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TV development leader Dean Webster joins Creative Access board, backed by Simons Muirhead Burton 

Creative Access is thrilled to announce that Dean Webster has joined the board of Creative Access. Dean started his Creative Access journey as a trainee for Shine Group back in 2013 and is now Head of Development at Ten66 Television.  

Dean participated in the2023 – 24 Steering Group; a training programme for future charity trustees bringing together a group of 16 individuals from the Creative Access community. This initiative is sponsored by leading media law firm, Simons Muirhead Burton who joined forces with Creative Access to guide and sponsor the programme. Their involvement includes a financial contribution, hosting the meetings at their central London office and providing in-house speakers on legal governance.  

In addition to Dean, two other members of the steering group have secured board roles including film & TV production strategist Osas Esosa, Olsberg SPI, who has joined the board of Shoreditch Town Hall and freelance writer & editor Dushi Horti (formerly HarperCollins) is joining London-based reading charity, Doorstep Library.  

Josie Dobrin, Executive Chair, Creative Access said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming Dean to our Board. We know his commitment, energy and experience will be a huge asset to us. It’s extremely exciting to now have two brilliant and skilled alumni on our board, reflecting the needs of our community as we seek to grow our impact over the coming years, and to create the urgent change required to representation at all levels of the creative industries and culture sector.   

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 we are thrilled that by having created this leadership pathway, we are removing obstacles for progression and that so many of the group have already secured non-executive roles. We are indebted to Simons Muirhead Burton for their huge and invaluable support of this programme.”  

Commenting on his appointment to the Board, Dean Webster, Head of Development, Ten66 Television said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been accepted onto the Non-Executive Board of Creative Access, an organisation that has been so integral in my career by opening the door to the television industry and supporting me to thrive in the sector. I’m proud and excited to support Creative Access in this new chapter as they continue to create more opportunities in the creative economy for diverse people.”  

Speaking of their involvement, Peter Weiss, whojointly heads the Corporate, Commercial & Finance team at Simons Muirhead Burton and also sits on the Creative Access advisory board said: “There are many synergies between the work and values of both Creative Access and Simons Muirhead Burton. We are delighted to be able to sponsor this important initiative which will create 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 which will benefit from their engagement.”  

In our latest masterclass we headed down to WME’s offices for a masterclass from three of our talented alumni and former recipients of our Career Development Bursary plus a member of WME’s brand partnerships team…  

Alice Kemp-Habib, Features Editor at The World of Interiors 

Yolanda Lee, Story Consultant & Development Producer  

Ama Ofori-Darko, Head of Development at Park Theatre 

Zayanne Bako, Brand Partnerships Assistant at WME and creative careers content creator 

These creative powerhouses provided insights into their career journeys across theatre, journalism and media, sharing how they use storytelling to shape narratives across platforms and gave advice on everything from handling rejection to freelancing.  

Storytelling is the uniting thread throughout all our panellist’s roles…  

For Zayanne running a creative careers TikTok is intrinsically linked to her full-time gig at WME where she connects influencers with brand opportunties working with the likes of Candice Brathwaite and Uma from Love Island. The two roles lend nicely to each other: both require her to work alongside creatives during the messy and unpredictable journey to creating a finished product. She says, “Brand partnerships is all about building authentic relationships through creators and brands; you’re not just facilitating deals you’re watching them create something that lasts.” 

Development producer Yolanda says that although the ‘thing’ that makes good TV and film is a bit ineffable, she is always looking for a voice, someone with something to say and a unique take on the world. She says it’s vital to stay true to your own perspective in storytelling, “it’s not quantifiable but it’s obvious if someone is doing something just to make money or following trends.” 

Ama originally trained to be an opera singer and after graduating found herself working at the Royal Opera House as an usher. This exposed her to the concept of arts fundraising and development. Theatre is her biggest passion and she had a full circle moment when she went back to work as a fundraising manager at Royal Opera House in 2023. Now Ama freelances with artists and helps weave their stories into fundraising applications.  

Meanwhile, Alice is a former freelance journalist turned luxury magazine editor. Previously she was the one being commissioned, now she’s the one doing the commissioning. She says being a magazine editor means you have to develop a visual literacy because the copy and the imagery has so much synergy; you don’t have that say as a freelancer on the full visual story, but on a magazine team you do.  

