Takeaways on starting a career in the creative industry from Graduate Future Week at University of the Arts London
COVID-19 UK FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Are you getting all the help available to you?
As creative practitioners, we are aware it can be difficult to navigate between financial options available depending on your status. Make sure you are getting all the financial help available to you by using the table below. We will keep on updating it with new resources to always provide the most up-to-date financial support info for you!
* If you have another employment paid through PAYE your employer may be able to get support using the Job Retention Scheme.
COVID-19 UK FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Are you getting all the help available to you?
As creative practitioners, we are aware it can be difficult to navigate between financial options available depending on your status. Make sure you are getting all the financial help available to you by using the table below. We will keep on updating it with new resources to always provide the most up-to-date financial support info for you!
* If you have another employment paid through PAYE your employer may be able to get support using the Job Retention Scheme.
The Creators
The Creative
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Universal Credit (1)
You may be able to get Universal Credit if: • you’re on a low income or out of work • you’re 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 to 17) • you’re under State Pension age • you and your partner have £16,000 or less in savings between you • you live in the UK
If you have employees, you can claim for 80% of their wages plus any employer National Insurance and pension contributions, if you have put them on furlough because of coronavirus. If you have an other employment paid through PAYE your employer may be able to get support using the Job Retention Scheme.
Claim back Statutory Sick Pay paid to employees due to coronavirus (3)
The repayment will cover up to 2 weeks starting from the first day of sickness, if an employee is unable to work because they either: have coronavirus, cannot work because they are self-isolating at home or are shielding in line with public health guidance.
You can claim if you’re a self-employed individual or a member of a partnership and you: • have submitted your Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018 to 2019 • traded in the tax year 2019 to 2020 • are trading when you apply, or would be except for coronavirus • intend to continue to trade in the tax year 2020 to 2021 • have lost trading pro ts due to coronavirus • your trading profits must also be no more than £50,000 and more than half of your total income
Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) & Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF) (7)
Small Business Grant Fund Eligibility: • Businesses with a property that on the 11 March 2020 were eligible for Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) Scheme. • Businesses which on 11 March 2020 were eligible for relief under the Rural Rate Relief • Scheme are also eligible for this scheme. Eligible recipients will receive one grant per property.
Hospitality and Leisure Grand Fund Eligibility: • Properties which on the 11 March 2020 had a rateable value of less than £51,000 and would have been eligible for a discount under the business rates • Expanded Retail Discount Scheme had that scheme been in force are eligible for the grant. • Charities which would otherwise meet this criteria but whose bill for 11 March had been reduced to nil by a local discretionary award should still be considered to be eligible for the RHL grant. • Recipients will receive one grant per eligible property
No need to do anything you’ll be contacted by HRMC if you’re eligible
You could be eligible if you’re on a low income or claim benefits. Your bill could be reduced by up to 100%. You can apply if you own your home, rent, are unemployed or working.
You can claim if you’re a self-employed individual or a member of a partnership and you: • have submitted your Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018 to 2019 • traded in the tax year 2019 to 2020 • are trading when you apply, or would be except for coronavirus • intend to continue to trade in the tax year2020 to 2021 • have lost trading profits due to coronavirus
You will need to confirm to HMRC that your business has been adversely affected by coronavirus. HMRC will as usual use a risk based approach to compliance.
Your trading profits must also be no more than £50,000 and more than half of your total income for either: • the tax year 2018 to 2019 • the average of the tax years 2016 to 2017, 2017 to 2018, and 2018 to 2019
You’re eligible if: • your business is based in the UK • your business has an annual turnover of up to £45 million • your business has a borrowing proposal which the lender would consider viable, if not for the coronavirus pandemic • you can self-certify that your business has been adversely impacted by coronavirus
We've compiled a list of grants and prizes available to UK residents, which you can filter by creative industry, to make sure you're seeing grants that are relevant to your practice. We'll be doing our best to keep this list up-to-date with the latest grants and initiatives to support creatives around the UK. All grants listed are open for applications and are automatically removed after the deadline.
