We’re back with another Spotlight Series blog post! Under the spotlight, this time is our super hard-working Copywriter, Theo Perrin.

Can you introduce yourself?

I’m Theo! I’m a Copywriter and CRM Assistant at Creative Access.

Could you describe your role in a little more detail?

My job involves populating our opportunities page with the hundreds of internships and jobs that we advertise through our networks, hopefully making them as informative and appealing to potential candidates as possible.

Part of my work is also making sure that these roles find their audience; I contribute to our Twitter page and put together our fortnightly email newsletter to candidates, offering a bitesize roundup of live roles in the creative industries to those who have signed up with us. I also liaise with our many employer partners to make sure we have all the right details for them.

What’s your favourite thing about your role?

With a background in creative writing, I’m always going to enjoy a chance to create or edit something so that it reads well for an audience. Hopefully telling them everything they need to know without putting them to sleep!

But beyond this, I find a lot of satisfaction in discovering better ways to work. I’ve joined the organisation at a time when it’s busier than ever and there is plenty of thinking about our approach to what we do behind the scenes. Finding even tiny solutions by myself or in conversation with colleagues is secretly my favourite part of the job.

Talk to us about your writing background, please, Theo.

I’ve been writing in my own time, mainly pieces of fiction, since I was 13. I also wrote a 50,000-word fantasy-crime novel with my friend back in sixth form. Although I didn’t think it would lead to anything, I knew I didn’t want to give up writing, so I went and studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Nottingham and kept pulling at that thread.

I would love to be able to expand and grow my skill set and put it to use across a broader range of mediums, like blog posts or video scripts. It’s hard to find the time to write for myself at the moment, but I make space in my life outside work to keep my hand in writing whenever I can.

Tell me more about why you joined CA. How do you feel connected to the company?

To expand on an earlier question, a big part of what makes my role enjoyable is that I’m invested in the success of CA’s work on a deep level and want to see the organisation keep growing. It was a priority for me when searching for a job that I would be in an organisation where I didn’t feel alienated from its goals.

This is also hopefully what Creative Access can offer to those who find new roles through them too. There is often a lot of focus on your specific daily tasks when searching for jobs, but I think ideally the bigger picture is also compelling and drives you forward.

But it’s not as straightforward to find that connection to your labour in an era of hyper-specialised work. When your ancestor fashioned a tool to make farming crops easier a few thousand years ago, they knew exactly how this was going to help their community. So, the chance to help a wider range of people find work they care about in the creative industries was really special to me and something I didn’t want to miss.

It feels strange to put it so bluntly considering what I look back on as a really positive and varied upbringing, but I was raised in a low-income household. This absolutely shaped my perspective on what opportunities different people can access.

Then growing up through the past decade, watching funding being squeezed from creative education and extracurricular activities, knowing that fewer people than ever are financially equipped to enter industries that were already known to be very insular and difficult for newcomers. All these things have a big impact if you value the arts and cultural sectors, and happen to feel a little edgy about your financial security.

And finally, if you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

This is quite a poignant question considering the past year and a half isn’t it! I would love to repeat a past holiday and go back to the south of Spain and spend more time looking at Moorish architecture. So Cordoba, Seville, Granada. Lots of very intricate and geometric Islamic art we don’t always think of when we talk about Europe.

Having said this, I think my most memorable travel experiences have been finding myself in unexpected places, doing things that aren’t necessarily on the itinerary. Like I once spent 30 hours sat on a train going through Canada because a freight train broke down on the same line. It wasn’t a sleeper train, so I spent 30 hours more or less sat upright, trying to read a book. The food carriage started running out of things that weren’t snacks. I was very bored and tired but these irritating details disappear when you’re looking back on dull experiences; memory smooths them over. I was staring at mountains and endless forests I’d never seen before. It was very peaceful in a way.

We are shining the spotlight on our amazing staff once again. This time it’s the turn of our fabulous Employer Training & Operations Assistant, Ayesha Ali. Grab a cuppa as we talk all things creative (and Wales!).