Do I have to go freelance to have a creative career? 

As a recent freelancer, Yolanda is honest explaining that whilst it’s not the best time to be a freelancer in TV, she says, “you have to be brave and take calculated risks – I also work for Film Wales, so I wasn’t stepping in without a safety net”. She continues that 8 years into her career, she’s spent time building relationships and checking in on people and now has people approaching me about opportunities rather than the other way round.  

Similarly, Ama says she has made a lot of connections throughout her career so far. She encouraged our audience to reach out to people and not feel embarrassed – people love to talk about what they do! “I’ve spent a lot of time networking and reaching out to people to tell them I enjoy their work and would be up for working with them”. Echoing Yolanda, she said: “It’s really tough right now so I would recommend doing something like having a part-time perm job alongside your freelance gigs.” 

Alice says she was able to live at her family home whilst freelancing and says that whatever you decide – whether you go freelance or stay in permanent work – it’s a deeply personal decision. You have to weigh up your finances, your networks and assess what you need from your career to decide. Depending on your situation, it might not always make sense to go freelance. 

Echoing this, Yolanda emphasised that you can do a job that’s completely unrelated to your creative passion! It doesn’t take away from your creative pursuits.  

On her TikTok channel, Zayanne helps creative discover new creatives. “It’s not for me, so I was confused when I started to get traction from brands; I never viewed how much value the content until people said I found my role through your page and then that made me realise it could be important to monetise it.” She said that whilst monetising your creative side hustle is great, it’s helpful for her to have her permanent role at WME. It means that the money isn’t the ‘main focus’ and she can only promote brands and opportunities that align with her and her audience. 

On pushing your career forward… 

All of our panellists agreed that they were putting in the work for a while before things finally aligned.  

Although Zayanne is all about providing others with the hottest opportunities on TikTok, she says, “it’s important to create your own opportunities too – it’s hard to find roles. If you have the capacity to create something, then do it”. She explained that she wouldn’t have got her current role at WME if it wasn’t for showcasing her brand partnership skills on her TikTok channel: “You don’t know the value of the work you have sometimes until you go for an opportunity and get it because you’re already doing the work!” 

Yolanda recommends: “Do whatever you can to be an expert in your field until the right door opens… it might not always be the door that you’re expecting”. She told our audience to have everything ready to go for when it, for example, your portfolio and CV for when that moment comes.  

Ama is also an advocate for researching: “if you know what end goal you want, research! Get books on the topic, speak to people in those roles, send emails to people you admire and want to work with, find out what experience you need to get to get there.” She says, she is always looking at the next step once she’s settled into a role.  

For Alice, mentorship has been essential at every point of her career: “Every significant experience I’ve had has come through a mentor recommending me for an opportunity”. (Find out about our mentoring schemes!) 

How to handle rejection 

Unfortunately, getting a no is going to happen at some point in your creative career. So how can you handle these knockbacks? 

Yolanda gave frank advice to the audience: “Realise that your value doesn’t come from your career”. It’s important not to take it to heart, she says. Rejection can also just be redirection, sometimes you have to take the scenic route! “It’s only when you look back that you realise you were being led down a path that was necessary, that gig might not have been good for you and maybe you dodged a bullet.”

Ama stressed the importance of have a strong network who you can vent to. Zayanne backed this up by saying having a network or mentor can help put language to what sort of jobs/industries you should be applying for. She echoed Yolanda’s point that “you’re more than what you do” and encouraged people to find a way to get feedback so you can use that for your next application.  

Top tips for applying for funding 

First things first, we asked Ama (who writes funding applications for her *literal job*) on her top tips for creatives applying for funding…  

  • A lot of the time you really need to align with what the funder wants to fund – make sure you specifically state this 
  • Get multiple people to read the applications – does what the funding would mean to you come across? 
  • Stick to word counts!  

