Are your finances affecting your wellbeing? Do you know how to budget? What’s the best way to pay off debt? For our July 2022 Creative Access masterclass on finance, we were joined by two brilliant panellists to tackle these questions and more.

Peter Komolafe is a financial expert and a content creator. Peter has been on a journey from foster care and being homeless to the executive team of a multinational Fortune 100 company in Canary Wharf. He is qualified as a Financial Adviser and a Mortgage Adviser, and has held key roles at numerous financial institutions.  Peter’s passion for the financial markets and his mission to demystify the unnecessarily complicated world of investing has led him to create Conversation of Money, a cross-channel platform with over a million viewers and listeners globally.

Interviewing Peter and bringing her own wisdom to each topic is Emma Munbodh, the Deputy Editor for The Times Money Mentor. Emma started out in the field as a Creative Access intern for MoneySavingExpert.com founded by Martin Lewis and has since been a journalist for more than a decade. Emma was formerly a money editor at the Daily Mirror, and has worked at The Independent, London Evening Standard, and Closer Magazine.

As Peter kicks off, he outlines what got him interested in talking and thinking money. His first motivation was experience, he says; at different stages of in his life, he has experienced poverty, homelessness, and massive debt. Now that his circumstances have changed, he wants to bring pragmatic information about personal finance that have helped him get to where he is to a wider audience. So what are the key points to take away?

Goals are a starting place, not just something to work up to. Peter encourages anyone who wants to gain better control over their finances to firstly identify a clear goal. Maybe this means paying off credit card debt, creating an emergency fund (3+ months of income to fall back on if needed) or maybe it’s saving to buy a house. The more specific the goal the better, as this allows you to set the figure you want to save and a realistic timeline to get there. Then it’s about working backwards to understand what balance you need to strike between spending and saving to get there.

Asked about what can be realistically achieved on a lower income, Peter says that you shouldn’t be put off planning for the future but it will take more time, and require discipline around spending. He quickly illustrates the way that income can be broken into three chunks: essential, discretionary, and savings. This is a simple way to visualise where your money is going and what you can afford to spend in your day to day while keeping faithful to long-term goals.

Find the right tools for you and start using them. The benefits of the digital age shouldn’t be overlooked, Peter points out. There are a lot of free resources out there, including on social media platforms, sites like MoneySavingExpert.com or Times Money Mentor, and video content like Peter’s own YouTube channel. Some banking services – including Monzo and Lloyd’s – offer the possibility of a ‘rounding up pot’ feature that brings all your transactions to the next pound above and automatically deposits the extra into your savings account. There are tonnes of useful tools out there and Peter stresses that it’s important to do your research and find out which products suit you.

Open up the conversation. The panellists agree that money can be a taboo conversation. But Emma is very direct in saying that, economically speaking, we’re in very strange times and this requires tackling the conversation head on. ‘Talking about money has never been so important; we’ll all be impacted by inflation and the cost of living.’ One approach for more honest and productive relationships when it comes to talking money is the idea of an ‘accountability buddy’. If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the thought of managing your personal finance, why not get someone else involved? Sharing your goals and checking in on your progress can be a great way to alleviate anxiety and form solidarity with someone who’s in a similar boat. Peter adds that your savings aspirations in themselves can be motivating and improve your relationship with money, because they allow you to look towards the future in a positive way.

Peter and Emma cover an enormous amount of ground in their conversation not covered in this article. What exactly is an emergency fund? How do you stay on top of your different income channels if you’re a freelancer? To side hustle or not to side hustle?

Watch the full discussion on our YouTube channel here to catch up on the whole conversation, including live questions from the audience.

A huge thanks to both Emma and Peter for joining us and sharing their financial wisdom!

It was brilliant for the Creative Access team to be back in one of our favourite UK cities Leeds for our northern careers showcase at ITV Yorkshire, with a fantastic panel of speakers including Rawan Elsa, archivist and publishing assistant at Peepal Tree Press, Rhianne Deans, editorial/clearance co-ordinator at Emmerdale, Shamima Noor, communications co-ordinator at Fuel Theatre, Sonny Hanley, controller of content services at ITV and Ayodele Ogunshakin, story liner at Coronation Street, hosted by Ian Cottrell, director of channel operations at ITV.  

Ian introduced sharing how he started out at ITV in 1999 with a degree in IT and was the first person in his family to go to university but didn’t know what to do next. Fast forward to 22 years later and he is now in a senior position at ITV Yorkshire.  

Meanwhile, Sonny knew what he wanted to do from the age of 9 – he wanted to grow up and make films. Luckily, he grew up in Leeds and felt that pursuing a career with ITV Yorkshire was a perfect fit for him. He shared how he started out making programmes and then switched into technology before moving into operations. He’s had three careers at ITV and has been at the organisation almost as long as Ian, for 18 years!  

Rhianne works on Emmerdale, one of ITV’s flagship shows filmed at ITV Leeds. The show has been going for over 50 years and we were even lucky enough to have a tour of the studio after the event. Rhianne’s role includes writing synopses of the scenes for press or for actors, collaborating with script editors and making script changes to ensure the scripts fit within allotted time. She got into the industry through an internship at Arrow Media through Creative Access, and before joining Emmerdale, she worked on Channel 4’s All Creatures Great and Small.  

Leeds local, Shamima works within theatre communications. She has been working in theatre for 5 years after starting her career with a traineeship through Creative Access in 2017 at Leeds Playhouse, after which she then worked for a few dance and theatre companies. Shamima grew up in Leeds, studied there and stayed on in the area to develop her career, proving that you can live outside London and develop a rich career in the creative industries. She works for a London based company and goes down to London about twice a month.  

Rawan is currently undertaking a PhD, alongside her work as an archivist and publishing assistant. She has a fascinating role and has spent the last few years archiving letters, documents and manuscripts for Peepal, an independent publishing specialising in African literature. She describes herself as wearing many hats, as she also runs an online book club making literature accessible to people beyond the UK.  

Ayodele worked at a summer camp in the US after university. She initially thought it was a bad decision, but the experience of working with children proved critical in her getting a role at Blue Peter. From there she moved up to studio assistant and after going to a Creative Access workshop on how to become a storyliner, she got her first break as an assistant storyliner on Coronation Street. She describes being a storyliner as an “odd position”. She works in a team of other storyliners, answering to the producer.  

“What have you done that’s outside the box? Utilise that!” – Rawan  

Our panel all cited the importance of transferable skills and experiences when trying to break into the creative industries. Shamima explained that in her first internship at Leeds Playhouse, they were mostly looking for passion for theatre and good personal skills. She’d worked on her student paper, been a student outreach officer, written a lot outside her degree, and handled the social media channels for societies she was a part of at university. She was able to marshal these skills into a CV and cover letter, which then got her the role.  

