Nicola Kemp in Creative Brief has written: “The rhetoric of ‘bringing yourself’ is not living up to workplaces in which employees are consistently facing the pressure to ‘code switch’ and cover up their accents” following Creative Access and FleishmanHillard’s report into the impact of accent bias in the UK’s creative industries.

Read the article here.

Creative Access and FleishmanHillard UK’s report into the impact of accent bias in the creative industries has been reported on in Little Black Book. Read in full here.

Marian McHugh has covered Creative Access and FleishmanHillard UK’s research into accent bias in the creative industries, specifically looking at the impact and experiences of those working or aspiring to work in film and TV.

Read the coverage here.

Creative Access and FleishmanHillard UK Research Found 77% of Those in the Creative Industries Feel They Must Change Their Accents at Work to be Taken More Seriously

Creative Access, a leading social enterprise specialising in diversity and inclusion across the creative industries, and global communications agency FleishmanHillard today launched the Language of Discrimination Report. The report reveals the impact of accent bias within the creative industries, and how those affected are feeling under pressure to change their accents to advance in their careers and appease management and clients.

The report draws on a survey of 301 members of the Creative Access community, and a nationally representative survey of 2,000 UK adults based on age, gender, region, ethnicity, sexual orientation and socio-economic status.

For an industry with language as its main product, the research found that accents continue to be seen as a marker of class, education and background – impeding talented individuals’ access to, and progression within, the industry. Over three quarters (77%) of respondents working in the creative industries have felt they had to change their accents in the workplace – specifically when dealing with clients.

Official statistics state that over two million people across the UK work within the creative industries, however according to research from the PEC over half (52%) of the creative industry workforce is from high socio-economic backgrounds, compared to 38% across all industries.

With social mobility remaining an acute issue within the creative sector, addressing the issue of accent bias is a key step in driving more inclusivity. Recent research conducted by experts from the Universities of Manchester, Edinburgh and Sheffield reveals that class inequalities within the creative sector had not evolved since the 1970s. It highlighted data from the Office of National Statistics that outlined 16.4% of creative workers born between 1953 and 1962 had a working-class background, but that had fallen to just 7.9% for those born four decades later.

Today’s report highlights that many in the creative industries, as well as the UK at large, have felt prematurely and subconsciously judged because of their accent and manner of speech in formal, workplace scenarios.

Some key responses from Creative Access community members, include:

• 35% were told to change their accents when speaking to customers or clients, compared to 21% of the surveyed general population
• 89% believed that others had made subconscious judgements about them based on their accent or how they speak, compared to 65% among the general population
• 62% were taught from an early age by teachers they must ‘speak better’ to be successful

Impact on career progression:

• 90% agree that those who speak in Received Pronunciation are more likely to be hired and promoted within the PR and Communications industry
• 87% agree there are barriers to entry in PR and Comms depending on your accent and voice, compared to 32% of the working UK adult population
• 60% agreed they had to change their accents to progress their career, compared to 25% of the UK population

Lack of diversity and inclusion:

• 81% of the Creative Access community respondents code switch (changing behaviour to match your peers) for a number of reasons, most notably to be taken more seriously (67%)  
• 69% agree they do not hear many people with accents and voices like theirs in the workplace
• 89% agree that their voice and accent affect how they are perceived in the PR and Communications industry specifically, compared to 41% of the working population

Elonka Soros, Development Director at Creative Access: “The emotional labour of frequent code-switching – the change in one’s behaviour to match their peers – remains an issue in the industry not just in how it impacts the quality of the work produced, but more importantly on the wellbeing of employees. For those who constantly change their manner of speech, a core part of their identity, it leads to higher rates of burnout and anxiety, highlighting the need to foster more inclusive environments for diverse voices.”

Ben Levine, Senior Partner and Head of the UK socio-economic employee resource group at FleishmanHillard: “Accent bias won’t go away on its own. There’s always more we can do as individuals, and as an industry, by fostering inclusivity among our ranks. Be it by adapting blind recruitment processes further, checking our own internalised biases or by calling out remarks about our colleagues’ accents, we can create a more welcoming workplace. Thanks to our partners at Creative Access, we can have those honest conversations and reflections, and take them in our stead to bring in, keep and nurture the diverse voices our industry needs.”