If you are feeling anxious, wondering what the coronavirus crisis means for your practice, feel free to reach out to us at any time. We’re not experts, but we’re happy to share our knowledge and to try to help you stay optimistic during these tough times. You can contact us from our website chat or on any social media.
The scheme helps small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and up to 25% of their turnover. The maximum loan available is £50,000. The government guarantees 100% of the loan and there won’t be any fees or interest to pay for the first 12 months. After 12 months the interest rate will be 2.5% a year. You can apply for a loan if your business: • is based in the UK was established before 1 March 2020 • has been adversely impacted by the coronavirus
You may be able to get Universal Credit if: • you’re on a low income or out of work • you’re 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 to 17) • you’re under State Pension age • you and your partner have £16,000 or less in savings between you • you live in the UK
You could be eligible if you’re on a low income or claim benefits. Your bill could be reduced by up to 100%. You can apply if you own your home, rent, are unemployed or working.
If you have employees, you can claim for 80% of their wages plus any employer National Insurance and pension contributions, if you have put them on furlough because of coronavirus. If you have an other employment paid through PAYE your employer may be able to get support using the Job Retention Scheme.
Claim back Statutory Sick Pay paid to employees due to coronavirus (3)
The repayment will cover up to 2 weeks starting from the first day of sickness, if an employee is unable to work because they either: have coronavirus, cannot work because they are self-isolating at home or are shielding in line with public health guidance.
You can claim if you’re a self-employed individual or a member of a partnership and you: • have submitted your Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018 to 2019 • traded in the tax year 2019 to 2020 • are trading when you apply, or would be except for coronavirus • intend to continue to trade in the tax year2020 to 2021 • have lost trading profits due to coronavirus
You will need to confirm to HMRC that your business has been adversely affected by coronavirus. HMRC will as usual use a risk based approach to compliance.
Your trading profits must also be no more than £50,000 and more than half of your total income for either: • the tax year 2018 to 2019 • the average of the tax years 2016 to 2017, 2017 to 2018, and 2018 to 2019
You can claim if you’re a self-employed individual or a member of a partnership and you: • have submitted your Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018 to 2019 • traded in the tax year 2019 to 2020 • are trading when you apply, or would be except for coronavirus • intend to continue to trade in the tax year 2020 to 2021 • have lost trading pro ts due to coronavirus • your trading profits must also be no more than £50,000 and more than half of your total income
You’re eligible if: • your business is based in the UK • your business has an annual turnover of up to £45 million • your business has a borrowing proposal which the lender would consider viable, if not for the coronavirus pandemic • you can self-certify that your business has been adversely impacted by coronavirus
Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) & Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF) (7)
Small Business Grant Fund Eligibility: • Businesses with a property that on the 11 March 2020 were eligible for Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) Scheme. • Businesses which on 11 March 2020 were eligible for relief under the Rural Rate Relief • Scheme are also eligible for this scheme. Eligible recipients will receive one grant per property.
Hospitality and Leisure Grand Fund Eligibility: • Properties which on the 11 March 2020 had a rateable value of less than £51,000 and would have been eligible for a discount under the business rates • Expanded Retail Discount Scheme had that scheme been in force are eligible for the grant. • Charities which would otherwise meet this criteria but whose bill for 11 March had been reduced to nil by a local discretionary award should still be considered to be eligible for the RHL grant. • Recipients will receive one grant per eligible property
No need to do anything you’ll be contacted by HRMC if you’re eligible
We've compiled a list of grants and prizes available to UK residents, which you can filter by creative industry, to make sure you're seeing grants that are relevant to your practice. We'll be doing our best to keep this list up-to-date with the latest grants and initiatives to support creatives around the UK. All grants listed are open for applications and are automatically removed after the deadline.
If you are feeling anxious, wondering what the coronavirus crisis means for your practice, feel free to reach out to us at any time. We’re not experts, but we’re happy to share our knowledge and to try to help you stay optimistic during these tough times. You can contact us from our website chat or on any social media.
