This Easter holiday, local creatives shared their insight with Lewisham young people in "Unlock the Arts" creative chats. These video calls covered everything from how to get your foot in the door of the creative sector, to professional anecdotes and guidance on original ideas.
After getting to know the creatives, young people had the opportunity to collaborate and create their own piece of work with "Listen Up!". Facilitated by professionals in music, theatre, or creative writing, young people responded to the theme of "Activism and me" during these four-day workshops.
The creative chats and workshops were hosted by local creatives including a theatre facilitator, music producer, videographer, creative writer, curator, illustrator, and merchandiser. They had these top tips on how to guarantee a successful career in the creative sector:
Find your voice: don't worry about what you think other people want. Tell your own story, in your own voice.
Never stop learning: industries move fast, move with them to stay competitive. Keep up with developments in trends, methods, and technology.
Remember what you do it for: a creative career can be tough. Don't lose sight of the reason you started in the first place.
Learn how to deal with rejection: see rejection as a way to grow rather than letting it pull you down.
When meeting new people, tell them what you do: you never know when someone might need your talents or know someone else who does.
It's not all about talent: professionalism and attitude make a huge difference to who gets, and keeps, a job.