Today’s research supports the findings of The Sutton Trust’s Speaking Up report, which revealed that public attitudes to different accents have remained unchanged over time. Its findings revealed that Received Pronunciation remains the dominant accent in positions of authority across the media, despite less than 10% of the population estimated to have this accent, exclusively from higher socio-economic backgrounds.

About FleishmanHillard  
FleishmanHillard specializes in public relations, reputation management, public affairs, brand marketing, digital strategy, social engagement and content strategy. FleishmanHillard was named 2021 PRovoke Global Agency of the Year, 2021 ICCO Network of the Year, 2021 Campaign Global PR Agency of the Year, 2022 PRWeek U.S. Agency of the Year and Outstanding Extra-Large Agency of the Year; 2021 PRovoke APAC Consultancy of the Year; 2021 PRWeek UK Large Consultancy of the Year; Human Rights Campaign Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality 2018-2021; and to Seramount’s (formerly Working Mother Media) “Top Companies for Executive Women” list 2010-2021. FleishmanHillard is part of Omnicom Public Relations Group, and has 75 offices in more than 30 countries, plus affiliates in 45 countries.  

About Omnicom Public Relations Group   
Omnicom Public Relations Group is a global collective of three of the top global public relations agencies worldwide and specialist agencies in areas including public affairs, language strategy, global health strategy and change management. As the largest group of communications professionals in the world, our employees provide expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs and nonprofits across a wide range of industries. Omnicom Public Relations Group delivers for clients through a relentless focus on talent, continuous pursuit of innovation and a culture steeped in collaboration. Omnicom Public Relations Group is part of the Communications Consultancy Network, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC).    

Ever heard someone’s job title and thought: “Wait, you can do that as a job?!”… This month, we’re highlighting all the coolest jobs happening behind-the-scenes in the creative industries that you never knew existed. In today’s blog former Creative Access intern, Ayodele Ogunshakin fills us in on her time working as a storyliner on one of the UK’s longest-running soaps, Coronation Street.

As a storyliner, I worked as part of the Coronation Street story team to pitch, develop and write storylines. The team comprised of an assistant storyliner, storyliners, senior storyliners, story editors and a story producer.  

I really enjoyed attending story conferences; as nerve-wracking as it was, I loved pitching my ideas and writing them. It was also great to work with such a talented and encouraging team, and I always found it surreal to see plot lines we talked about and developed just months earlier, brought to life on screen by the editorial teams and the fabulous cast and crew.  

What is a story conference? This is a space to meet and network with other storyliners, script writers and editors AKA any roles involved with story and script developments on soaps. They usually consist of workshops where writers can work on pitching, testing out and sharing ideas to ultimately help them create and develop their skills.  
 

The team at the famous British soap, Emmerdale, organised a storylining workshop in Media City and I was really curious because I had never heard of the role before. After attending the session, I realised it was the job I had always wanted but didn’t know existed. We were all given storylines to write after the session and I received helpful feedback.  

Years later when Creative Access advertised a storylining workshop being run by Coronation Street I went along with a better understanding of what a storyliner does. Having learnt from my experience attending the Emmerdale workshop, I put the feedback I received into practice and secured an interview which led to a role as an assistant storyliner, and eventually a promotion to the position of storyliner. 

If anyone is interested in becoming a storyliner, I would encourage them to look out for workshop opportunities as they provide incredible insight into the role and what you can expect when working as part of a story team.  

I recently moved to Canada and have been learning a lot about how the industry works here. I love writing and creating characters, so I plan to continue doing that and I hope to have my personal projects and scripts produced soon too.    
 

Read more of Ayo’s advice from when she was a panelist at our creative industries showcase in Leeds here. 

Looking for your next role in TV? Check out our opportunities here.  

Creative Access partnered with global communications agency FleishmanHillard to explore the extent and impact of this “language discrimination” on employer cultures, employees and aspiring employees and on the work they produce in the creative industries and beyond.

The report reveals the impact of accent bias within the creative industries, and how those affected are feeling under pressure to change their accents to advance in their careers and appease management and clients. Over three quarters (77%) of respondents working in the creative industries have felt they had to change their accents in the workplace – specifically when dealing with clients. Meanwhile 89% of our Creative Access community have felt prematurely and sub-consciously judged by others based simply on their accent and manner of speech.