Rawan echoed this explaining: “experience is invaluable”. Even though her degrees are important and she’s enjoyed her academic journey, it was the internships and volunteering at places like Elizabeth Gaskell’s House that displayed her passion for history. Alongside this, she states that she identified people she admired and spoke to them on twitter, went to careers fairs and networking evets – all of which helped her land her roles.  

When it comes to specific roles, such as storylining, Ayo recommended watching lots of TV as ‘research’. She took on a runner role to expose her to the innerworkings of the TV industry, but she says: “Don’t discount the non-TV experience you have”. Lots of TV work is about teamwork and that can come from university, volunteering and roles outside the sector.  

“When people are open to a chat, they might be open to helping you find work, so take those chats seriously” – Ayo  

Networking is a key skill for finding work, mentors and even likeminded peers within the creative industry. Rhianne empathised that networking can be awkward, admitting that she used to be really bad at it, but she told our audience that they’d be surprised by how many people want to share their knowledge. People are busy so you shouldn’t feel worried about following up and reminding them. She also advised the audience to not confuse being formal with being professional – you can be jokey and show your personality which can then engage people and make you stand out.  

Shamima agreed explaining that these events are nerve-wracking, but you find your own rhythm. “Ffrom the start it was clear to me taking part in events was going to be key. After-parties after each event you should go to show you’re committed.”  Similarly, Ayo recommended thinking of networking as ‘connecting’ with people instead, which takes the pressure off the interaction.  

“You’re not just there because of luck. You’re there because you’ve excelled. If you trip up, pick yourself back up again” – Rawan 

On this note, our panel then began to discuss how imposter syndrome can manifest itself and how they overcome it. Rawan had some wonderful advice for our audience, she explained that she looks in the mirror and recites positive affirmations about herself to reassure herself. She suggested writing them down and even sticking them around your room when you’re feeling low.  

Rhianne and Sonny both work at ITV and have both found their networks within the organisation a great source of comfort when they have been feeling insecure in their positions or have had a bad day at work. Sonny told our audience to remember: “They chose you! If you don’t believe that, just go ask your manager.” 

Ayo actually did do this once during a period of low self-confidence at work. Her line manager told her that she was doing well, despite thinking otherwise. She told the audience to remember that that’s what your line manager is there for.  

“The perfect candidate doesn’t exist” – Sonny  

As for moving up in your creative career, Sonny said it is vital to step outside your comfort zone. “No one knows their job 100%, I’ve been here for 18 years and I still don’t know anything”, he said. He continued that therefore, when he’s hiring, he always hires 80% – he knows that no one is going to have every single skill needed but if the confidence and passion is there that will see you through.  

Rhianne agreed and explained that of course knowledge and skills are important, but the most important thing is how you fit into a team. If you work within an organisation that has many teams and you want to take a sideways step, Rhianne recommended utilising the network you have within the company and getting to know the roles and the team dynamics to help you. 

“There’s no set time frame! If you want to do it, it’ll happen” – Rhianne 

Finally, our audience asked our panel about the age-old problem of rejection. Rhianne stated that unfortunately, rejection is part of the industry and you do have to grow a thick skin however, she continued, there are lots of people who want to help you so make sure you keep making those connections. While Rawan suggested that “rejection can help you take a step back and reassess what you really want.” 

Thank you so much to our wonderful panel for their insights into their respective fields and highlighting the breadth of roles on offer in the creative industries in the North, as well as to our audience for coming along and asking such important questions!  

This Wednesday Creative Access partnered up with the one and only National Theatre to deliver a masterclass discussing how to navigate a career in theatre and the future of theatre both on and off stage. We were joined by Juliet Gilkes Romero, writer in residence at the National Theatre, Sara Bakhaty, Deputy Director of Marketing and Sales at the National Theatre and Ola Animashawun, who is a National Theatre associate, as well as connections dramaturg and co-founder and creative director of playwriting consultancy, Euphoric Ink. We were spoilt by their wealth of knowledge! The discussion, chaired by Lisa Jonas, assistant director of Business Planning and governance, provided an insight into a career within theatre and how the industry is growing from strength to strength after a long, hard two years of stagnation. 

We began by exploring the various routes our panel took into the sector, and with all members, this journey was not a linear one. Juliet came from a journalism background and maintained her love of writing by also joining writers’ groups, completing a masters and surrounding herself with like-minded people who were just as passionate about writing as she was. “There’s no straight line to this,” she says as she encouraged our audience to build resilience, “and there’s nowhere to hide on stage.” The importance of remaining true to yourself is a theme that continued through this masterclass, as we learnt just how your integrity can act as a magnet, or a beacon, shining to those who are willing to take a chance on your work. As a dramaturg, Ola’s role is vital in the process of bringing a script from paper to stage play. They are experts in the study of plays, musicals or operas and it is their job to provide the cast and crew with vital knowledge, research and interpretation for their works. He also sits on a board that discusses the wider programming at the theatre and is vocal about creating a strategy to address diversity within the sector. Having started out as an actor, Ola eventually found the right role for him, becoming an advisor, instead of being on stage. Sara also struggled to find the right fit, moving from a career in retail, initially into advertising agencies and latterly into theatre marketing. “It became apparent I had no passion for the things I was selling”, she told our audience, “then this role came up and it felt like a real natural transition.”  It is truly never too late to begin that change, and with the rise of the squiggly career, the working journey is no longer a straight line; instead, it’s quite common to change role, company and even career to find something that fits just right.  

Juliet shared an inspiring story about a play she wrote “At the Gates of Gaza”, which took seven years to go into production. She went on to talk about the play’s first bad review. “I wanted to shave my head and hide under the covers” she continued but stressed the importance of remembering the people who did support her and the impact her play had. She then shared a poignant quote from author Hilary Mantel; “The most helpful quality a writer can cultivate is self-confidence – arrogance if you can manage it,” finishing on the note that you may have to believe in yourself way before the world does. Ola agreed, encouraging us to “keep the faith”, especially with freelancing and the issues that can sometimes arise. The instability means it’s necessary to have a fallback option, but this shouldn’t deter you from theatre if it’s truly your passion. Juliet adds “get serious about your finances” as there may be times when work is a little quieter, and you will still have bills to pay. Both Ola and Juliet wouldn’t change their careers though, as their love of culture, theatre and playwriting allows a richness, and pride that almost jumps off them as they speak. 