Please introduce yourself!

I’m Ayesha and I am the Employer Training & Operations Assistant for Creative Access.

What were your motivations for joining CA? 

I knew that I wanted to work for a mission-based organisation, somewhere where my work would help change society for the better. I always thought I’d work in the third sector – helping fill the gaps and give support the Government have missed. Since university, I have had a big interest in diversity and inclusion and mental health, so when I saw a role advertised by Creative Access, I knew I had to apply.

Since working for CA, I’ve learnt so much about the creative industries and the different types of roles in the creative sector and where creative industries can take you in your career – working here has opened my eyes to the creative world.

Which creative sector are you most passionate about?

If you know me, you’ll know I am someone who has a lot of different interests so this question is quite difficult for me to answer. I am an avid reader and I adore musicals; so aligning with my hobbies, I’d say publishing and theatre. I love stories and being transported to different worlds and places. I am a big history nerd and I love learning more about different periods of history through musicals and books.

Can you tell me more about the creative industries in Wales? Have they improved in terms of diversity and inclusion over the years, and if so, how? 

The creative industries in Wales are growing and becoming more established, especially journalism and TV. Historically, Wales is known for being the place where Doctor Who was filmed, but there have been so many great newer productions filmed and produced in Wales in the last couple of years. For example, last year I watched His Dark Materials which was a Bad Wolf Studios production and was filmed in Cardiff. Early this year I watched The Pembrokeshire Murders which I enjoyed, it was starring Luke Evans (who was also Gaston in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast) and through the show, I discovered new Welsh talent such as Alexandria Riley.

In terms of Diversity and Inclusion, I think so much more needs to be done in Wales. I remember a few years ago, a theatre production of The Golden Dragon was criticised for its lack of diversity in casting South East Asian actors. More recently the BBC did a report a few weeks ago on Welsh musicians of colour, which covered similar themes of lack of representation of people of colour. I think the general trend is that young people who are interested in the creative industries are more likely to move to London, which is a shame.

What else can be done to help the progression of the creative industries in Wales? 

At the moment, there isn’t a well-developed infrastructure in Wales yet to support young people of colour who are interested in the Arts and creative industries. The talent is here – but we need to support young people by investing money in the industry and investing in grassroots organisations like organisations including Ladies of Rage who I discovered when I was protesting with the Cardiff & Vale Black Lives Matter march. Ladies of Rage are an organisation that support female and non-binary musicians in Wales and they have such a great sense of community. Culture is one of the areas where the Welsh government have more control and independence over and I think more needs to be done in terms of showcasing the diversity in Wales.

What do you love most about being from Wales? 

I love the community; Welsh people are known for being friendly and it really is true. I also appreciate the beautiful landscapes; I am such a beach person and love being in nature – and Wales is full of nature! Most importantly I love the familiarity, I’ve moved around a little for travelling, work and university so I love the familiarity and comfort I feel being back at home in Wales. I am proud to be Welsh – it plays a big part in my identity.

Finally, what’s your favourite Welsh saying? 

Ych-a-fi!

It means “that’s disgusting”. It just rolls off the tongue! I often find myself using it more than the English phrase (which is a bit more of a mouthful!).

It’s time for our Spotlight Series blog post once again! Creative Access Chair and Executive Chair of Faber Books, Stephen Page OBE talks to our Marketing Assistant Larah Yearwood about all things publishing and Creative Access…

You began your career in bookselling, how did you get into that?

I grew up near Birmingham and I actually never thought of working with books or in publishing. I didn’t read very much, and I was very content with playing catch with my brother and playing the drums in my band. I then went to Bristol to study History but truly in my mind, my future was coming back home to the band and then going to London and becoming rockstars. Fortunately, that didn’t happen. So, to pay the rent I got a job in a bookshop with my twin brother, and at that time (1987) I wrote to all the major bookshops during a period of expansion. Essentially, I got a job in publishing to support my errant desire to be a rockstar. I quickly realised I loved the book world in a way that rock and roll hadn’t proved to quite as enjoyable as I imagined.