The report draws on a survey of 301 members of the Creative Access community, and a nationally representative survey of 2,000 UK adults based on age, gender, region, ethnicity, sexual orientation and socio-economic status.

Read the report in full here: Language of Discrimination

Employer resource: The language of discrimination – class barriers and accent bias

The producer of series 2 of ‘The Great’ approached Creative Access to find department trainees from diverse backgrounds ready to start their careers in the TV industry.

All trainees were educated about the breadth of roles on set during the recruitment process. They attended an induction to ensure they could make the best of the opportunity on set at Three Mills Studio in Stratford. This session covered how to set goals, create an impact and navigate being a minority in the workplace.

Through a partnership with Creative Access the diversity of the crew was increased by 1% (of a crew of 300). Ten trainees from communities under-represented in the film industry were placed across every department, including hair & make-up, art, first assistant director, set decoration, post-production and script supervision.

The Great, broadcast on Channel 4, is an Emmy / Golden Globe nominated comedy-drama starring Elle Fanning. It focuses on the rise of Catherine the Great to become the longest-reigning female ruler in Russia’s history.

This month, Creative Access is focusing on the jobs you didn’t know existed. That means all the amazing jobs happening behind-the-scenes in the creative industries to hopefully inspire you to think about some of the career paths you might not have considered or known how to access before. This week former Creative Access intern and current guest artistic director at the Kings Head Theatre, Isabel Adomakoh Young tells us all about her new role…

I’m an actor, writer and voice artist so I do a lot of different projects, but my main role at the moment is Guest Artistic Director (GAD) of the Kings Head Theatre in Islington. I am programming a season in spring for them, which means I choose what shows will perform at the theatre during that time. 

The role is a newly invented one as the theatre doesn’t have anyone currently doing the job of Artistic Director, so they’ve chosen to invite four theatre artists to do it in the interim as part of a project called ‘The Takeover’. Usually, being Artistic Director (AD) of a theatre company or theatre involves other elements beyond programming too.  

I’ve called my season ‘Sight Unseen’ and I’m asking the questions: “Who should finally get their turn in the limelight?”, “How can we take a fresh look at old narratives?” and, “What have we taken as read without ever asking ourselves why?”.  

Being a GAD involves a number of tasks… 

Planning  

• Designing my season, writing some text that explains my vision and what type of work I’d like to see 
• Researching and contacting artists I like to see if they’d like to propose a show  
• Reading applications from the public ‘open call’ and opening a conversation with projects I like the look of. Most projects will be headed up by a producer and will have a writer (whose script I’ll read) and possibly a director and cast also attached, though that can also be arranged later.  
• With the information they provide about their productions, deciding how many performances the show should do and what time it should go on. Alongside our ‘main’ shows that do 6 performances a week, we have shorter slots and late-night ones that better suit comedy or cabaret. 

• Most slots require a refundable deposit from the production, but for the latest evening slot we simply divide box office takings between the theatre and the company. 
• Working through the financial, time and production requirements the theatre has with the producers and negotiating how those can work for each project.  
• Drafting and issuing ‘Deal Memos’ which act as a contract, once all points are agreed.  

Execution  

• Handing over to the theatre’s in-house producers to see the show through to opening night.   

• Promoting the season, creatively supporting the artists I’ve booked, fostering networks between them, and being a vocal champion of the work.  
• Us GADs also receive skill development and mentoring as part of the role, so we attend workshops, one-to-ones and networking events.   

It’s very exciting thinking and researching who might fit my season. Despite the somewhat uncertain outlook in theatre, there are always amazing artists full of ideas and determination out there. I love finding new theatre companies or writers and thinking: “I have an opportunity that could help you grow and succeed”. It’s an interesting challenge navigating what the Kings Head audience might be interested in, what I think might sell, and how to achieve a balance of different types of work and topics across the season. The best moment is when you’ve made a formal offer and they reply saying “Yes please!”.  

