foods to keep your sugar levels at a decent level.

Nutritious foods like oily fish, nuts, seeds, berries, leafy greens… I also take fish oil tablets which is meant to be really good for focusing. The ways I’ve tried to manage my ADHD is through supplements and snacks, Vitamin D as well.

Set alarms

I set alarms to remind me to eat – sometimes with ADHD and autism, you can forget when you’re hungry. The alarms also remind me when it’s time to focus on something else. They help keep you involved in your day, so you don’t get lost in a task and also can help how long it takes you to do a task.

Considering our strengths in visual mind-mapping skills, an adjustment an employer can make is giving someone 2 computer screens or a large computer screen so that everything is visible and it reduces the burden on your memory. For me in life, it’s out of sight out of mind so I like to have a visual idea of where everything is. Your own personal desk-space is also another reasonable adjustment so you can see your own belongings and what’s available for you.

An employer can also understand that someone with ADHD might need regular movement, and that not being viewed as weird. An adjustment could be giving someone ideas and spaces where they can have those times to release the burden of sensory overload.

I understand that in a business you can’t be late to everything, but having an employer who understands when you might be late reduces the anxiety and that that they might struggle with time management, and are probably very aware of that struggle can be really helpful.

Things like visual prompts and colourful stationary; a visual calendar; a notebook that you colour-code; checklists; notes; traffic light system in terms of things you prioritise in your day and your line manager breaking down tasks can all also be great adjustments. There’s also loads of softwares like Grammarly and text-to-speech softwares.

Another thing to bear in mind is, lots of people with ADHD thrive when they can do a couple of things at once. I’m able to take things more if I’m doing multiple things at once. It can feel a bit limiting to do that in the workplace, as it might look a bit unserious. But if I’m able to use my fidget spinner, for example, whilst in a conversation, I can offer up more ideas. So, a certain level of understanding that not everyone has to sit at a desk to be 100% focused.

Disclosure isn’t necessary. It really depends on the working environment you’re at. It worked well for me but some businesses might not have the structure to support you and your disclosure ends up being redundant. But if you feel like the symptoms of your neurodivergence are pervasive in that they affect you on a day-to-day basis, then disclosure is a safe space. Ultimately, it is better not to mask these things. Don’t have fear that your difficulties are bad personality traits.  

You have strengths and skills to bring forward and it’s ok to say, “this is where I’m strong and this is where I’m not”. We’re all motivated and inspired by different tasks and activities.

Go to someone you trust and raise creating a Wellness Action Plan with them. The way I could disclose my neurodivergence was through my Wellness Action Plan. You discuss what tell-tales sign you give off when you’re upset. I know that according to my ADHD how that would translate. This is relevant for everyone, not just neurodivergent people. 

It has benefitted me in regards to delegating tasks, my line manager knows what tasks are well-fitting for me and which ones I may struggle with so she can assist me in those areas. It makes me feel more comfortable to be myself, to move around, my mannerisms… Everyone should be free to be themselves no matter if you have neurodivergence or whether you’re culturally different, or any of those things. But it gives me a sense of freedom to come as my authentic self – I’m never questioned, or mocked. I feel appreciated for those things.

These things oscillate, even with ADHD symptoms, there’s some weeks where I feel completely neurotypical. For anyone, in regards to mental health or their personal circumstance, these are all things that are constantly oscillating. Someone neurotypical, on a bad mental health month, can show symptoms that might overlap with someone with autism, or ADHD… That’s why I love the idea of Wellness Action Plan – someone who’s struggling with their mental health can disclose and ask for reasonable adjustments. Having those adjustments in the workplace help everyone.

If you are being discriminated against, remember this is illegal. Under the equality act 2010, it’s a legal requirement to have reasonable adjustments made in the workplace. No one can do everything, so have faith in the ability that you have. It’s within your rights to ask for support and support in how you can develop.

Advocacy!

Advocate for your colleagues when they have difficulties. One thing I feel blessed with both my 2 past line managers is that I was shy and nervous to talk about difficulties and sometimes they would send an email on my behalf to explain I was struggling and feeling shy. But it goes both ways.  

Making everyone aware

In your own department, it can be fine as you know the way of working and you have your own style of working, but sometimes someone from the wider team might come in and not know. A colleague explaining to them your style of working and your adjustments can be really helpful.

Ask questions

If you see someone looks agitated, you could say “Hey I’ve noticed this – tell me if I’m wrong – but I wanted to ask you if this is the case?”. That’s how I’ve approached it with colleagues who’ve had bad mental health days before.