You moved to Faber in 2001, why was this the company for you?

When I was a bookseller, I began my self-education in reading, and it just turned out that so many of the books I was reading were published by Faber & Faber. I grew up in a house of music. My dad was a teacher, but his real love was classical music and putting on concerts and my mum’s love was reading – so there were plenty of books in the house. Alongside Penguin Books, Faber was very present, so it became an identity for me.

Faber then went through an extraordinary period in the 1980s where the double F was born and there were iconic book covers that were born with black and white backgrounds with small images and were highly branded. Because of this Faber was imitated by other publishers. So, I had quite a branded version of publishing in my head, but Faber carried the writers I absolutely love, such as Seamus Heaney, Milan Kundera, and Lorrie Moore. They were writers that made me feel like a reader, like an adult. I did also work at an independent start-up called Fourth Estate and I loved working in the independent sector. But when the chance of working for Faber came about, I knew I had to take it.

If you could name your favourite book or author, who or what would it be?

It changes with the seasons for me! I’m passionate about 19th-century books and I love Russian writers such as Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekov along with novels by Charles Dickens. Bleak House is for me one of the greatest books ever written in my opinion. One of the things I really love about the publishing industry today is that there are so many strong up-and-coming writers. I just read a wonderful novel by Claire Louise Bennett, and it’s called Checkout 19 and I was as excited about that novel as I am reading Chekov, to be honest.

What were your motivations for joining the Creative Access board back in 2020?

When I came into publishing, coming from the Midlands, it felt very counterculture. A lot of publishing was very Oxford/Cambridge and south of England. So, given that over the last 20 years publishing had been trying to make itself more for everybody, I felt rather uncomfortable – as a middle-class white man – knowing that the industry didn’t appear to be for everyone.

Our staffing was looking homogenous, and questions about what was being published and why, were being asked. The sad truth is that without Creative Access we made very little headway as an industry in creating change. It was with Creative Access, while I was at Faber, that we found a partner with who we could really make a palpable change and find wonderful cohorts of potential employees to bring through on internships.

So, I wanted to support Josie and Creative Access and their brilliant team in any way I could. It wasn’t just about publishing, it was about managing to give a really practical partner to the whole of the creative industries, all of which have the same problem, that there’s too much expectation that people will be willing to work for not very much money for quite a long time and people coming from particular university backgrounds. I wanted to do more than I could do at Faber, and I just really admire what Josie and her team achieve.

If I can bring some of the things I’ve learned, help grow the organisation, and chair it while speaking up on behalf of the issues that Creative Access represents, then it would be a very proud thing for me. It’s fantastic work and it’s not about me, it’s about creating positive change. Last summer the BLM protests really highlighted the upset and hurt over the lack of change my generation of leaders had made. If we leave the creative industries anywhere near the approximation of what they are it would be a total failure and that felt truly awful.

What’s next for you as Chair for Creative Access?

As Chair, it’s a supporting role and a role to give the Creative Access team confidence to have the maximum impact and that’s what the board is about, to give Creative Access the backing to really be ambitious about making change. What Creative Access has been able to achieve has been extraordinary for quite a small-scale organisation. I think we’re in the foothills of this change and if we can build Creative Access to become an even more impactful organisation, the industries themselves will have a partner they can transform themselves with more quickly. That’s what I’m after. I’m always motivated by making things work and Creative Access works.

Final question, what do you love doing when you’re not reading?

Playing the drums! During the pandemic, one of the things I really missed during lockdown was playing music with other people. I also decided to learn something new, and I love Jazz, so I decided to learn how to play the drums with brushes. There are limits to me being a musician. I’m not terrible but I’m not brilliant. Playing music for me is like a wordless version of reading literature. It’s a way of experiencing the mysteries and wonders of life. The language of music is the language I grew up with really.

