UK Creative Festival’s Post

“The industry is rich with youth, but lacking in young people from diverse backgrounds. Unless you know someone who knows someone, have the financial security to survive this economy or live in zone 2, it’s a difficult road to pursue. Organisations such as the UK Creative Festival become critical for bridging the industry with those outside of the bubble." Jeremy Green Charlene Chandrasekaran ECD of The Or and Jeremy Green CEO of UK Creative Festival explain to Campaign UK why they believe the creative industry needs to work harder to make it accessible to young, diverse talent. This is why The Creative Foundation was born and why the free-to-access Creative Careers Fair at the UK Creative Festival is just so vital, not just for the next generation of creatives, but for the whole of the creative industry. #ukcreativefestival #youngcreatives #creativeindustry #diversetalent #creativityanddiversity

Just an example of one of the many amazing young creatives that supported us at this year's festival. Thanks Siobhan Joseph for all your hard work. We also can't wait to see what's next for you!

Really proud to see one of The Creative Foundation mentee's smashing it in the creative industry! The Creative Foundation will be opening online applications for their next mentorship programme at the end of August - keep an eye on this page if you are interested in applying. AND, if you work in the creative industry and would like to share your expertise and knowledge with a young, aspiring creative, you can help too! Please get in touch with Magdalena Salawa at magda@creativefoundation.co.uk to find out more about being a mentor. #mentor #mentee #creativementor #creativeindustry #creativefoundation #youngcreatives #ukcreativefestival

After his brilliant fireside chat with Tracey Emin last year, we were thrilled to have British actor, author and art collector Russell Tovey return to the UK Creative Festival for a second time. This time, Russell was joined on stage by Damian Bradfield, Co-founder of WeTransfer. Their conversation delved into the mutually beneficial power of long-term alliances between creatives and brands. As WePresent’s Guest Curator in 2023, Tovey was given the artistic freedom to spotlight queer artists and some of his lifelong creative heroes who were lost to the HIV/AIDS crisis, culminating in the production of the evocative film "Life is Excellent." The year-long partnership spanned multiple projects, including joint efforts in supporting Magic Breakfast, a UK charity dedicated to ensuring no child is too hungry to learn, demonstrating how creativity can be a catalyst for social good. During their inspiring conversation, they unpacked why artists and brands should join forces to tell important stories and drive meaningful change, what makes a good working relationship – and how to turn a professional meet cute into a long-lasting creative marriage. We will be sharing this insightful session online shortly. Keep your eyes on our social to find out when and where you can watch. #ukcreativefestival #ukcreativefestival2024 #brandpartnerships #creativepartnerships #russelltovey #wetransfer

Britain has cut back its total culture budget by 6% since 2010, whilst Germany, France and Finland have each increased their spending by up to 70%. A major new report from the Campaign for the Arts and the University of Warwick says that the UK now has one of the lowest levels of public funding for the arts and culture among European nations. Local government investment and arts subject entries at GCSE have both almost halved since 2010. The report claims: “Arts education faces critical challenges, from unequal opportunities in early years to course closures in universities nationwide.” At the UK Creative Festival we believe in a UK where creativity and innovative thinking are the foundations of a successful economy and society. We want the UK Government to recognise the importance of creativity in the curriculum and to see how it  impacts future skills and the success of the UK creative industries, which contribute exponentially to our economy and society. To help achieve this, we created our Creative Careers Fair, to provide guidance and opportunities to the next generation of young creatives through pathways and connections into any creative field that inspires them. If you are as alarmed by the results of this new report as us, and you want to help reverse this crisis then please get in touch and support the UK Creative Festival 2025. #ukcreativefestival