Part of the invention of The Takeover at the Kings Head was because the existing path to becoming an Artistic Director is very opaque. There’s no specifically required skillset or professional background, and the way people achieve it is not clearly set out; it’s often based on ‘relationships’ with theatres and powerful people. The exciting thing, though, is that one can come at it from different directions – you don’t have to have been a theatre director, for instance. As an actor, my experience has been more on the making shows side rather than running a company or building. The Takeover means I’ll be better prepared if I ever choose to pursue becoming an AD.  

As for how I attained the role – full transparency – I was asked by simple invitation. While I was invited to take on this role, the theatre has assured me they will look at making the process much more accessible – so keep an eye out for that!  

Reflecting more broadly on what got me the offer, I’d say every job, from my internship via Creative Access with a literary agency, to being in a drag collective, to running my own arts festival on a shoestring, brought me experience and insight that I’m using now. It’s not always obvious how, as the industries ostensibly differ a lot, but knowing how to handle artists, or familiarity with contracting, or simply an appreciation of an art form, can prove useful in unexpected ways in this sector.   

And importantly, courage and a bit of self-belief helped. I nearly turned this opportunity down, feeling inadequate, but my mum told me “Say yes, and figure out how to do it later”, which is exactly what the Kings Head were inviting us to do!  

I can’t talk yet about what’s on in my season but performing at the Kings Head in 2021 was an amazing experience. They ran a season called ‘Barstools to Broadway’, about their 50-year history as a fringe theatre nurturing shows and writers that went on to huge things in the industry, and I loved reading an early play by a writer I love and respect, Stephen Jeffreys, as part of that. I’m actually using his book on playwriting to help me write my first play now!  
 

1. Don’t be shy! Shout about your work and your achievements, because you can trust that other people will be shouting about theirs. Put the effort into presenting yourself well, as well as your work; for better or worse in the arts, opportunities come when people perceive you to have potential. 

2. But alongside that, create relationships where you back one another. It can be a lonely industry and a boost from someone you rate will keep morale high and hopefully get you both some work/ audiences. 

3. See other people’s work and think critically about what you liked, what you’d do differently. Also, keep abreast of opportunities like grants, workshops and networking events. There’s so much out there that people just don’t know about, and these can be a great start to a relationship with an institution too. Think of yourself as part of an industry you can both benefit from and change for the better.  

Keep up to date with Isabel’s projects by following her on Twitter here, or visiting her website here.

If you’re feeling inspired to find a new role in theatre, you can see our opportunities here.

On Tuesday evening, the Creative Access community was given exclusive, out of hours access to the Africa Fashion exhibit. Not only this, but the curator, Christine Checinska, held an honest, thoughtful talk on the how she successfully navigates being a creative of colour and the responsibility she undertook to tell the story of a continent.

Christine, who not only curates, but is an artist, designs and writes, spoke briefly on her three-decade background within the arts industry, which began with a 6-month internship at the Institute of International Visual Arts. The exhibition is a true testament to her and her team’s ability to invite gallery goers through a journey of all 54 countries in Africa; each medium, be it garment, photography or film, writing Africa back into history as being a pioneer at the forefront of techniques such as print, tailoring and pattern.

The exhibit is carefully crafted, beginning with a striking hot-pink two piece, working to “trouble expectations” and “shake stereotypes” of what we believe African fashion should be. As you walk through, you’re met with kente cloth, and fabrics which, with political figures printed on, which allowed individuals to literally wear their stances on their sleeve. The whole display, which covers two floors, is cyclical in structure, a nod to the unifying nature of fashion in Africa, and its constant resurgence in pop culture. Even the mannequins – the design headed by Rachael Lee, senior conservator – were specially made and took two years. They were based on model Adhel Bol, and made into several skin tones and hairstyles adding something unique to each look, representing the beauty and diversity of African people.

This V&A exhibition is surprisingly also the first of its kind, as no other exhibit has retraced African fashion, and endeavoured to tell the story from the perspective of not only designers, but the ordinary people, unaware that their fashion choices would be documented this way. A large bulk of the pieces are donated from people’s wardrobes, and Christine comments on the collectiveness this creates: “a coming together of difference” that makes up a conscious celebration of the scene. There is even one piece included by an unknown designer, a choice that honours the individuals lost to time, but still able to leave their mark.