You can follow Stephen on Twitter here.

Pride month 2021 may be coming to an end but that doesn’t mean we should stop celebrating the wonderful LGBTQIA+ community and sharing the love with them. Have a read of our latest blog post featuring our Creative Access colleagues Jade and Asha. In it, they explain how the creative industries have progressed with acceptance and they share just what Pride means to them.

How have the creative industries progressed with inclusion for the LGBTQIA+ community?

Jade: As someone who identifies as queer, growing up, I didn’t really see same-sex couples on TV. The same applies to other media – like books and video games – they weren’t as inclusive as they are now. The way industries are writing their characters these days and looking to diversify their content as well, as their audiences is fantastic. You don’t have to look very far.

You can also see this very clearly in children’s shows; with the emergence of Steven Universe as well as the Disney show The Owl House. The directors are openly able to say their characters are part of the LGBTQIA+ community and the relationships feature same-sex couples. It’s great to have something so overt which everyone can enjoy. Seeing these characters as a part of everyday life is super important as well.

Asha: There’s definitely been an increase in LGBTQIA+ representation in the media and I’ve noticed a growing awareness of intersectionality and with things like race and class. I’ve also seen an even greater understanding of the range of gender identities. A good example of this is seeing people state their pronouns in their email signatures, which is very encouraging.

What more can be done to help with the progression?

Jade: When companies speak about people from under-represented groups, I think it would be helpful to specify the LGBTQIA+ community as well. Visibility on-screen should really reflect visibility off-screen, as that’s where it starts. It’s just as important to have LGBTQIA+ characters, as it is to have queer writers, queer artists, and queer novelists who can help bring worlds to light in a way that reflects experiences. It’s different when you’re viewing LGBTQIA+ identities through the lens of somebody who is perhaps cis and heterosexual, because they might not have an understanding of experiencing homophobia within family and friendship groups.

It’s really important for audiences to relate to the characters they are watching or reading about and making sure it isn’t just a typecast or a stereotype of their identities. To really help with progression you need to make sure everyone is being cast correctly at pre-production and onwards from there.

Asha: Don’t get me wrong, I am super encouraged about the progress that has been made over the past decade, but there is

still quite a lot of work to do. It’s great that we are seeing more and more LGBTQIA+ characters on screen but it’s important that this is reflective behind the scenes and across the creative industries as well. It’s also important that more LGBTQIA+ people are creating things and are paid fairly for what they create. We need to make sure that representation is reflective and it pushes the community forwards. Just listening to others, colleagues friends, family members, and not expecting other people to always educate you is key too.

Can you tell us what it’s like being women of colour and part of the LGBTQIA+ community in the creative sectors?

Jade: I’ve always felt really proud of it and something I have realised over time is that when you’re trying to find your place in the world and when you’re realising your identity, it can stir up a feeling of loneliness. You may not have others around you who can fully understand you and you may also have not come out to anyone yet.

Being a woman of colour is a pride I have been able to share with my family and learning about my heritage is part of my identity and helps me relate to my community around me.

When you’re queer, you spend a lot of time figuring out who you are and what your understanding of the world is. Then comes expressing your identity and telling people around you. For me, that happened quite young. I knew I was LGBT when I was 12, but being so young and not having a lot of inclusive media that reflected my experience made me feel like an outsider. So, for kids growing up today, I hope they have a different experience. This is the motivation for me with whatever work I do: I work to make sure what I do is reflective of different groups.

Asha: I’ve only been in the creative sectors for a few months, but I’ve had a really positive experience. I know this isn’t the case for everyone and again, improvements still need to be made. But, compared to other sectors I’ve worked in, there is a greater understanding of accepting people and being more approachable. People seem to be more willing to listen in the creative sectors and hear what you’re saying.

Who do you look up to for inspiration in the creative sectors and beyond?