The scheme helps small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and up to 25% of their turnover. The maximum loan available is £50,000. The government guarantees 100% of the loan and there won’t be any fees or interest to pay for the first 12 months. After 12 months the interest rate will be 2.5% a year. You can apply for a loan if your business: • is based in the UK was established before 1 March 2020 • has been adversely impacted by the coronavirus
Graduate Future Week is a series of events organised by the University of the Arts London to prepare recent and soon-to-be graduates to the reality of the creative industries. And this is much needed.
Indeed when entering an ecosystem where word-of-mouth and referrals prevail, 1/ competition can be intimidating; and 2/ to get the first step up the ladder seems to be the hardest part.
Graduate Future Week headline talk invited Michelle Owusu (Marketing Manager, Channel 4 and Director, SceneTV), Tolu Coker (Fashion Designer, Textile Designer and Illustrator) and Shannie Mears (Co-Founder, The Elephant Room) to share their top advice and inside knowledge of how to get your foot in the door of the creative industries.
When entering an ecosystem where word-of-mouth and referrals prevail to get the first step up the ladder seems to be the hardest part.
I was invited to attend and write about the talk so here are my key takeaways from this inspiring panel:
About networking
Value communities: As Shannie mentioned, collaboration is key and your network is everything. Understand the value of the communities you’re already part of (university, friends etc) and don’t hesitate to create your own around subjects that matter to you.
Tap into different networks: Curiosity is a great drive for creativity, be open to join different networks to meet new people and share what you do.
Pay-it-forward: As Tolu mentioned, exchanging skills, sharing your values and vision with other people will help you grow and teach you so much along the way— By the way, you can use SSSHAKE to connect with other creatives for your projects or to receive freelance or collaboration opportunities.
About social media
Find your voice: Social media are powerful tools to spread messages. As Shannie does with her online publication GUAP, you can use social media to have a voice and inspire for change.
Ask for help: Don’t hesitate to leverage social media to ask for help and bring your project to life. Tolu gathered a team for her first video project by calling out on social media.
Understand its power: Social media gives you the power of reaching out to new audiences and getting new people to talk about your project. Vogue Italy contacted Tolu on Instagram to feature her video.
About side projects
Do projects on the side: Even with no budget you can get things started if you pitch your ideas and concepts well. Find people with complementary skills who share your vision and make your project happen by finding the right partners.
Keep an eye open: Regularly enter competitions as it can open many doors like Asos Fashion Discovery did for Tolu. Don’t hesitate to also try different things, such as submitting your works to publications and organisations you like.
Extend your practice: You don’t have to restrict yourself to one discipline. Don’t hesitate to extend your practice to new industries and new mediums. You got freedom of expression, make the most of it.
“You got freedom of expression, make the most of it!” — Tolu Coker, Fashion Designer, Textile Designer and Illustrator
About your next job
Start where you are: Just start with what you have and build learning and experience from there. Look around you, are you already working on exciting projects? Can you push them further?
Be proactive: Stop waiting, be proactive, approach people on LinkedIn or social media and don’t hesitate to ask for opportunities.
Be curious: Don’t keep yourself in the box of what you studied, feel free to apply to different jobs or undertake different opportunities and learn new skills.
About getting paid
Always negotiate: As Tolu mentioned, don’t be afraid to ask for more. Many people don’t value creativity as they have no idea about the amount of work, training and research it requires. Defend your rate by breaking down how much time you will spend on the project and always negotiate up.
Don’t undervalue yourself: Competition can be overwhelming but please don’t undervalue your work. Look up online the average salaries for the job you’re about to do and don’t price yourself under. It’s ok to work with small budget if you like a project but never accept a pay you don’t feel comfortable with.
Take a deposit: As a freelancer, the fear of getting paid late or worse not getting paid at all can keep you awake at night. As Tolu and Shannie do, take a deposit so you can start the project with peace of mind — At SSSHAKE, we are developing solutions to tackle these issues so feel free to get in touch with me if you need help managing your freelancing activities.
