Creative Access

June's heatwave hit hard but we didn't let that stop us! 💪☀️

From community mixers to front row at a fashion show, here's how we kicked off the hottest summer so far at Creative Access:

• Got chatting with our community and facilitated new connections at our mid-level networking mixer at DK Books
• Welcomed a lovely bunch of from Fifth Season, The 10 Group, The Egg Theatre, Bath, Fane & BBC Studios onto the Springboard career development programme with an induction
• Laura (director of programmes & partnerships) and Natasha (training manager) hosted a welcome brunch for the newest members of our Thrive community at Bloomsbury Publishing UK
• Stef (director of talent & outreach) shared her application top tips at the Comma Press publishing industry insights day
• Brought together seasoned pros and publishing hopefuls at our masterclass with Pan Macmillan, plus a superstar panel of
• Our recruitment team met up-and-coming creatives and designers at Graduate Fashion Week
• Welcomed our new chief financial officer, Remon, to the CA team
• Bil-Marjiyah (programmes manager - community & partnerships) & Richard (programmes manager - mentoring) met up with the aspiring creatives on the BBC Creative U programme to help them map the next steps of their creative careers
• And finally... we celebrated our founder Josie’s legacy at her last official Creative Access event!

Want to join us in July? Register with Creative Access today!
🔗 https://creativeaccess.org.uk/

We're proud to be featured in The Guardian's Creative Economy report alongside organisations including Creative UK, UK Creative Festival, UAL: University of the Arts London and others helping to shape the future of the UK's creative industries. 💛

The feature explores the importance of opening up access to the sector and highlights the real impact this work has on individual careers, through the story of award-winning documentary filmmaker Olaide Sadiq, who began her journey with Creative Access.

Reflecting on her experience, Olaide shared:

"Creative Access gave me my start. They provided not just an entry point, but a community and infrastructure that helped me build confidence and navigate an industry that can often feel difficult to access."

As our CEO Mel Rodrigues notes:

"We’ve supported over 30,000 early-career individuals, but beyond the numbers it’s the individual success stories that demonstrate our long-term impact best."

Since 2012, we've placed almost 2,000 people into paid roles across the creative industries and continue to work towards a sector where opportunity is accessible to all.

We're proud to be part of this wider conversation about building a more inclusive creative economy.

Read the full Creative Economy report in The Guardian today: https://www.businessandindustry.co.uk/the-creative-economy/opening-doors-for-creative-talent/

Read Creative Access's feature on 'Opening doors for creative talent': https://www.businessandindustry.co.uk/the-creative-economy/opening-doors-for-creative-talent/

WE'RE SO BACK! 🚀
After an unforgettable first year, our mentorship programme with is returning – and this time, it's even bigger.

✨ 11 mentees from under-represented groups
✨ 11 industry mentors
✨ 9 creative sectors
✨ 6 months of 1-1 mentorship, full of career guidance, support and industry insight

From marketing and PR to TV, theatre, music, photography, comedy, broadcasting, entrepreneurship and talent management, mentees will learn from experts across organisations including Nike, Diageo, Coty and more.

As Maya Jama says:
"Seeing the impact of the programme’s first year made me even more determined to bring it back. There is so much incredible talent out there, but talent alone isn’t always enough – sometimes what makes the difference is having someone in your corner who can help you navigate the industry and open doors."

The impact speaks for itself.

2025 mentee Renaya Dhillon, who was mentored by Julie Adenuga on the programme in 2025, shared:
"The MIJ programme opened my eyes to the inner workings of the creative industries in a way I wouldn’t have otherwise had access to, making a career in this space feel both tangible and achievable rather than out of reach. It gave me the confidence to step into my new role in London, and played a key part in helping me secure a media job where I’m now able to grow, explore my creativity, and pursue my career ambitions in an exciting and opportunity-filled city."

🗓️ Applications open 1 July and close 14 July at 11:59pm on the Creative Access Opportunities Board. We can't wait to meet this year's cohort! https://opportunities.creativeaccess.org.uk/