Jade: I have so many inspirations, to be honest. I adore Indya Moore, who identifies as non-binary and transgender. They’re an actor and they play a character called Agnel in the TV show Pose, which is just an amazing project as it explores the impact of HIV/Aids and how a community can be a family and celebrate each other’s creativity. Everybody who plays a part in that TV show is aware of just how important it is to still be an activist now as there will always be room for improvement. Especially for gaining more LGBTQIA+ rights in other countries as well as overcoming discrimination in workplaces and other environments and Indya Moore is very on the ball with that.

A sector I’m passionate about is animation and Rebecca Sugar is leading the way in that field for me. Rebecca is a bisexual and non-binary American animator and they helped create Steven Universe as well as Adventure Time and other shows. Steven Universe was a huge landmark for TV because you have two female characters getting married and that was the first time it had been done on Cartoon Network, so it was huge.

How long have you been with your girlfriends and when did you know they were the ones?

Jade: I’ve been with my partner since last summer and everyone jokes that it’s a ‘covid romance’. We’d actually known each other for a few years prior to that and we studied the same course, but we were in different year groups until the final year. She moved into a house with some friends of mine and I got to know her. The most important thing for me is that everything feels natural. It’s very easy to feel a little afraid in relationships at the beginning but if there’s no hesitancy, you get along well, you’re excited and happy and everything falls into place, then you can’t really ask for anything else.

Asha: We’ve been together for four and a half years and I knew she was the one for me around two months into our relationship. We were living together, that’s how we met and I’ve been extremely happy ever since.

And finally, what does Pride mean to you?

Jade: To me, Pride is an opportunity to acknowledge that there comes a great joy in gathering around others who have shared the same or similar experiences with you with their sexualities, identities, and genders. Having so many people around openly celebrating – despite circumstances that may have made them feel excluded – feels like a chance to fully embrace yourself and just acknowledge that despite anything and everything, you didn’t let yourself stop being you. I think that’s the most important part.

Asha: For me, Pride is the past, the present, and the future together as one. It is a celebration of history, optimism of what’s to come and celebrating the here and now.

The Creative Access team has grown and with so many great new additions, we’re letting you in behind the scenes. We’re excited for you all to know a little bit more about our roles. So, grab a cuppa, sit back and relax while we shine the first CA Spotlight on our brilliant Kickstart Coordinator, Yasmin Hemmings

Can you introduce yourself to us?

I’m Yasmin Hemmings and I am the Kickstart Coordinator at Creative Access.

Could you describe your role in a little more detail?

I lead on Creative Access’s involvement with the Kickstart programme, which is a government-led scheme for 16-24 year-olds who are on Universal Credit. Creative Access is a Kickstart gateway, which means that we take applications on behalf of employers and submit them to the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP). We’re working with a lot of employers and we’ve had just over 200 placements approved across more than 70 employers, including the Whitechapel Gallery, Curtis Brown, Paines Plough and The Young Vic theatre.

My day-to-day role consists of speaking with employers who are interested in applying for a Kickstart role through Creative Access. I also prepare Kickstart applications to be sent to the DWP, and then further down the line I support employers with their Kickstart placements to help make sure that it all goes smoothly, as well as help them liaise with Job Centres. Once employers have informed me about hiring someone, I’ll then register the new starter and get in touch with them about our Kickstart support programme which consists of multiple training sessions at the start, middle and end of their placements.

What’s your favourite thing about your role?

I love it when an employer lets me know that they have found someone for their role. Knowing that this person who has not been in work for a long time now has a role with a really exciting and creative company is so fulfilling. Hopefully, with their Kickstart placement, they’ll be able to find something beyond this too.

Also, because I run the induction programme for the new starters, I get to meet them, and it’s lovely to be able to put a face to the name.

What previous experience do you have?

I am a former Creative Access intern for the London Symphony Orchestra, where I worked in their education team and in-house record label. Since having that opportunity of working for an education team I really wanted to follow that line of work and offer projects to those who may not normally get involved in creative activities.