Ask if there’s any way you can adjust

If there’s a group project and you can tell someone’s struggling, ask how you can assist or do it differently. Ask if you can adjust your working styles to work better together. Giving the option of being able to have a verbal or written conversation, maybe we could talk on the phone or do a visual mind-map. Give them the option to approach tasks in different ways.

• Plan your journey the day before. Give yourself visual cues, what landmarks might you see on your way there?
• Pack your bag before
• Plan your outfit
• Sleep hygiene is really important: if you struggle with waking up, put your phone far away from your bed so you have to get up to get it in the morning might be helpful
• Body double: it’s not always possible, but if you find having someone present while you do a task helpful, you could find yourself a buddy or just ask someone if you can work together because you find it easier
• Soothing techniques: for me it’s the spinnies, but meditation can also help.
• Eat breakfast!

Creative Access and the University of Manchester’s CoDE report has been discussed in Arts Professional. The article focuses on the findings that fewer ethnically diverse creatives are employed since the pandemic and are experiencing heightened levels of financial instability.

Read here.

Creative Access, the leading social enterprise in progressive career development support, has found that 80% of young carers working in the creative industries have missed out on career opportunities and a third (30%) have also decided not to apply for a role due to their caring responsibilities. Meanwhile, a further 80% of young carers also claimed their health and wellbeing had been impacted by caring responsibilities.

A young carer is defined as someone under the age of 25 who cares for a friend or family member who, due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support.* To coincide with #YoungCarersActionDay on 16^th March, Creative Access conducted research and a focus group with both current and young carers to gage how this often over-looked and under-represented group can be better supported in the creative industries.

Key findings from the survey included:

• 70% of participants were under the age of 20 when they first started caring for someone
• 80% felt like caring had an impact on their health and wellbeing
• 80% felt like they missed out on opportunities
• 65% decided to not apply for a new role because of their caring responsibilities 
• 60% felt like they were unable to network or attend industry events 
• 30% felt like they weren’t supported in the workplace

The statistic that 70% of the participants had started caring for someone under the age of 20 is particularly shocking. Members of the focus group explained how caring at such a young – and pivotal – age actually led to a lack of opportunities such as missing out on networking and industry events due to caring responsibilities and financial constraints.

In response to the call to action surrounding young carer’s needs within the workplace, Creative Access has created a resource directed at young carers themselves on how to navigate their caring responsibilities in the workplace, but also so employers can better understand their needs.

One member of the focus group encapsulated how employers can make this change:

The pandemic has disproportionately affected under-represented groups in the creative industries, and young carers in particular have been profoundly impacted by the past 2 years. A Carers Trust survey found that 78% of young adult carers aged 18 to 25 were experiencing increased concern for their futures since Coronavirus. Despite this negative impact, one positive aspect of the pandemic referenced by the participants was the benefits of working from home. As one participant emphasised:

However, young carers expressed worries about returning to the office post-pandemic, as well as non-inclusive work cultures within the creative industries, particularly within TV:

In spite of this, Creative Access’ findings did highlight the unique skills and attributes that young carers can bring to the workplace. The participants frequently cited their empathy, time management, patience and crisis management abilities, as well as practical skills such as first aid training and Covid awareness.  Of the positive attributes that young carers bring to the workplace, one participant said:

Josie Dobrin, CEO of Creative Access says: “At Creative Access, we are constantly striving to ensure better representation and support for people from communities under-represented in the sector. As today’s research shows, young carers are a group who face specific challenges and are not currently getting the recognition and support they need at work. We are hopeful that following our findings, employers will recognise the urgent need to create inclusive workplaces that support carers and the valuable perspective this group bring to the creative industries.”

*Cited from Carer’s Trust: https://carers.org/about-caring/about-young-carers

The pandemic has worsened pre-existing inequalities in the creative and cultural industries by causing job insecurity and financial instability among ethnically diverse people employed in the sector, according to a new report. This is particularly concerning given the underrepresentation of these groups within the industries.

Experts from The University of Manchester’s Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity partnered with career support organisation Creative Access to collect data on the experiences of ethnically diverse workers – and those aspiring to work – in the industries.

The researchers found that only 29% of respondents were in employment a year after the first lockdowns – a huge drop of 22 percentage points – and 48% of respondents said they are either becoming financially unstable or need immediate assistance to pay their bills.