Our former recipients had some words of wisdom when it came to our Career Development Bursary in particular…  

  • Yolanda was travelling a lot for work and living out of suitcases, so she applied for a high-quality suitcase! Her top tip was to give evidence in your application give evidence – ‘you don’t have to apply for the full amount and I had very specific links and evidence on the durability’. 
  • Alice was still freelancing at the time and was struggling to progress or get a pay rise. She used the funding for a training course; “it equipped me with tangible editing skills and training looks like you’re taking yourself seriously on your cv”. She also says this is the reason she got her current job.  
  • Ama had taken a pay cut during COVID and was living at home. She used the funding to support paying for a deposit to help her move out. Her advice? “Be very clear about why you’re applying, how it aligns with career goals, and get someone else to look over it to see it makes sense” 

We learnt so much from these absolute creative industry superstars! Don’t miss out on our next event and register with our opportunities board here

Did you know that employers need to be ready to protect employees from sexual harassment under a new statutory obligation?  

According to a study from the Crime Survey for England and Wales, 2023 a quarter all people who’ve experienced sexual harassment said it had happened in their place of work. Meanwhile, the TUC found that 3 in 5 women have experienced harassment at work. 

From October 2024 the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill will strengthen protection for workers against sexual harassment. This new law will place a new duty on employers to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment.  

If you want to understand what this means for you as an employer, Creative Access has created a training workshop covering the new legal obligations to help employers take proactive steps to avoid sexual harassment in the workplace.  

If you’re focused on inclusion, now is the time to act and not only deal with sexual harassment but to prevent sexual harassment from happening in the workplace. 

Our ‘Fostering Respect: Tackling Sexual Harassment in the Workplace’ workshop includes:  

  • What is ‘sexual harassment’? Recognising the behaviours that constitute sexual harassment  
  • Understanding the law surrounding sexual harassment  
  • What to do if you experience or witness sexual harassment in the workplace  
  • Understand how management should handle a complaint and how to support all staff involved 
  • Barriers to disclosure at work and creating a safe environment for disclosure 
  • Responding appropriately and managing trauma responses 
  • Remove or reducing risks to stop sexual harassment before it happens 

Take steps to protect your employees today and enquire now about booking a session for your team.  

Online Workshop 

We’ll also be running an open workshop on Tuesday 26th November 2024, 11am – 12.30pm on sexual harassment in the workplace for individual employees to join. 

Spaces are capped at 15 participants. Book your place now: Fostering Respect: Tackling Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Last week we headed to Publicis Groupe in White City for a masterclass on all things advertising featuring our friends from ad agency powerhouse Publicis London. We touched on everything from a day in the life of an account manager, to why being a strategist is a bit like being a detective, as well as understanding why TikTok can help you become a better creative, and what it takes to thrive as a producer! 

Panel: 

🎤 Guergana Stoytcheva, account director 
🎤 Prianka Ramlugun, strategist  
🎤 Pierre Lavenir, content creative  
🎤 Bea Icke, production assistant  
🎤 Ella Darlington, head of comms at Creative Access (chair) 

Want to know what really goes on behind-the-scenes in advertising? You’re in luck. Here’s the breakdown of the four key parts of an advertising agency… 

Account management

Account director at Publicis London, Guergana, has been working in the advertising agency for three years with a background in travel and tourism (talk about career-switcher inspo!). Here’s what she had to say about working on the accounts team…  

It’s all about… People, people, people 

The stakeholders when you’re in a role like this are everyone – we’re talking finance, clients, SLT, creative, strategy, and production. It is vital that you are able to build and maintain trust with both the clients and everyone at the agency.  

  • Understand the client’s business challenges and personal goals (you’re their champion and they become yours) 
  • The agency team need to know they can depend on you: if they have a different strategy idea to what the client wants, your team needs to know you’ll have their back.  
  • You’re not just the yes person for the client! You’re there to help them see the vision. 

Skills you need to be an account manager: 

  • Good communication skills 
  • Empathy 
  • The ability to read between the lines 
  • Detail oriented 
  • Presenting skills 

Final tip for aspiring account managers? 