I then moved to English National Opera and worked in their education team, and after that, I became Learning & Participation Producer at the Philharmonia Orchestra where I looked after projects aimed at schools, universities and music hubs. My previous role to this one at Creative Access was Schools Engagement Manager for the Barbican Centre. It’s always been about connecting people to creative opportunities.

My current role combines my professional experience with my personal experience outside of work, where I’m one of the Directors of a volunteer organisation called Young People in the Arts which is a networking organisation for people taking their first steps into an arts-based career. We run events which allow like-minded people to meet each other and network, as well as panel discussions that are about hot topics in the arts, such as diversity and sustainability.

Can you tell us more about Kickstart and why you’re passionate about it?

So, the pandemic has massively impacted the jobs landscape and I think the Kickstart scheme is a wonderful scheme. It supports people who might not have been able to find a job otherwise and it’s supporting new roles to be created. These jobs wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the scheme. It offers 16–24 year-olds the chance to not be so negatively affected by the pandemic.

I was job searching during the pandemic and I can appreciate just how difficult it is. I can only empathise with those coming out of education and trying to get their foot in the door. I think Kickstart definitely helps and I’m really keen to speak to employers and encourage them to sign up. I think a lot of people don’t realise that this scheme is completely free to employers; they can get someone into their organisation and support them in the world of work.

Finally, and totally unrelated to your job, what’s your favourite animal?

My favourite animals are cats. I love them. I grew up with four lovely Birman cats, they’re long hair pedigree cats. However, since I moved out of my parents, I’ve developed an allergy to cats, so despite them being my favourite animal I’m also very allergic to them, so I can never probably own them myself!

To view our Kickstart opportunities click here.

We are so happy to welcome the newest member to the Creative Access team, Laura, who has joined us as our Head of Programmes! In honour of her joining, we arranged a Q&A with her to learn more about her role and what brought her to Creative Access, and ask what advice she would give to young creatives just starting out…

First of all, welcome, Laura! How are you enjoying your time here so far?

I’m settling in really well thanks, it’s such a lovely team and supportive environment to work within. I’m only in my second week and it’s been a busy start including two trips to Bristol already! I’ve especially enjoyed learning about the breath and depth of Creative Access’ work, working with a range of creative organisations as well as matching mentees with mentors. Of course, I’m still getting up to speed with everything!

How would you describe your role as Head of Programmes?

It’s a brand new role which is exciting, including outreach – so as many people as possible from under-represented careers pursue creative careers; and then support – so they can progress and flourish once they secure their first role. My role involves managing programmes, maintaining existing relationships and building new partnerships.

What brought you to this career path?

My background is in Art History, Anthropology and Youth Work. I worked at Tate for 10 years, starting off as an Intern: Youth Programmes in the Learning team at Tate Britain and then as Customer Services Assistant for Tate Enterprises Ltd. in their Publishing team. I worked as Assistant Curator: Young People’s Programmes and then as Curator where I led on the delivery of the cross-arts education programme for young people aged 15 – 25 years, which engaged 20,000 visitors per year.

In 2018, I completed an MA in Applied Anthropology, Community and Youth Work at Goldsmiths University, whilst on sabbatical leave. I then worked as Employment Manager, Create Jobs Programme at A New Direction to oversee the delivery of various strategic projects to support the next generation of creative talent and bring in new ideas and energy to the creative and cultural sector. I am passionate about making positive change, inspiring young people and this new role at Creative Access’ is well suited to my interests and experience.

What advice would you give to young creatives at the start of their careers?

1. Be kind and respectful – treat others how you wish to be treated
2. Do your research into individuals, organisations and projects
3. Prioritise self care, your physical and mental heath comes first
4. Don’t compromise on your values and what matters to you most
5. Keep in touch – your network is your net worth

What’s one interesting thing about you that’s not on your CV?

I have a really loud laugh which sometimes shocks people! It occasionally gets me into trouble but generally people seem to laugh along too.