The overwhelming majority of ethnically diverse creative workers report feeling anxious or worried, with insecurity being a major contributing factor – 70% of all respondents were worried about their job security, and a staggering 89% of workers with over 10 years of experience said the pandemic had made their job less secure.

One respondent told the researchers that they were unable to claim money from the SEISS [Self-Employment Income Support Scheme] despite having no income – they were existing on Universal Credit, which was barely enough to cover their outgoings. They said their mental health had plummeted from not being able to secure any kind of work.

58% of respondents said that their primary source of income had changed, and alarmingly, 30% of these said they had left the creative and cultural industries for another sector – this suggests a risk that as the industry recovers from the aftermath of the pandemic, it may be even less diverse than before.

37% of respondents said their careers had been affected by discrimination because of their ethnic or racial identity, but many reported that 2020’s Black Lives Matter protests had only seen limited subsequent improvements despite many employers declaring their intent to reduce discrimination and increase diversity. Only 14% agreed that more paid opportunities were available as a result of the protests, and these were also likely to be junior positions.

The report’s authors are calling for a host of changes at creative and cultural organisations to tackle these issues including the adoption of employment targets, guidelines for recruitment practices and financial incentives for organisations which develop targeted schemes for graduates from ethnically diverse backgrounds who have lost out as a result of the pandemic.

“Our findings are extremely worrying because they demonstrate that ethnically diverse creatives and cultural workers are having to deal with the severe impact of Covid on employment in the creative and cultural industries, on top of pre-existing racism, and indicates a potentially lost generation of ethnically diverse talent who are struggling to enter the sector,” said Roaa Ali from the Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity. “We believe that the pandemic has significantly compounded issues of ethnic and racial inequality in the sector, and we are calling for urgent and specific actions championed by both industry and policy decision makers to address this – this, too, is integral to the levelling up agenda.”

“The creative and cultural industries were already the site of fundamental race and ethnic inequalities, and our findings suggest that the pandemic has deepened them,” said Professor Bridget Byrne from the Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity. “This sector is critical not only for its contribution to the economy, but also because it shapes the cultural life of the country – this is why structural racism faced within the sector is so concerning.”

“We need action within individual organisations, but also more broadly at a policy level to both collect the data needed to track ethnic inequalities and also to implement proactive actions to ensure that ethnically diverse people have fair access to training, jobs and promotion within the sector.”

“Clearly, the Covid pandemic hit everyone who works in creative and cultural industries – but it also exasperated existing inequalities in this sector,” said Dr Anamik Saha from the Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity and Goldsmiths, University of London. “While media and cultural organisations were quick to pronounce their support for the Black Lives Matter protests that occurred during the pandemic, our research found this translated into relatively few new opportunities for Black people in particular.”

“Our hope is that in shining a light on their circumstances, media and cultural organisations can better support creative workers from minoritised communities, ensuring fair and equal treatment during these difficult times.”

“On the second anniversary of the pandemic, we are seeing yet further proof of the disproportionate impact of covid on people from groups under-represented in the creative industries in terms of ethnicity. With the huge loss of funding, income and job opportunities in the sector, it’s critical that organisations like ours work with employer partners to ensure that people from these communities do not lose out on career access or progression as a result,” says Josie Dobrin, founder and CEO, Creative Access.

Full report: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/files/212029276/Impact_of_covid_and_blm_on_ethnically_diverse_creatives_and_cultural_workers_report.pdf

‘The impact of Covid-19 and BLM on Black, Asian and ethnically diverse creatives and cultural workers’ R Ali, S Guirand, B Byrne, A Saha and H Taylor, Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity, March 2022.

Watch the recording of ‘On and off screen diversity: Why does it matter?‘ an event held on Thursday, 11 November 2021. Speakers: Roaa Ali (CoDE), Sadia Habib and Shaf Choudry (The Riz Test) and Josie Dobrin (Creative Access).

The pandemic has worsened pre-existing inequalities in the creative and cultural industries by causing job insecurity and financial instability among ethnically diverse people employed in the sector, according to a new report. This is particularly concerning given the underrepresentation of these groups within the industries.

Experts from The University of Manchester’s Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity partnered with career support organisation Creative Access to collect data on the experiences of ethnically diverse workers – and those aspiring to work – in the industries.

The researchers found that only 29% of respondents were in employment a year after the first lockdowns – a huge drop of 22 percentage points – and 48% of respondents said they are either becoming financially unstable or need immediate assistance to pay their bills.