When asked about marketing in theatre, Sara had lots of gems to share. “The fundamentals are the same” she begins, “as you still identify your market and create a campaign, but it begins to get a little more complex.” The hardest thing, she admits, is capturing the essence of a 90-minute play into a short Instagram advert or a poster you might see on the tube. A marketing campaign not only has to incite interest but pique it enough so that seats are filled at the play. When the average attention span is 8.5 seconds (a goldfish’s is 9!) this can take a little work. Sara also says it’s important to think about the existing experiences, and how they can be used and translated for new work. Marketing in theatre is a fantastic opportunity for those who don’t want to be on stage or write, but are still passionate about the sector, and creative enough to find new and innovative ways to share and spread their excitement. Its career trajectory is wide, with many entry positions. Although it’s competitive, Sara tells us not to give up! If you can’t find a direct marketing role within the theatre, find a marketing role in another adjacent sector. “Sometimes it’s the sidesteps which are the most interesting”. She finishes by telling us “It’s never too late” as she made her career change at 30 and is now super excited to come to work as she is surrounded by culture, music and art that she finds interesting.  

We finished our evening by touching on the future of theatre, the still very present issues surrounding diversity and the moves that need to be made to create an industry that reflects our society. Sara openly admitted that theatre needs to do better, especially surrounding progression. She’s passionate about “continuing to nurture the talent” as there are a few entry-level roles, but this means nothing if retention is poor. Ola agrees, advising us to look at the organisations and hold them accountable. If you walk into a room where no one looks like you, be prepared to ask why, and question any answers you aren’t content with. If we aren’t prepared to ask uncomfortable questions, diversity may take a lot longer than necessary. “It’s never over till it’s over” Juliet adds, “we are always on the verge of having improvements taken away.” Theatre has made strides, but the walk is long, and we must be prepared to fight to make space in places where we too can belong.  

We’d like to give a special thanks to Lisa Jonas and the National Theatre for hosting our first in-person masterclass in two years since the pandemic. We’d also like to extend a special thank you to our amazing panel and all of you who attended. We hope you enjoyed it, and we’ll soon be back with some more in-person masterclasses – hope to see you there!   

Creative Access’ latest Masterclass coincided with Mental Health Awareness Week (9th – 16th May), and we were joined by a brilliant panel to discuss all things related to mental health, wellbeing and putting yourself first. The official theme this year was loneliness, and how it can produce feelings of depression, sadness, and isolation, especially after three long years of being in and out of lockdowns. With this masterclass, we aimed to raise awareness, encourage initiative, and invite discussions that might be uncomfortable to hear, but necessary to have. Yasmin Hemmings, our programme manager, sat in conversation with Kamilah McInnis, a senior journalist at BBC News podcasts, as well as Sam Bickley, TV consultant, exec producer and welfare executive, and began the conversation we hope many of you will continue in within your family, friends, and workplaces.  

Prioritizing your mental health isn’t always easy. Sometimes it may come as a shock that you might be struggling, but 1 in four adults experience issues with their mental health, making it a lot more common than you might think. When asked about their top tips on how to put your mental health first, Kamiliah, currently working on the podcast “If You Don’t Know” which focuses on informing young black adults of politics, culture and much more, spoke of the importance of knowing when to say no. Often, with those who have just begun their career in the creative industry, there can be a desire to try hard to prove their worth with their new company. This could involve staying after work hours, not taking adequate, full breaks, or simply saying yes, when really you should be saying no. It’s vital to understand that none of these things will be sustainable in the long run, and will certainly leave you burnt-out and unable to do your job to the best of your ability. Sam agreed, advising taking walks, as well as regular breaks away from computer screens to calm the mind and reset your focus.  

When discussing mental wellbeing, there can often be a one-size-fits-all approach on self-care. Lighting a candle won’t always fix everything, and our panel spoke about finding what works for you. Sam herself is an advocate for “self-care in the day, and self-care in the week,” sharing how important it is to find things you enjoy that can fit around the diary. Maybe the candle will work for an evening and keep you going till a fantastic new play you’ve booked to see that weekend, or a day trip you have in a fortnight – it’s important to set things up for yourself. In addition to this, Kamilah adds that it’s important to “take holiday every few months!”, a right we are all entitled to, but many forget. A few days away from work can do the world of good, helping you get back to your normal self. Communicating this need to your workplace can be daunting, but is better than the alternative. Your manager will really appreciate your honesty about your capacity. “No” doesn’t mean you aren’t capable, it can also mean yes, but I will get it done tomorrow, which is just as good.  

For those who are still job searching, we understand what a tiring process that can be. It might seem like you are getting nowhere, but you can’t give up. When speaking about the strength in kindness, Kamilah shared a sweet story of her days as a BBC multi-media trainee (a role secured by Creative Access!), and how when her contract came to an end, she felt anxious about her next career move, and whether she would find anything at all. As she wandered outside her offices, trying to clear her head, she looked down and saw some free flowers, a sign to persevere that in a roundabout way, lead to her next role. Although the lesson here is rooted in goodwill, it is also a testament to not giving up, and even more than that, to taking your breaks! Sam also added how useful it is to “think about your network,” doing things together and bouncing off each other’s ideas can really propel your applications. Especially for freelancers – get a friend’s opinion, or even a mentor, who can offer their advice and guidance. It can be easy to apply for everything, but really hone in on what you want from your work, what kind of industry you would like to go into, and that passion and determination will jump off the page in your applications.  

Networking is nerve-wracking for people already struggling with anxiety. For this, our panel spoke of the power of preparation. Kamilah, when really struggling, tells herself to just “go for an hour” to an event. Once the hour is up, you can leave, but you might just find yourself having so much fun you’d like to stay. You can try and prepare conversation starters and do some research on who will be there, and the work they have done is a great place to start. However, if you are really not well, don’t force yourself to go, instead perhaps draft a message explaining that you would’ve loved to attend, but were unable to, and try and connect with that person via LinkedIn orother appropriate social media. Sam said it is also completely fine “to let people know you’re feeling a little nervous,” because there is a lot of strength that comes with that honesty. Yasmin added how useful joining networking groups like “Young People in the Arts” was. Rest in the fact that you are amazing, and not meeting someone, or going to an event does not mean the end of your career – you just might need to get a little more imaginative about how you strategically place yourself in that important person’s line of view.  

When asked how to bring her best self to work, Kamilah had loads of top tips. “We are all works in progress,” she says smiling, before admitting that she still has down days, but with experience, time, and counselling (which she recommends), it becomes easier to deal with. The 4-7-8 breathing technique is great for calming yourself down during those sudden panic bursts, or just before a big meeting, as well as the book Feeling Good, by David D Burns, which discusses numerous coping techniques, including how to rewire those negative thoughts. More often than not, you can feel an episode brewing, Kamilah warms to pay attention to this, and let your team know. Yasmin encourages a routine with exercise, and Sam journaling, as “being a companion to yourself” can provide a sense of clarity that can be beneficial. “You control how your day looks” she continues, set boundaries with your workplace, for example mentioning that your workday must finish at a certain time, and you can’t exceed that. Other tips included writing lists, breaking down tasks into chunks and always keeping your managers in the know.  