When asked about making her own mark, and the pressure that comes with representing a mass as a curator in an industry that isn’t very diverse, Christine said “there are more curators of colour than you’d expect, they’re hidden in plain sight”.  She continued by saying she doesn’t think of herself as being part of the “decolonization camp” but rather works to discover what happens in between, understanding the importance of things such as creolisation and unity despite difference. Her nature is one of maturity, and willingness to “pass the mic to others”, understanding that your weaknesses are not always bad, but can often be complimented by others’ strengths to facilitate beautiful examples of creativity.

If you can, we’d really recommend you see the exhibit before it’s closing in April. Following this, it will tour the world until 2026 with opportunities for pop-up shows with local curators. Please do look at the V&A website also, as they offer amazing sessions for young people, as well as many other interesting exhibits to go and see. A huge thank you to Christine, Rachael and the V&A team for hosting our first masterclass of the year!

See you soon!

Marian McHugh in Broadcast has focused on the most popular request in Creative Access and McLaren Racing’s latest bursary – driving lessons. Read in full here.

The latest announcement of the second round of Creative Access and McLaren Racing’s Career Development Bursary recipients has been featured in DiversityQ. The outlet highlighted the increased demand for the bursary and wrote: “Sixty-one people working in the creative industries will receive vital funding for equipment, training, driving lessons and travel costs to support their career progression in the sector, thanks to  the annual Career Development Bursary.”

Read in full here.

60% increase in applicants reveals impact of cost-of-living crisis on career progression of those from under-represented groups   

Creative Access, the leading social enterprise in progressive career development and support, and McLaren Racing have today announced that 61 people working in the creative industries will receive vital funding for equipment, training, driving lessons and travel costs to support their career progression in the sector.  

The now annual Creative Access x McLaren Racing Career Development Bursary is in its second year, aimed at supporting talent from under-represented communities aspiring to work or further their career in the creative economy, but who are currently held back from doing so because of their financial status.   

Increased demand 

Demand for the bursary has more than doubled, year on year (2022-2023). Receiving over 500 applications in comparison to 2021, when it received just over 200. This 60% increase comes at a time when the cost-of-living crisis is increasing financial pressures for people across the country, especially those from already marginalised groups. Research has shown that workers from ethnic minority backgrounds are being disproportionately affected by the crisis, with more than a third unable to cover their essential costs each month. 

Due to the crucial need for funding, Creative Access and McLaren Racing increased the amount of money available and in doing so, more than doubled the number of people able to receive the bursary in comparison to last year. The successful recipients are located across the UK and work, or aspire to work, across the breadth of the creative industries including publishing, TV and film, theatre, visual arts, music, fashion, and technology and gaming.   

How the bursary will be used    

Each successful applicant will receive a grant between £250 and £1000, which must be used to enable them to progress in their chosen creative career. The most common request was for funding for driving lessons. Many applicants stated that driving was essential in their industry, such as journalism, film and TV, but with learning to drive costing on average £1,350, according to the RAC, this is prohibitive to many trying to break into the industry. Many applications came from people living outside London, seeming to highlight the impact of rising travel and rent costs. The other most notable request was for equipment, specifically laptops and Macbooks.   

Funding was also requested for: 

• Training and courses   
• Essential equipment such as cameras, microphones, lighting, and digital software
• Commuting costs
• Care costs 
• Living costs   

Shannon Rewcroft, who is an actor based in Yorkshire said: “This bursary is unbelievably helpful. It allows me to invest in my creative practice and enables activities that wouldn’t have been possible before. As well as the financial support, being awarded this bursary has been reenergizing, giving me confidence and focus to move ahead and make exciting plans for 2023!”

Glenda Gaspard, an architecture graduate and artist from London, explained: “This bursary is supporting me in taking the next steps to grow my creative practice. Not only has it opened the door to more resources, it’s also unlocked a new level of confidence in me. It’s an incredible feeling to know that your visions are believed in and backed by others!”  

This is the second bursary from the Creative Access and McLaren Racing partnership, formed in June 2021, under the McLaren Racing Engage alliance, which aims to diversify talent in motorsport.  

Bibi Hilton, CEO of Creative Access says:

Kate O’Hara-Hatchley, Head of Diversity, Early Careers and Development, commented: