Diversity

National Youth Theatre has announced IGNITE Your Creativity, a partnership with Netflix that aims to introduce young people to backstage and technical careers in film, TV and theatre.

The programme is designed to offer opportunities to more than 500 young people aged 14 to 25 in South Wales, West Yorkshire and the North East of England in its first year.

“Theatre is one of the great pipelines to TV and film but sadly the pipeline of opportunity for so many young people has been broken for so long,” said Paul Roseby, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of National Youth Theatre.

“Certain parts of the creative industries are growing, but ironically so is the skills gap in production talent. This partnership will help redress the imbalance”.  

The programme is currently recruiting young people in Newport, South Wales, where participants will work with Urban Myth Films and their Newport-based film studios, the Sherman Theatre, National Youth Arts Wales and local community organisations and schools. 

The programme will expand to West Yorkshire and the North East of England later this year, delivering 20 free community and school workshops in each area. It will also offer set and theatre visits and free week-long courses led by industry professionals.

“Our industry has a pronounced absence of socio-economic diversity partly because it’s freelance, which makes it tough for those from less privileged backgrounds to gain a foothold,” said Anne Mensah, Vice President of UK Content at Netflix.

“IGNITE Your Creativity has been designed to raise awareness and aspirations, and build confidence and networks so that young people don’t need to have existing industry connections, live in a big city or have a degree for a career in TV and film.”

A new theatre initiative in Sheffield hopes to provide opportunities for young people of African and Caribbean heritage in the city.

Utopia Theatre, an ACE National Portfolio Organisation formed in 2012, said its Youth Academy will run performing arts classes and workshops for children and young people aged nine–19, as well as providing mentoring and training in all aspects of theatre.

Using African oral storytelling and performance techniques, the academy will develop performing talent and offer career advice.

Utopia’s founder and director Mojisola Kareem-Elufowoju said this was “a pivotal moment” for the company.

She explained: “The launch of the academy responds to the inequalities and shortage of opportunities for black youths to pursue a career in the arts.

“Utopia Theatre provides a strong role model and has developed community partnerships over the last four years to address issues that affect the black community in Sheffield.

“This is an opportunity for our youth academy members to build their life and creative skills, starting a cycle of learners who are positively impacting each other’s lives.”

Utopia hopes to attract around 100 young people to the scheme. No acting or drama experience is needed to take part.

Efforts need to be taken to address a lack of diversity within arts marketing, a PR agency has said after almost all respondents to a survey on the industry were found to be white.

The research, conducted by Mobius Industries, found that 90% of respondents were either White, or White British.

Although only 40 people responded to the survey, Emma Berge, Head of Press at Mobius, said inclusivity is an issue that needs to be addressed.

Looking ahead, it’s crucial that we address that arts communications, like the communications sector more broadly, faces a lack of diversity," she said.

"As an industry that champions diverse voices, that lack of diversity in communications needs to be addressed to achieve a more inclusive industry."

The survey also found the majority of PRs feel valued in their role, with 62% saying they felt either very or extremely valued and 85% saying they felt that their role is meaningful. 

Only 5% saying they didn’t feel valued. Despite this, 62% said they had either considered or strongly considered leaving the arts industry over the past year.

"Working in arts PR is changing year on year, and landing coverage with shrinking space is proving more challenging now than ever," Berge said. 

"However, it’s clear that practitioners know how important it is, and it’s encouraging to see that PR is valued amongst their arts professional colleagues too. 

"Challenges over the coming year are going to be felt keenly across the industry, with cuts to regional press and the ongoing cost of living crisis putting pressure on PRs and performers alike."