There is so much more support now for those dealing with mental health struggles. Sam notes how the younger generation’s openness about something once seen as taboo is breaking down barriers for those in the industry ahead of them. As a welfare executive, Sam’s role is proof that after tragedies within television, such as those on Love Island, and Jeremy Kyle, companies now understand more than ever the importance of aftercare. As someone who has always cared about her contributors and advocated for their needs, this change is needed and welcomed by Sam. Many workplaces now have mental health policies, and if you are curious about whether yours does, Yasmin says you are well within your right to ask. If there is not one, and it’s something you would like to help create, make this known too! Kamilah is part of a wellbeing group that is actively trying to change work culture, and often has executives sit in on meetings so they know what more they can be doing to support their workforce. It’s not a job that can be done by an individual, but it does take that one person to begin the conversation. Mental health is no longer a taboo; Be upfront with those who need to know. 

People are willing to listen; don’t be worried about signposting useful information to your managers. Kamilah advises speaking to your colleagues and joining initiatives and groups. If you are a journalist, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) is good at providing any information you might need. Sam adds to research dignity at work responses, which are quickly improving in comparison to five years ago. Above all, listen to your body, navigating mental health can be difficult, but you are not alone in this. Reach out and speak out if you need help.  

Please do watch a recording of this masterclass here.  

You can also read our resource on how we support our team’s mental wellbeing here.

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

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

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

————————————————————————————————————————–

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We recently asked our community how important they thought networking was for a successful career in the creative industries. Over 97% agreed that it was vital, however 87% admitted that they found networking difficult. Despite networking helping us move up the career ladder, many people find making connections with strangers cringey or awkward, and it’s often seen as something that happens within privileged circles. However, as our latest masterclass shows, networking can work for everyone – no matter their background or where they are in their career!

Chaired by our director of communications, Bibi Hilton, our panellists included LinkedIn’s social marketing manager, Aston Brooks-Ashitey, head of brand marketing, Zara Easton, and director/producer, networking enthusiast and CA Alum, Dean Webster.

Dean kicked off the masterclass by emphasising how important networking is in the TV world, where most people are freelance. He explained that events such as Royal Television Society Futures can be a great way to mix with both your peers and those high up in the industry. He once met the creator of the Million Pound Drop at an event and simply started the conversation with: “How did you come up with the idea?”. He recommends that anyone in the creative industries does their research prior to networking events on who’s going to be there and read industry trades so that you have relevant news to discuss. Our other panellists echoed this sentiment, agreeing that researching the person you want to reach out and thinking about what can be gained from the connection is vital. Why them? What about their career do you admire? And, fundamentally, what do you want from the exchange? Be it mentoring, career advice or simply widening your network, it’s important to have a beginning, a middle and an end in mind when having a conversation.

As Aston stated, networking doesn’t always have to be about looking for a job. Sometimes, you might gain a great friend or mentor out of it, or a job may come, but perhaps later on down the line when you don’t expect it. She explained that networking at its core is about “building connections”, but you shouldn’t be knocked back if someone doesn’t respond. Bibi reassured the audience that most people in senior positions are happy to help, she recommended asking for 10-minutes to pick someone’s brain – a quick exchange, without pressure, is something that most people can make the time for, even if they’re busy. Although you should always respect people’s boundaries and be thoughtful when reaching out, as Dean says, you have to be aware of “what’s in that person’s control”. Zara suggests waiting a few weeks to chase someone up if they’ve not responded to you, rather than sending a barrage of emails in quick succession.

The creative industries is a small world and Dean made a great point that networking doesn’t have to mean ‘networking up’. It’s just as important to ‘network sideways’ with your peers. He said that building up a network of your industry contemporaries is where “true moments of creative flair can spark”. When he has recruited for TV work, Dean has often thought of people who he’s met at networking events in the past and got in touch with them, proving the power of ‘networking sideways’. Dean is such a fan of networking and an advocate of its power that he came up with his ‘3 Ps of Networking’ on the spot during the discussion! He stated:

Although networking may seem like a skill that only confident people can practice, Zara reminded the audience that even if you’re more introverted, there are forms of networking that can work for you. She recommended that people take it slowly and make it as easy as possible for themselves, explaining that making online connections through platforms like LinkedIn can take the anxiety out of these interactions.

On the power of LinkedIn, we were lucky enough to receive a whistle-stop tour on how to ‘Rock Your Profile’ by Zara and Aston. During the pandemic much of networking moved online and it has shown that location doesn’t have to be an issue if you’re looking to put yourself out there. Zara’s key advice was to customise each LinkedIn request you send; if you explain to people why you want to connect with them, they’re more likely to respond. Similarly, their top tips for optimising your LinkedIn profile were:

1. Utilise your headline (think about how you’d describe your personal brand in 3 words)
2. Your ‘About’ section should be your elevator pitch – keep it to 40 – 100 words
3. Create a custom URL with your name
4. Use a good photo – it doesn’t have to be an expensive headshot, but it should be a semi-professional image that represents you in your work-life

The main sentiment from the evening’s discussion was that networking doesn’t have to be scary, it can be a relaxed and positive way of making connections with likeminded people in your field. It’s also important to bear in mind that we all get nervous; whether someone is a CEO or hasn’t entered the world of work yet, everyone suffers with some level of imposter syndrome. Our panellists assured the audience that you can’t let this fear stop you from trying thing. They encouraged our audience to remember that ultimately networking is just having a conversation with another person. Ending with her favourite piece of networking advice, Zara quoted the Squiggly Careers Podcast’s explanation of networking as “people helping other people”.

All our panellists agreed that their favourite thing about networking is the ‘weird and wonderful’ opportunities it can bring. The truth is, most people are happy to help and most people enjoy telling their stories, as well as hearing other yours. As Aston highlighted: “Everyone has something to offer”. So, remind yourself of this the next time you feel nervous about striking up a conversation with someone at an industry event or sending out that LinkedIn request – you never know what the connection might bring.

Thank you to our fantastic panel, and of course everyone who came along and asked such insightful questions. If you missed the masterclass, you can watch it in full below.

Make sure you join our next masterclass with our friends at McLaren Racing, who will give the lowdown on the many creative careers on offer at McLaren. Keep an eye on our events page for more sign up details.