Graduate Future Week is a series of events organised by the University of the Arts London to prepare recent and soon-to-be graduates to the reality of the creative industries. And this is much needed.
Indeed when entering an ecosystem where word-of-mouth and referrals prevail, 1/ competition can be intimidating; and 2/ to get the first step up the ladder seems to be the hardest part.
Graduate Future Week headline talk invited Michelle Owusu (Marketing Manager, Channel 4 and Director, SceneTV), Tolu Coker (Fashion Designer, Textile Designer and Illustrator) and Shannie Mears (Co-Founder, The Elephant Room) to share their top advice and inside knowledge of how to get your foot in the door of the creative industries.
When entering an ecosystem where word-of-mouth and referrals prevail to get the first step up the ladder seems to be the hardest part.
I was invited to attend and write about the talk so here are my key takeaways from this inspiring panel:
About networking
Value communities: As Shannie mentioned, collaboration is key and your network is everything. Understand the value of the communities you’re already part of (university, friends etc) and don’t hesitate to create your own around subjects that matter to you.
Tap into different networks: Curiosity is a great drive for creativity, be open to join different networks to meet new people and share what you do.
Pay-it-forward: As Tolu mentioned, exchanging skills, sharing your values and vision with other people will help you grow and teach you so much along the way— By the way, you can use SSSHAKE to connect with other creatives for your projects or to receive freelance or collaboration opportunities.
About social media
Find your voice: Social media are powerful tools to spread messages. As Shannie does with her online publication GUAP, you can use social media to have a voice and inspire for change.
Ask for help: Don’t hesitate to leverage social media to ask for help and bring your project to life. Tolu gathered a team for her first video project by calling out on social media.
Understand its power: Social media gives you the power of reaching out to new audiences and getting new people to talk about your project. Vogue Italy contacted Tolu on Instagram to feature her video.
About side projects
Do projects on the side: Even with no budget you can get things started if you pitch your ideas and concepts well. Find people with complementary skills who share your vision and make your project happen by finding the right partners.
Keep an eye open: Regularly enter competitions as it can open many doors like Asos Fashion Discovery did for Tolu. Don’t hesitate to also try different things, such as submitting your works to publications and organisations you like.
Extend your practice: You don’t have to restrict yourself to one discipline. Don’t hesitate to extend your practice to new industries and new mediums. You got freedom of expression, make the most of it.
“You got freedom of expression, make the most of it!” — Tolu Coker, Fashion Designer, Textile Designer and Illustrator
About your next job
Start where you are: Just start with what you have and build learning and experience from there. Look around you, are you already working on exciting projects? Can you push them further?
Be proactive: Stop waiting, be proactive, approach people on LinkedIn or social media and don’t hesitate to ask for opportunities.
Be curious: Don’t keep yourself in the box of what you studied, feel free to apply to different jobs or undertake different opportunities and learn new skills.
About getting paid
Always negotiate: As Tolu mentioned, don’t be afraid to ask for more. Many people don’t value creativity as they have no idea about the amount of work, training and research it requires. Defend your rate by breaking down how much time you will spend on the project and always negotiate up.
Don’t undervalue yourself: Competition can be overwhelming but please don’t undervalue your work. Look up online the average salaries for the job you’re about to do and don’t price yourself under. It’s ok to work with small budget if you like a project but never accept a pay you don’t feel comfortable with.
Take a deposit: As a freelancer, the fear of getting paid late or worse not getting paid at all can keep you awake at night. As Tolu and Shannie do, take a deposit so you can start the project with peace of mind — At SSSHAKE, we are developing solutions to tackle these issues so feel free to get in touch with me if you need help managing your freelancing activities.
And finally, if you can, donate, sign and share - it can go a long way. Here are links to relevant charities and petitions (donating if you can, or signing and sharing petitions is great immediate help).