Mid-level talent face deep financial challenges to career progression as Creative Access announce recipients of Career Development Bursary, supported by WME & McLaren Racing
Creative Access, the UK’s leading diversity, equity & inclusion social enterprise has announced that 49 creatives will receive vital funding to cover equipment, training, travel, and other career-critical costs. A record-breaking surge in demand for financial support has exposed the growing crisis facing talent from under-represented groups in the UK’s creative industries.
Now in its fourth year, the Creative Access Career Development Bursary – generously supported this year by WME and McLaren Racing’s Engage Programme – received over 1,000 applications, a three-fold increase from last year. McLaren Racing has worked with Creative Access since 2021 as part of its McLaren Racing Engage Alliance to open up pathways in motorsports careers.
The spike in demand reveals that financial barriers are preventing aspiring, junior and mid-level creatives from breaking into and progressing in the industry. Recent data from Creative Access showed that 81% of respondents cite financial constraints, including commuting and living costs, as obstacles to applying for new roles.
Recipients of the Bursary span the UK and represent a broad range of creative sectors, from publishing to TV & film, theatre, visual arts, music and fashion. The majority (35%) of Bursary recipients are at mid-level in their careers, revealing the struggles that experienced and skilled talent – who have successfully carved out careers over the past decade – are now facing in progressing their careers and staying in the creative sector.
The impact of intersectional barriers
The steep rise in Bursary applications demonstrates the intersectionality of the challenge for creatives. Those from lower socio-economic backgrounds (71%) and/or those from Black, Asian and ethnically diverse backgrounds (70%) made up the majority of applications, and disabled talent equated for nearly half of all applicants (47%). This increase in demand for funding is the result of longstanding inequalities in the sector: 90% of the arts workforce are white (PEC), whilst the number of working-class creatives has halved since the 1970s (ONS). The disability employment gap also remains large; in 2024, only 53% of disabled people were employed compared to 81.6% of non-disabled people (ONS).
Geography also plays a part. While London remains the UK’s largest creative hub, its high living costs continue to squeeze out talent from under-represented groups. Over half (52%) of all applicants were based in the capital, reflecting both the concentration of creative jobs and the financial barriers involved with sustaining a career there. Across the UK’s creative hubs, getting access to funding, support and networks to grow a creative career is a barrier for talent at all stages. The Bursary has been awarded to recipients across the UK, including Scotland, South East, South West, North East, North West, West Midlands, East Midlands, Wales, and Yorkshire and the Humber.
The highest number of applications came from creatives working in:
- Film & TV
- Music
- Art
- Theatre
- Publishing
How the Bursary will be used
Each successful applicant will receive a grant between £250 and £1,000, enabling them to advance their careers. Uses for the bursary include:
- Essential equipment such as laptops, software and cameras
- Driving lessons to access opportunities
- Travel and commuting costs
- Training courses
- Rent and living expenses
Leon Clowes, is a mid-level musician studying a PhD, using the funding towards travel and accommodation to attend a music workshop leadership course. They said: “As an older artist in addiction recovery, this chance to join New Note Orchestra’s first community music leadership scheme is game-changing. Being with peers who share my experiences is unparalleled. Huge thanks to Creative Access for making my participation possible through the bursary – this opportunity means everything.”
Louisa Agyei is a student aspiring to work in fashion, using the Bursary for an iPad to develop her collection. On receiving the funding, she said: “Opportunities like the Creative Access Bursary are essential, especially for under-represented communities like mine. Due to financial limitations, many of us are forced to abandon our artistic pursuits in favour of other jobs just to survive, which also restricts our creative growth. Support like this is crucial, it not only provides the necessary resources but also empowers and encourages people of colour to pursue careers in the arts without feeling limited by a lack of resources.”
Mel Rodrigues, CEO at Creative Access:
“This upsurge in demand for financial support is our strongest wake-up call yet. We are at serious risk of losing a critical mass of excellent creatives who help make our sector world-class – as well as failing to create a robust future pipeline – if financial barriers to entry and progression are not addressed. Creativity should not be a privilege and financial interventions like the Bursary are a vital step to ensuring that talented people – from all backgrounds and parts of the UK – are able to access the resources they need to progress and thrive in our industry. Now more than ever, we need to come together as a sector to deliver more consistent and scalable solutions to the financial lock-out”.
Sagina Shabaya, Senior Director, Impact, Inclusion & Advocacy, EMEA at WME:
“We believe in the importance of championing the next generation of artists and continue to support organisations that help to democratise access and break down barriers so that all creatives have the ability to be discovered. We’re proud to support Creative Access Career Development Bursary recipients and the work they continue to do to create a diverse and thriving industry.”
Kim Wilson, Director of Sustainability at McLaren Racing:
“We are thrilled to announce another year collaborating with Creative Access, which has been a key partner in our Engage Alliance since 2021 as part of the team’s flagship DE&I programme. Through the launch of these initiatives, we can open pathways and break down some of the barriers to working in industries like motorsport, supporting talented individuals through their journey. We want to pioneer equal access and set the benchmark for diversity and inclusion in sport and programmes like this are helping us to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to start up in the industry.”
About the Bursary
- The Creative Access Career Development Bursary launched in 2021 and has supported 172 creatives to date
- 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.