Some helpful tools on amplifying your career:

o    Jobseeker checklist – to help people create a LinkedIn profile, network and search for a job

o    How to amplify your profile on LinkedIn – online learning video

o    Career transition tool – uncover potential career paths and see how your skills match to real job titles

o    Online training for most in-demand jobs and accredited digital skills training – hundreds of hours’ worth of free online training, including some accredited courses

o    A job search guide attached

Creative Access welcomed us back with the “How-to turbo-charge your career” masterclass last Thursday. Our own April Brown chaired the discussion with Lynn Blades, leadership coach and advocate for a “workforce more representative of our society” as well as football journalist Ahmed Shooble, who has been making waves of his own writing for the likes of The Times and The Athletic. Together they discussed how to take your professional career to the next level, the obstacles that may arise, how to deal with them, and most importantly – the power in self-belief.

With a new year often comes the desire to better ourselves; to elevate, improve and implement changes that our future selves will thank us for. This includes within our work lives – everyone wants to level up, to reach that new position, or to smash goals in an existing one, but the idea of change might be scary. Turbo-charging isn’t about getting somewhere quickly, but more so the small actionable tasks we can undertake to build the ladder to get to that place.

Ahmed, a Creative Access alum who is now a journalist writing for one of the biggest sports websites in the world, stresses the importance of knowing you are in control. “It’s not a race, but a journey,” he says, as he explains his route into sports journalism. “Know where you want to be, which publication, then figure out whose attention you need to get – work backwards.” It’s so important to show initiative, and know you are in charge of your future. Lynn adds how vital it is to be mindful, taking time to think about your ambitions and achievable goals. Sometimes all that’s needed is a step back to see things as a whole, and look at specific skills you’d like to improve on or acquire.

Networking is key to levelling up. When asked about the importance of networking online, our panellists had lots to share. Lynn, who works with the best and brightest as well as a slew of very impressive companies such as Nike, BBC, and Sony, spoke about LinkedIn. With 74 million viewers, LinkedIn can seem like a never-ending pool of people sharing their achievements, but with only 6 million original posts, it’s vital you make yourself known and celebrate your accomplishments – no matter how small! Ahmed added that it was through keeping contact with someone he’d networked with online, that he found his current job.

Ahmed then continues, explaining that his turbo-charge was aided by a journalism degree. This is not to say that this is needed to get into sports journalism, but the lesson here lies in the initiative he used to push himself to get one. “Degrees aren’t essential, I didn’t get one at first”, he explains before sharing his other tips. Employers want to see that you are willing to learn and grow, and a lot of companies offer training in-house – you should take advantage of this if it is available. If specifically looking to get into journalism, Ahmed advises contacting commissioning editors and making sure your pitch is above par. How is this done? By explaining why this is the publication for you, and what ideas you have to offer. “Don’t give everything away” he warns, “lay it out like a conversation”. We learn that pitching can sometimes be brutal, but Lynn adds “if you can’t fail, you can’t succeed” and suddenly failing doesn’t seem so fatal.

Sometimes we can face difficulty on our way to success. Lynn bravely shared her experience of harassment in the workplace, and harrowingly, the little that was done to support her. This was her calling card to leave, and she found several opportunities available to her. She cautions our listeners not to “let a big head take over” and think carefully about the chances we are given. Not every position will be a dream job, but the transferable skills and doors that could open can sometimes make It all worthwhile. April, our chair, spoke of her struggle with the culture of unpaid internships, an issue Creative Access is working tirelessly to change.

Ahmed agreed, speaking of his own clashes with imposter syndrome and wondering whether his skin colour was the reason he got the job. 85% of people in positions of power experience imposter syndrome – so an experience that can often leave us feeling inadequate and alone, is a lot more common than you might think, which is even more reason to talk about it and have these difficult conversations with your peers.

Not everyone’s seeds will bloom so openly though, as our audience asked for advice on what to do when feeling lost – an overwhelming emotion that most of us can sympathise with. Our panel reassured us by saying that discomfort is okay! Great things never came from comfort zones, sitting in that discomfort can perhaps teach us what we don’t like, and on top of that, encourage us to go back to basics and ask ourselves – what do we like? What makes us happy? What are our strengths? And build from there. And if you’re looking to change industry, this advice still stands; try sitting, doing some research, and contacting specific individuals in an area you would like to try out.

If big change seems a little too much – start small! Our panel shared some resources they are using to make themselves the best in their respective fields. Reading about what’s going on around you, especially within the field you’re interested in can help you stay in the know. Setting alerts to email bulletins such as Media Beans and Creative Access (shameless plug!) can put you ahead, and can be impressive when cited in an interview. In addition, Lynn shares some apps she uses to stay present in our fast-moving world. She suggests Calm, and regular meditation – there’s strength in steadiness.

As our discussion came to an end, we broached the subject of the future of the Creative industry. The murder of George Floyd sparked a much-needed cry for justice and resulted in many coming together to both educate themselves and spread awareness of the effects of discrimination. Still, there is a way to go, our panel agrees. “A house divided cannot stand,” Lynn says, and she’s right. BCOMP (The Black Collective of Media in Sport), where Ahmed spent some time during a summer internship, is proof our house is still very much divided, but he expresses the significance of “being the change you want to see”. It might be inevitable that you meet unsavoury individuals, but we are growing into a community that sees the necessity of allyship. The future needs more leaders of colour; individuals who stand as beacons, calling to those who feel as though they’d never make it to positions of power. A lot of companies are missing the mark, which can be frustrating but the talent within the emerging generation is also undeniable. If given the chance, this great talent is ready to do some turbo-charging of its own to the top.

If you’re looking for more information and resources don’t forget to follow us on our social media (Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn) to stay up to date. Our next masterclass will focus on battling the nerves that come with Networking on the 24th of February at 5:30pm.

A special thanks to all our panellists and April for chairing an amazing discussion. Watch the recording below.

Last week, we were privileged to host a Masterclass on how to access and navigate the PR industry with Creative Access Alum and associate director of healthcare communications MHP, Jaber Mohamed, Shereene Witter, vice president, communications at NBCUniversal International Studios and Yinka Akindele, vice president, communications at ViacomCBS UK and chaired by our own director of communications, Bibi Hilton. We learnt the ins and outs of working in PR, the differences between working in-house and in agencies and our panellists shared their top tips for how to get into and thrive in the industry.

Jaber Mohamed started off his career in journalism as a Creative Access intern at the Daily Mail. Jaber worked in journalism for 6 years before deciding it wasn’t for him and pivoting into PR. He worked in communications in the public sector, including within the Department for Transport and the Cabinet, before becoming the Chief Communications Officer for the Department of Health and Social Care, where he served as Chris Witty’s chief of press during the Covid-19 pandemic. He then moved into private healthcare communications for communications agency, MHP.