If you have zero experience in the field but want to get in, Guergana’s been there. Her advice for getting in without the industry experience is…  

“Be honest and highlight your transferable skills – the things that make the best account management people are rarely taught, everything technical can be learnt” 

Strategy

Our very own Creative Access alumni Prianka started off as an account & strategy intern at Publicis London and three years later, she is now a strategist at the agency. She said she always wanted to do everything and admitted to ‘applying for every positive action scheme that Creative Access had’ when she finished uni. But realised, after finding the internship, that advertising and the creative element wasn’t just something she’d like but it was a space where she could actually use the skills she had: her research abilities from her history degree and her ability to chat to people from her Saturday job.  

Brands come to strategist with business problem; it’s the strategist’s job to find the gap in the market and think about the people to help solve this problem. 

Understand your audience and how to talk to them 

  • Immerse yourself in news; polls and surveys; you’ll use market research platforms like Mintel (which Prianka calls a strategist’s best friend); you’ll analyse other products on market; and good news for those immersed in internet culture, you’ll constantly be researching on platforms like TikTok and Reddit – “if you’re going to talk to people, speak their language”, Prianka says 
  • You’ll have to research how the client can stand out in a crowded space. Some good examples are products and campaigns like Liquid Death, Heinz and CeraVe’s Michael Cera ads  
  • Working closely with the creative team, you’ll distill all your research into one line to help them bring the vision to life  

Here’s how strategy comes to life:  

Garnier came to Publicis London with the launch of a new Vitamin C daily UV. Prianka and the team of strategists found out that 9/10 brits admit to never wearing spy on their face. They realised that the SPF category is constantly talking about sun and, unfortunately, Britain isn’t the sunniest of climates. So, their strategy to help Garnier stand out in the market was to make SPF an everyday habit for British people: ‘phone, keys, wallet.. SPF’. The campaign hinged upon the idea of wearing every single day versus every SUNNY day. 

Skills you need to be a strategist: 

  • Be like a detective: find the insights  
  • Be like an architect: curate a plan of what story you want to tell and what you want them to feel 
  • Be like a presenter: zoom out and tell everyone the one thing you want to create based on all your research 

Final tip for aspiring strategists? 

Strategy is all about storytelling. She told the audience: “Remember in your applications that you’re talking to strategists so present your career journey and story for them to showcase your storytelling skills!” 

Creative

The creative team are the ideas people. They use imagination to produce the work, turning a product into memorable ideas, campaigns and activations.  

Pierre was working in marketing before he started as a content creative at Publicis London. One day he saw a beautiful Gucci x North Face ad with Francis Bourgeois that stopped him in his tracks. He felt inspired and wanted to work on bigger campaigns. He joined Publicis a year later on accounts team and then made the switch into the creative team.  

What’s it like being an advertising creative? 

  • The creative teams focus a lot on the concept  
  • You’ll work lots with strategists, account team and producers, as well as ‘the makers’: designer, video editors, film directors, photographers 
  • It’s a really varied role! Pierre says from his own experience, “one day you might work on an idea for LFW and the next you’re doing social content for Renault and the next you’re working on OOH campaigns” 
  • On that, a recent campaign for Thayer’s skincare, Publicis London honed in on a Gen Z audience who love their phones but can find them overwhelming and launched a campaign called: “Tone it down”. The campaign was a play on the fact the product is a toner and the team even got the Bimini to wear a life-size version of the bottle’s red lid at London Fashion Week.  
  • The best part of the job for Pierre?  “Sometimes you come up with really crazy ideas and sometimes they really do happen!” 

Skills you need to be a creative in advertising: 

  • You’ve got to be a conceptual thinker! 
  • A trend lover with your finger on the pulse. Pierre says, “I watch TikToks to get inspired – that’s part of my job and I get paid for it!” 
  • You need to be able to build trust with your client to help sell in the more ‘crazy’ ideas and prove to them you have the knowledge it will succeed 

Final tip for aspiring advertising creatives? 

Pierre says your portfolio is most important thing as a creative, it shows your taste and what you’re all about so get building it! He also recommends competitions and awards such as the D&AD New Blood Awards to get some practice working on campaigns, and you might even win!  

Production

Production assistant Bea always knew she wanted to do something creative and cites the Coca Cola Christmas adverts as her biggest source of inspiration to enter the advertising world.  

The production team brings it all together. They’re there for the whole ride that is a campaign: Before, during and after the shoot. 

What does the lifecycle of a campaign look like for production? 