The overwhelming majority of ethnically diverse creative workers report feeling anxious or worried, with insecurity being a major contributing factor – 70% of all respondents were worried about their job security, and a staggering 89% of workers with over 10 years of experience said the pandemic had made their job less secure.

One respondent told the researchers that they were unable to claim money from the SEISS [Self-Employment Income Support Scheme] despite having no income – they were existing on Universal Credit, which was barely enough to cover their outgoings. They said their mental health had plummeted from not being able to secure any kind of work.

58% of respondents said that their primary source of income had changed, and alarmingly, 30% of these said they had left the creative and cultural industries for another sector – this suggests a risk that as the industry recovers from the aftermath of the pandemic, it may be even less diverse than before.

37% of respondents said their careers had been affected by discrimination because of their ethnic or racial identity, but many reported that 2020’s Black Lives Matter protests had only seen limited subsequent improvements despite many employers declaring their intent to reduce discrimination and increase diversity. Only 14% agreed that more paid opportunities were available as a result of the protests, and these were also likely to be junior positions.

The report’s authors are calling for a host of changes at creative and cultural organisations to tackle these issues including the adoption of employment targets, guidelines for recruitment practices and financial incentives for organisations which develop targeted schemes for graduates from ethnically diverse backgrounds who have lost out as a result of the pandemic.

“Our findings are extremely worrying because they demonstrate that ethnically diverse creatives and cultural workers are having to deal with the severe impact of Covid on employment in the creative and cultural industries, on top of pre-existing racism, and indicates a potentially lost generation of ethnically diverse talent who are struggling to enter the sector,” said Roaa Ali from the Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity. “We believe that the pandemic has significantly compounded issues of ethnic and racial inequality in the sector, and we are calling for urgent and specific actions championed by both industry and policy decision makers to address this – this, too, is integral to the levelling up agenda.”

“The creative and cultural industries were already the site of fundamental race and ethnic inequalities, and our findings suggest that the pandemic has deepened them,” said Professor Bridget Byrne from the Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity. “This sector is critical not only for its contribution to the economy, but also because it shapes the cultural life of the country – this is why structural racism faced within the sector is so concerning.”

“We need action within individual organisations, but also more broadly at a policy level to both collect the data needed to track ethnic inequalities and also to implement proactive actions to ensure that ethnically diverse people have fair access to training, jobs and promotion within the sector.”

“Clearly, the Covid pandemic hit everyone who works in creative and cultural industries – but it also exasperated existing inequalities in this sector,” said Dr Anamik Saha from the Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity and Goldsmiths, University of London. “While media and cultural organisations were quick to pronounce their support for the Black Lives Matter protests that occurred during the pandemic, our research found this translated into relatively few new opportunities for Black people in particular.”

“Our hope is that in shining a light on their circumstances, media and cultural organisations can better support creative workers from minoritised communities, ensuring fair and equal treatment during these difficult times.”

“On the second anniversary of the pandemic, we are seeing yet further proof of the disproportionate impact of covid on people from groups under-represented in the creative industries in terms of ethnicity. With the huge loss of funding, income and job opportunities in the sector, it’s critical that organisations like ours work with employer partners to ensure that people from these communities do not lose out on career access or progression as a result,” says Josie Dobrin, founder and CEO, Creative Access.

Full report: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/files/212029276/Impact_of_covid_and_blm_on_ethnically_diverse_creatives_and_cultural_workers_report.pdf

‘The impact of Covid-19 and BLM on Black, Asian and ethnically diverse creatives and cultural workers’ R Ali, S Guirand, B Byrne, A Saha and H Taylor, Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity, March 2022.

Watch the recording of ‘On and off screen diversity: Why does it matter?‘ an event held on Thursday, 11 November 2021. Speakers: Roaa Ali (CoDE), Sadia Habib and Shaf Choudry (The Riz Test) and Josie Dobrin (Creative Access).

The University of Manchester’s Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity partnered with Creative Access to understand the experiences of ethnically diverse workers – and those aspiring to work – in the creative industries as an effect of the pandemic and BLM.

Mirage News has reported the findings here.

ITV Granada have covered Creative Access and the University of Manchester’s Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity findings that nearly half of ethnically diverse people in creative industries need help paying their bills and that only 29% of ethnically diverse people in creative industries were in employment in March 2021, down from 51%, amongst other results.

The full report can be found here, whilst the ITV article can be read here.