Shereene Witter started her career in communications with an internship through the Taylor Bennett Foundation. She began her time at NBCUniversal International Studios in 2017 as a communications manager and moved up the ranks to become vice president of communications last year in 2020. She is passionate about “helping the next generation of television makers get their foot through the door” and is an ambassador for ‘No Turning Back’, which aims for 20% of all communications professionals to come from Black, Asian, minority ethnic communities.

Yinka Akindele has worked across in PR across the broadcast media and tech sectors within both the corporate and consumer experience spheres for over 15 years. As vice president of communications at ViacomCBS UK, Yinka oversees the management of all ViacomCBS brands in the UK, including Channel 5, MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. Prior to this, she was head of PR at Yahoo UK and Ireland.

Bibi has over 20 years’ experience working in PR. Before joining Creative Access, she was Managing Director of PR agency Golin, where she launched progressive initiatives such as a returnship programme and ‘Golin B&B’, which sought to help people from under-represented communities access the industry. She is also a former President of Women in PR and in 2020, she was awarded the PRCA Trailblazer award for her work in DE&I.

When discussing what drew them to PR and communications, our panellists all discussed their love of writing, language and storytelling. But Jaber was quick to reassure the audience that having a degree in English is not the only way to gain the skills needed for the industry, having done a medical science degree himself. He said, “you don’t need to have loads of writing experience to make it in PR, but have an interest and learn how to do the basics.” He said that when it comes to practical skills like writing press releases, you must:

Similarly, our panellists stated that they were all sociable people – another factor which drew them into the industry. Shereene explained that “PR is about people” and therefore, learning how to communicate and network with different people is a key way into the industry. She encouraged aspiring comms professionals to “let their passions shine through” when connecting with people in the industry because, ultimately, working with people is all about how you fit into the team dynamic. Your unique interests will make you stand out against others, even if they have more experience than you. Another important point that all panellists agreed with is that “you’re always learning in comms”. Yinka told us that working in the industry is “all a building block”, no matter how senior you are, you always have more to learn. Shereene stated that she learns as much from her interns as she teaches them, leaving the audience inspired to have confidence in their skills and opinions, even if they don’t have years of experience or the skills that are typically expected in PR.

All three of our panellists wanted to acknowledge the challenges that the pandemic brought to this ‘sociable’ industry, which relies on networking. Yinka explained that the social aspect is one of her favourite parts of her role, but it is now “on temporary hiatus” due to the pandemic. Bibi asked Jaber what it was like working in frontline comms for the Department of Health during the height of the pandemic. He emphasised the stress of living through the event, as well as working on the story impacted his and his colleagues’ mental health. At points, they were releasing “9 press releases a day” about everything from vaccines to daily figures to PPE advice. Despite this, he recognises how the media appetite for health stories has increased, making it an exciting time to be working in healthcare communications, especially at firm like MHP.

Meanwhile, Shereene’s perspective took into account the murder of George Floyd in combination with Covid. She explained that the period forced a moment of self-reflection. After years of struggling with imposter syndrome in an industry that can too often be a ‘boys’ club’ and perceiving herself as “a young black woman who didn’t really feel like she could contribute”, she began to remind herself of her capabilities.

Of course, you will face challenges in your career; PR can be a busy and fast-paced world. Yinka discussed the fact that when she entered the industry, it was dominated by those who were privileged and had attended public school; “I didn’t fit the mould”, she said. But she landed her first TV job because of her writing skills, despite not having the experience required for the role, proving Shereene’s earlier point about utilising your passions to stand out and get ahead.

Their advice for dealing with these challenges? Yinka recommends keeping a “calm disposition” throughout it all. Whereas, Jaber said that in the face of challenges, you have to be proactive. “Make the most of opportunities. Creative Access helped me but I had to fight for those opportunities myself. There’s a door, but only you can walk through it.” Again, we were reminded that it is necessary to have determination, but to have belief that your passions and perspectives are worthy and valuable. As Shereene stated it’s “your perspective” and “your opinion on the world” that you need to harness and tailor towards the role that you’re going for.

Bibi stated that, “there are so many different types of roles in PR” and the panellists discussed the differences between working in-house and in an agency. Both Yinka and Shereene work in-house. Both she and Yinka described the benefits of working in-house, with Yinka highlighting that you are really able to “get under the skin of a brand”. However, she added that it is valuable to have an ‘agency’ mentality, even in-house as you work with multiple “clients” and stakeholders everyday

In contrast, MHP is an agency and Jaber stresses that the agency world is very fast-paced. “You get to work with lots of clients and you’re exposed to lots of different things. No two days are the same,” he said. He also told the audience about the breadth of work within an agency, focusing on the different skills you can acquire and areas of interest that you can discover: “You can do everything from writing copy to editing scripts, working with influencers and brainstorming”.

Overall, our panellists stressed that those wanting to get into the industry must make the most of the resources available to them. Bibi wanted the audience to know that, in her experience, most people at senior level remember the difficulties of starting out – they want to give back to the industry and they would generally be open to having a 10minute chat with someone looking to get into the industry and asking for advice. Jaber also advised people to leverage their contacts emphasising the value of having good mentors to guide you. He said: “They’ll be lots of bumpy times, but keep an eye out for opportunities.”

Ultimately, our panel emphasised that you need to have confidence in yourself, whether you have the ‘right’ skills or not, and the importance of carrying that confidence into to everything new you learn. Yinka told the audience,

You have to have as many strings to your bow as possible to ensure you can find a way into the industry. Shereene told the audience to have confidence in themselves and their abilities even in the face of uncertainty, “Be fearless! You will find the role that’s made for you”.

A massive thank you to our wonderful panel! We certainly learnt a lot about the inner-workings of PR and communications. You can watch the Masterclass in full here.

If you’re looking to take your first steps into PR, or if you’re seeking a career change, check out our Opportunities.

For our October Masterclass, we were proud to host three of our Creative Access alumni who delivered an exciting and insightful session discussing their careers so far in the music industry, their advice on how to stand out and how to make connections. 

Our chair Kyle George is a Brand Partnerships Co-ordinator at Warner Music UK, connecting brands like 1800 Tequila with artists such as Ed Sheeran and Kojey Radical. Having studied Law at the University of Southampton, Kyle wasn’t aware of the different roles within the music industry – such as brand partnerships – but used his transferable skills to get an internship at Warner Music through Creative Access in 2018. He has stayed there ever since. 