Before an advertising shoot/campaign… 

You’ll be working within the agency, as well as exterrnally with casting, locations, art department and wardrobe and – vitally – making sure everything is within budget!  

During an advertising shoot/campaign… 

You’ll be there on shoot, making sure everyone is sticking to storyboard and that everyone is happy 

Post-advertising shoot/campaign…  

You’ll work with post-production, this includes sorting out titles and working with legal too to ensure that everything meets the brief and fulfils any legal requirements, as well as working on all the final touches with experts such as colourists 

What skills do you need to be an advertising producer? 

  • Organisation is KEY! There are so many moving parts, there’s lots of meetings with different people and emails to keep on top of 
  • And on that note, it helps if you’re a people person with good communication skills and you’ll be meeting people with all sorts of different jobs and approaches 
  • Good time management skills 
  • Project management skills 

Final tip for aspiring producers? 

Bea says that in production you’re the middleman. “Sometimes it is a really tight window and managing everyone’s expectation can be difficult… You’ve got to learn how to do this.” 

Thanks so much to the wonderful panel at Publicis London for shedding light on how everything works behind-the-scenes at an advertising agency – we definitely left feeling inspired!  

If you’ve not already registered with us, do it here. You’ll be the first to know about the hottest paid internships and jobs in the creative industries, as well as FREE events and masterclasses like these! 

  • 82% of creatives from lower socio-economic backgrounds report financial barriers preventing job applications. 
  • 86% of disabled respondents cite financial barriers as a significant hurdle to applying for new roles. 
  • 94% of those in the Music, Theatre, Dance, and Visual Arts sector have faced financial obstacles when applying for jobs. 
  • Creative Access 2024/25 Career Development Bursary launches, supported by WME & McLaren Racing 

 
Recent data from Creative Access, the UK’s leading diversity, equity & inclusion social enterprise has uncovered stark financial challenges faced by under-represented talent in the creative industries. These include those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, disabled individuals, and Black, Asian, and ethnically diverse communities. The findings reveal that these financial barriers – such as high living or commuting costs – are not only deterring talent from these groups from applying for and accepting job offers – but also severely hindering their career progression. 

With 81% of respondents indicating that financial barriers, such as high living or commuting costs, have prevented them from applying for new positions, the survey underscores the persistent inequities within the creative economy. This figure rises even higher among disabled respondents at 86%. Meanwhile, those working within Music, Theatre, Dance, and Visual Arts sectors are the hardest hit, with an overwhelming 94% affected. 

The financial burdens do not stop at job applications. 38% of respondents report that financial barriers have prevented them from accepting job offers, with senior-level creative industry professionals (8+ years’ experience within the creative industries) feeling the pressure most acutely at 53%. The burden is particularly high for those in the Film, TV, Radio, and Audio Production sector, where 41% have had to turn down roles due to financial constraints. 

Bursary initiative launch: 

In response to these pressing issues, Creative Access is proud to announce the launch of its Career Development Bursary aimed at supporting under-represented professionals in the creative industries. This initiative will offer financial assistance to enable more under-represented talent to access and thrive in creative industry roles. The Bursary is generously supported by William Morris Endeavor (WME) and McLaren Racing. 

McLaren Racing has worked with Creative Access since 2021 as part of the team’s flagship DE&I programme, McLaren Racing Engage, which was launched to open pathways into motorsport careers and support talent from under-represented communities. 

2023/24 Creative Access Career Development Bursary testimonial: 

“Thank you so much for the support. We already had our first film festival success and will be screening at Aesthetica Film Festival in November – a big win for us that wouldn’t have been possible without the Bursary”. – Naomi 

Mel Rodrigues, CEO, Creative Access: 
“These concerning trends demonstrate just how difficult it is for talent from under-represented groups to get a foothold and progress in creative careers. Our Bursary is a step towards dismantling these pervasive financial barriers, by addressing the economic constraints that are blocking both individual and collective potential to thrive in the creative industries.” 
 

