We know that the most innovative work happens in teams that are inclusive to talented people, from a diverse range of backgrounds.
This is increasingly recognised by the companies that we work with, who are keen to overcome the structural barriers that exist in order to recruit exceptional people from groups that are currently under represented in the creative industries.
Background
For some years national reports from the Creative Industries Council, Creative Industries Federation and others have highlighted the lack of diversity in the creative and cultural workforce. It is also well documented that the current apprenticeship model does not work well for the dynamics of our sector.
In 2017 the Go West report into Bristol’s television and Film industries identified that only 2.6% of freelancers in the industry identified as Black and Minority Ethnic. This lack of diversity not only excludes talented young people from pursuing a career in the creative sector, it impoverishes the range and depth of the content that is made.
This can be a complex challenge that requires support on all sides to build new networks, change working cultures and develop new skills.
Creative Workforce for the Future aimed to overcome these issues by offering a flexible and bespoke pilot programme of professional development focusing on inclusion for companies and paid placements for young people.
Creative Workforce for the Future helped develop industry employment practices embracing inclusion and diversity as an asset, and nurture young talent from under-represented groups to gain the experience required to sustain a creative career. A key aspect of the programme was supporting creative SMEs to develop a more inclusive workforce and practices in the region by undertaking an intensive programme of inclusive professional development.
What did we do
We provided a professional development programme around inclusion readiness to just under 50 creative SMEs in the West of England and paid placements for 13x 18-30 year old creative professionals from a Black, Asian or other Minority Ethnic origin and/or from a disadvantaged socio-economic background.
Evaluation
The programme’s lead delivery partners – Bristol & Bath Creative R+D, UWE Bristol and Watershed – have published a full internal evaluation of the project.
The report shares the good things, difficult things and lessons learned across this pilot project, which took place from October 2020 to March 2021.
Funders and partners
This was an exploratory new pilot programme funded by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) and the European Social Fund (ESF) and led by the Bristol+Bath Creative R+D programme working with Rife at Watershed, Knowle West Media Centre, Creative Youth Network, The Guild co working space, Spike Island and Bristol Museums.