Kyle was joined by radio presenter, journalist and DJ Kamilla Rose. Kamilla was one of the firstinterns we ever placed in 2012, with TV production company TwoFour where she learnt the “inner workings of a media company”. However, unsatisfied creatively working in “corporate” TV production, Kamilla successfully moved into music. She volunteered at community stations such as Reprezent Radio and Foundation FM and began blogging and interviewing artists on her own account. She then got a paid position at BBC 1Xtra and now hosts a show on Capital and has begun to work in audio production. In 2019, Kamilla was awarded the prestigious Radio Academy’s ‘30 Under 30’. 

Sadé Lawson is a Producer and Creative Consultant, whom we placed with Sony in 2013. Hailing from Scotland, Sadé did unpaid internships throughout university and struggled to find paid work when she moved down to London. She praised Creative Access as the “turning point” for helping her access her first “industry job” which allowed her to get her foot in the door. Throughout her time at Sony and later as a Product Manager at Warner, Sadé had side-gigs such as running events, DJing, forming networks with other creatives and starting up her own production company – COZY – with a friend. She is now freelance and has worked within artist management on the likes of FKA Twigs’ album Magdalene.  

Much of Sadé’s experience in the industry came from her creative projects outside her jobs at record labels, emphasising that these became the things which people began to approach her for. She said: “These things help you stand out because you have lots of different facets to what you do.” Kamilla echoed this sentiment as she didn’t have one “set first job in music”. She explained that whilst volunteering at community radio stations like Reprezent, she was able to gain an insight into the music industry that she wasn’t possible in her corporate TV production job. Through this, she honed her presenting style enabling her to get presenting gigs at BBC 1Xtra and now, Capital. Both Sadé and Kamilla demonstrated that if you are a creative person, you have to throw yourself into a variety of different projects in order to learn. 

Importantly, all three of our alumni recognise the difficulties that come with balancing a career and gaining work experience in the creative industries with the realities of living costs. Sadé knows how “lonely” this experience can be for people trying to break into the industry, especially those coming from outside London with no connections in the city. Kyle, Kamilla and Sadé all recommend planning and to keep reminding yourself that the hard work will benefit your career in a few years. 

A way of breaking down these barriers though, for Sadé, was making connections with her peers working in music. Similarly, when Kyle asked the panel how people can stand out, Kamilla stated that networking is one of the most important things in the industry. She stressed that it was essential to gain the details of all those you work with because without these lines of communications, you might miss out on opportunities for which you are a perfect fit.  

These insightful words are especially true if you are freelance. One fantastic example of the importance of networking and getting to know people within the industry was Sadé’s story of how she came to work with FKA Twig’s management team. Sadé explained that she ended up having a job in the same office as them and having been around them and understanding their processes, when she got the role with the team, was able to integrate into it easily. She emphasised the importance of a management team understanding the artist’s vision, but also how her previous label experience gave her perspective executing the project keeping the label in mind as well as the management and the artist.  

Kyle, who has never been freelance, gave a different perspective. He explained that despite not having a creative background, he took what he could from his degree to make himself stand out. In his applications for music jobs, he spoke about intellectual property, copyright and trademark laws to show his transferable skills for the roles. He advised that:

All three of our alumni encouraged the audience to be open to opportunities, with Kyle urging them to “Apply for everything!”. Sadé and Kamilla also advised people to try different things outside their comfort zone. Alongside this, the panel recommended researching the companies and people that you want to work with and connecting with creatives who are both your peers as well as those who are senior to you. Kamilla was an advocate for harnessing the power of LinkedIn, suggesting people to drop someone a message and say, “hey, can we go for a coffee?”. 

In regards to their hopes for the future of the industry, Sadé said that because of the pandemic, she is now able to work with creatives remotely. She hopes that if the pandemic has changed things for the better, it will be so that people will have the chance to make networks across the world. All three of our alumni highlighted their hopes for more representation within the music industry, with Sadé looking forward to it becoming more accessible for young creatives who are from outside London, or who don’t come from monied backgrounds. Kyle’s hopes also arose from his experiences working within a label, making the point that “initially it felt like all they wanted to hear from Black people was about hip-hop. It feels like that’s all we can contribute, when there’s loads of people making rock, house, pop, all sorts of stuff. That has to change…”. Meanwhile, Kamilla’s hopes focus on those working behind-the-scenes in music and she has a network called the Bring In which aims to equip the next generation with the networks and skills for the music industry. She told the audience that she was looking forward to seeing more diversity in senior positions. 

It was inspirational to have our alumni Kyle, Kamilla and Sadé speak to the Creative Access community about their journeys in the industry, proving that despite the barriers that make the industry sometimes seem inaccessible, getting started in music, forming valuable networks and moving into more senior positions is achievable. So, if you are interested in taking up the challenge to break down barriers and realise your own hopes and aspirations by choosing a career in music, make sure that you check out the current opportunities on Creative Access.

Watch the session in full on our YouTube channel here.

Four creative professionals working for ITV came together to share their journeys through the television industry and their top tips on how to make yourself stand out from the rest in our September masterclass.

The Creative Access community joined to watch Creative Access alumni, Raine Beckford and Mica Rowe, talk with Sonny Hanley, and David Proud to discuss the on and off-screen truths about the industry.

The television industry is often perceived as hard to access, with many of our community uncertain on how to make the first steps to a role in TV. Creative Access, with our mission to give people from under-represented communities access to TV and other creative industries, assembled a panel of pros working in areas from content distribution to script writing, producing and acting, to explore not only how to make it into the industry, but how to get noticed and be remembered and the future of television itself.

Sonny Hanley, Controller of Content Services, spoke of a strong desire to work for ITV that revealed itself at a young age. Passing the building with his mother, he was confident that one day he too would work there. Sonny, taken with the mechanics of television as a young boy, now sits proudly at the helm of ITV’s distribution of its most well-known and well-loved programmes. For Sonny, persistence was key as he told our viewers of his experience of asking for work and being rejected but having the tenacity to ask again – this time being invited to spend a few weeks at the ITV studios to make a documentary. Sonny used this vital opportunity to make contacts and learn as much as he could – and has now been working for ITV for 18 years.

For others, this journey is not so linear. Our host Raine Beckford, who is now a researcher on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories and Mica Rowe, now Assistant Producer on Loose Women, both shared their feelings of being lost and unsure what to do next in their careers. Raine left university with an economics degree, but after thinking about what she enjoyed doing, decided to pursue a career within media, later getting a Creative Access internship with Peston as a runner.

Like Raine, Mica is also Creative Access alum. “I was always interested in stories and speaking to people” Mica said as she spoke of her first job on an antiques show and stressed the importance of a strong work ethic, as working-class woman of colour with no prior contacts in the industry. She is proof that it is possible.