Sagina Shabaya, Senior Director of Impact and Inclusion, Endeavor: 

“At WME, we are committed to breaking down the barriers that prevent talented individuals from thriving in the creative industries. The survey highlights just how significant these financial challenges are, and we are proud to support Creative Access in providing tangible, financial assistance to under-represented talent. Through the Career Development Bursary, we hope to empower the next generation and ensure that the industry better reflects the diversity of voices and experiences that fuel its success.” 

 Kim Wilson, Director of Sustainability, McLaren Racing:  

“We are immensely proud of our collaboration with Creative Access, which has been a key partner in our Engage Alliance since 2021. Through these kinds of initiatives, we can break down some of the barriers to working in industries like motorsport and help support talented individuals through their journey. We want to set the benchmark for diversity and inclusion in sport and programmes like this helps us to ensure that everyone, irrespective of background, understands that they can have equal access to opportunities.” 

What can the Bursary fund?  

  • Training courses (including driving lessons)  
  • Equipment or software purchase (at an appropriate specification for your career stage)   
  • Equipment or venue hire  
  • Relocation costs (e.g. deposit or rent support)  
  • Contribution to living costs whilst working or training (e.g. travel and accommodation)  
  • Disability access support  
  • Care costs  
  • Bespoke coaching or mentoring  

  

Unfortunately, we cannot fund: academic courses, debts, costs that should be paid for by an employer, expenses for activities that have already occurred.  

How much money can I access?  

The maximum amount you can apply for is £1,000 and you must provide evidence about your costs (e.g. if you’re applying for equipment, you must specify the exact make and model required and be able to justify why it’s appropriate for your needs).  

We can only consider one application per person. If you’re applying for several related costs, you should make one Bursary application and itemise the different elements, including the grand total.    

What do I need to apply?  

An aspiration to work in or to develop your career in the creative economy. This encompasses any role in the creative industries, or creative roles in other sectors (e.g. design, marketing, branding). Industries include:  

  • Architecture  
  • Art  
  • Book, newspaper and magazine publishing  
  • Campaigning, government and policy  
  • Fashion  
  • Film, TV, radio and audio production  
  • Museums, galleries and libraries  
  • Music, theatre, dance and visual arts  
  • PR, marketing and advertising  
  • Product design & graphic design  
  • Talent management  
  • Technology and gaming  
  • A clear idea of what you would spend the Bursary on and the ability to demonstrate how it would contribute to your career development  
  • Evidence of your expected cost(s) e.g. website link(s), itemised breakdown of costs  

Pippa Considine spoke to Creative Access for an opinion piece on class barriers in the TV industry. Both our founder & executive chair, Josie Dobrin OBE, and Creative Access alumni & Steering Group member, Dean Webster, gave their comments on classism and how the industry can address this issue.

The article also highlights our mid-level career development programme, as well as our partnership with Banijay UK to support 20 TV freelancers from historically underrepresented communities who have previously worked at Banijay labels.

Georgia Luckhurst has reported on Creative Access’ latest Thrive findings for The Stage writing: “Theatre workers feel more optimistic about their careers than their counterparts in TV and film, a Creative Access report has claimed… But the findings, presented by diversity and inclusion social enterprise Creative Access, revealed an overall drop in optimism about career aspirations for individuals from under-represented groups.”

“New research from diversity & inclusion social enterprise Creative Access confirms a drop in optimism about career futures for individuals from under-represented groups in the creative industries”, Jon Creamer has reported for Televisual.

Marian McHugh has reported on Creative Access’ latest Thrive research showing the need to expand support beyond entry-level roles and the particularly low career optimism facing those working in the screen industry.

Ellie Calnan at Screen Daily has reported on findings from Creative Access’ latest Thrive research that TV & film workers is the lowest of all creative sectors. Only 32% of under-represented workers feel optimistic about their future according to Creative Access’s Thrive Report 2024. This is below the 46% average across the other creative sectors.

Creative Access announces results of annual survey charting business & career sentiment among diverse talent & employers regarding DE&I goals 

  • Career optimism has shifted – majority now feeling pessimistic (was 1 in 2) 
  • Disabled individuals’ optimism significantly lower than average (13%) 
  • 2 in 3 employers admit to focusing DE&I efforts at entry-level despite need for mid to senior focus 
  • 1 in 4 employees are provided with no wellbeing support at work 

New research from leading diversity & inclusion social enterprise Creative Access confirms a drop in optimism about career futures for individuals from under-represented groups in the creative industries, as well as a lack of robust DE&I reporting from employers and workplace wellbeing support. 

The Creative Access’ Thrive Report 2024 findings come after a turbulent year for the creative industries, including TV & film’s ‘work drought’ (Bectu 2024), uneven access to sector funding (Greater London Authority 2023) and continued high cost of living. The not-for-profit’s survey finds DE&I reporting standards are not being met, insufficient focus on mid and senior-level talent and stagnant DE&I spending are critical obstacles in the way of achieving higher career optimism and progression among individuals.  

Employer DE&I spending and impact 

In Creative Access’ 2023 Thrive report, four in five employers acknowledged the need for a shift in DE&I focus from entry-level to all stages, however this year, most employers (66%) admit to continuing to prioritise entry-level talent. 

This isn’t the only mark of a DE&I spending hold, as the survey finds: 

  • Only one in three employers have increased DE&I spending over the last 12 months, a significant drop from 60% the previous year. 
  • 41% of organisations demonstrate poor DE&I reporting practices 

This is mirrored in a lack of wellbeing and mental health support from employers, with the survey revealing one in four of respondents have no access to wellbeing support at work. Factors such as working hours (19%), team dynamics (19%), and lack of focus on wellbeing (15%) were the most commonly cited reasons for work negatively impacting mental health.  

Career optimism at a low for minorities 

Only half of employers (51%) reported an increase in representativeness of their workforce, a fall against last year (65%). This comes as a worrying amount (41%) of employers admit to having poor or non-existent DE&I reporting practices, and has resulted in a drop year-on-year in career optimism from (51% to 46% overall), with disabled individuals experiencing one of the lowest rates of career optimism (30%). Over a quarter of those from lower socio-economic backgrounds said finances were the greatest barrier to their career progression, (11% higher than the average). 

Freelancers, representing a third of the workforce, are facing acute challenges with 48% reporting a decrease in work volume this year. The precarious nature of freelance work, especially in the current economic climate, makes professionals from under-represented backgrounds particularly vulnerable (Creative Access Freelancers in the Creative Economy 2023).  

For individuals from Black, Asian and ethnically diverse backgrounds, there appears to be a career ceiling, citing the biggest barrier to progression as organisation structure (36%), whereas those who identify as disabled (26%) and from lower SES backgrounds (20%) ranked location as their greatest barrier to progression. 

The sector snapshot 

The data highlights a crisis in the PR sector, where employees are the least impressed with their organisation’s DE&I progress (59%) and report the lowest levels of working in an inclusive and supportive environment (54% versus the average 64%). 

It’s in the TV and film industry, however, that optimism levels among individuals were reported to be the lowest; with only 32% of workers feeling optimistic about their future in the sector (versus the average 46%).  

Creative Access’ progress and impact 

Recipients of Creative Access’ services appear to be somewhat protected from the wider destabilising effects of industry-wide issues due to the support and opportunities that Creative Access provides. 61% of individuals in receipt of Creative Access services have reported achieving career progression in the last year, versus 37% of those not in receipt of services.  

Respondents from lower socio-economic (SES) backgrounds also reported a severe gap in access to contacts & networks to progress their career (56% in receipt of services versus 13% not in receipt of services). Meanwhile 82% of organisations attributed progress against their DE&I goals to working with Creative Access.

Josie Dobrin, co-founder & executive chair, Creative Access: 

“The creative industries are at a critical juncture in their DE&I efforts. Despite intentions to expand support beyond entry-level roles, data tells a different story, leading to decreased career optimism, especially among individuals with disabilities and freelancers facing a shrinking market. 

To foster true inclusivity bold actions are needed at all talent stages, including tailored career development programs, mid-level positive action traineeships, and elevating under-represented mid and senior-level employees. 

The industry must shift from intentions to decisive action. By adopting comprehensive DE&I strategies, organisations can enhance career optimism and enrich the creative landscape. The time to act is now for a more vibrant and inclusive industry.” 

Arts Professional has reported that Creative Access has announced its new CEO, Mel Rodrigues in its ArtsPeople section.