When asked about specific tips our Creative Access community could use to improve their networking skills, David Proud, writer of Coronation Street and proud owner of a new puppy, Alfie (whose cute barks could be heard throughout!) had lots to share.

He spoke of how essential it is to not only network with those above you, but with your peers, as they will be the reinforcement you need to keep going sometimes. Sonny and Mica agreed, both saying how important it is to form connections. “Networking sounds like a dirty word, but because everyone is in it…it’s not so bad!” Sonny added. All members of the panel emphasised getting out there, meeting people and pushing yourself outside your comfort zone, to eventually reap the rewards. David said:

Mica commented on the importance of keeping your CV up to date, as well as making yourself known to the talent managers of various TV companies to make sure you stay on their radars. Creative Access also runs regular CV consultation clinics, specifically created for those wanting to get into television/film, don’t forget to sign up here if you’re interested!

Networking can also help with getting your work looked at, with David’s advice being to find an agent, as well as sharing your work at script festivals, new writers’ avenues and writing spec scripts – but foremost finding your agent as negotiating can be intimidating!

Being genuine and helpful is also vital, as Sonny said:

Being freelance can also be intimidating in nature, the panel revealed. With the changing dynamic of the world, more and more individuals in the television industry have decided that freelance working is their new norm. Mica, who has had the best of both worlds, commented that although being staff allows you to climb up the ladder, sometimes freelance work can lead to more naturally organic connections with people. David had quit a full-time job to pursue a career as an actor at the beginning of his career, unsure of what the future might hold. Freelance is scary, but if we’ve learnt anything, it’s that sometimes it’s worth taking the risk as it can be “both terrifying and exciting” he said.

The past two years have shown just how adaptable the creative industries can be, and this definitely includes the television sector. ITV has had to be more flexible and innovative when building a rapport not only with their audience but with the guests on their various shows. Mica spoke about “thinking outside the box”, especially when it came to building those vital relationships. Things are slowly making their way back to a new kind of normal, as David tells us about writing for running drama, Coronation Street:

ITV pulled together during the Pandemic, and although challenging, it was made easier as everyone had one common goal – to produce and distribute amazing television.

Raine wrapped up our Masterclass by asking for any special guidance on applications. Mica shared how essential it is to make your CV easy to read, avoiding huge blocks of text. Many members of our panel revealed they go through hundreds of CV sometimes, so format definitely matters. Sonny added the strength of a well thought-out, passionate cover letter, with David adding the importance of being honest about your shortcomings, but a willingness and drive to learn and be more. Sometimes it can feel like the odds are stacked against you, but as David said, “don’t let them win…don’t give up!”.

We are very grateful to Sonny, Mica, David and Raine for sharing their time and experiences with us. If you are interested in a career in television, don’t forget to check out our current opportunities. We also thank all those who attended and contributed to the discussion by asking questions to our panel.

Watch the session in full on our YouTube channel here.

We were proud to host a Masterclass with our very own April Brown chairing a conversation with curator and Director of The Chisenhale Gallery, Dr Zoé Whitley. Both April and Zoé have extensive experience in the arts and shared their insights into breaking into the industry. They emphasised the importance of staying authentic to yourself, discussed their passion of making art accessible to a diverse audience and explained what it means to be a curator.

April Brown is a former Creative Access intern, turned Creative Access member of staff. She started her career at LIFT Festival as an Assistant Producer 7 years ago and since then she has continued working in arts and youth engagement at organisations including Somerset House and Tate. She has over 10 years’ experience in developing cultural programmes for young and diverse audiences and now works as Programmes Coordinator at Creative Access.

Dr Zoé Whitley is a curator – and Board member at Creative Access – who started as an intern at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. She is director of the Chisenhale Gallery in East London; a charity which both commissions art and works to develop projects and relationships with the local community. Zoé has a distinguished background in the arts, having worked in curatorial roles at the V&A, the Hayward Gallery and Tate. She has curated notable exhibitions such as the ground-breaking Soul of a Nation at Tate and the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.

April and Zoé both spoke about not seeing themselves in museum and gallery spaces; not being sure that they ‘belonged’. Despite having worked at the V&A for years, Zoé only had the confidence to apply for a curator role at the Tate because it was part-time: “Whatever I thought of as a curator at Tate, I didn’t think it could be me.” Similarly, April stated how she had to do many years of unpaid work whilst trying to break through and was ‘overjoyed’ to be placed by Creative Access at LIFT. She explained that she felt the same as Zoé when she began to work at Tate:

Despite this lack of self-belief at the beginning of her career, Zoé stressed the importance of finding a supportive network that can be trusted to give constructive criticism. When April questioned how Zoé progressed into these leadership roles, she explained that as a Black woman in the arts, having experienced the inter-section of sexism and racism, she never aspired to be leading those institutions. Yet, it got to the point where artists specifically wanted to work with her.

Zoé’s definition of what it means to be a curator goes back to the root of the word: to care. Ultimately, she said, it’s about channelling knowledge into something people can access. She continued that it’s about wanting to be a conduit so that the artwork connects to the audience in the right way

Both Zoé and April wanted to emphasise how their roles facilitated a connection between the audience and the art, explaining that the reason why an exhibition exists is because you want to connect with the audience. Zoé spoke of her desire to make the artist feel happy. She works to prioritise their needs and respect the context of their art. This inclusive approach paid off particularly in the exhibition Soul of a Nation at Tate. “We did right by every artist in the show”, she said, and importantly through this, it connected with the audience.

April and Zoé then discussed what makes a good leader. Zoé made it clear that:

She then stressed the importance of staying authentic to yourself whilst in a role at a big organisation and the value of holding onto your emotional and intellectual curiosity. Zoé emphasised that young people wanting to get into curation should recognise their own power: “I don’t want anyone to talk themselves out of it”.

When questioned on their tips for breaking into the industry, Zoé drew attention to the need to harness your interests and to enhance your skills outside ‘work’, such as starting a zine or an Instagram page, or writing about your interests. Zoé explained that there wasn’t a job she spoke about that she got the first-time round. Likewise, April stated it was her DIY work that was crucial in securing her paid roles in the sector. With this understanding, April recommended recognising the requirements of the role, such as that of a curator, and working out ways to gain those skills without actually being a curator. Zoé encouraged the audience:

Both speakers brought to the fore the importance of self-belief and urged people to recognise that they can be there, even if they don’t see themselves in museum and gallery spaces. Their strong message is: don’t be disheartened by rejection, keep finding innovative ways to put yourself out there and develop your passion.

A huge thanks to Zoé for her inspiring and wise words and to April for being a fabulous masterclass host.

You can watch the session in full here.