Arts Council England: Discover! Creative Careers Week

Tell us about Discover! Creative Careers…

Discover! Creative Careers is part of Government’s pledge to build a highly-skilled, productive, and inclusive workforce for the future and support one million more jobs across the UK by 2030, as outlined in the Creative Industries Sector Vision.

The Discover! Creative Careers programme directly addresses skills shortages in the creative industries. It includes a range of activities and resources to inspire and inform young people about creative careers.

For the 2023 - 2025 Discover! Creative Careers programme, we’re supporting young people from 77 priority areas to engage with the industry. There are also plenty of opportunities for schools, colleges, and employers outside of these areas to get involved. The programme is for everyone!

With £1 million invested from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, including £68,000 from the Arts Council, the programme drives long-term engagement between industry, educators, and careers professionals. Starting as a pilot, the initiative launched with £2 million seed funding from Government in 2018 and has reached over 120,000 young people so far!

Can you tell us more about Discover! Creative Careers Week?

During Discover! Creative Careers Week, young people can visit workplaces, meet professionals, and hear directly about different opportunities in the sector. To facilitate this, in-person events are taking place in the 77 priority areas, while Speakers for Schools deliver a virtual programme.

Just a few of the highlights from this year’s programme include:

• Create Studios in Swindon are helping young people from local schools and colleges to meet employers. They’ll also take part in a range of workshops covering animation, creative coding, music, and more.
• Over 60 young people from Brent, Croydon, and Newham will attend an immersive workshop at Framestore – a visual effects company in London working on films like Guardians of the Galaxy, Paddington, and Avengers!
• Young people from Knowsley will take part in a backstage tour, talks, and workshops at the innovative new performance space, Shakespeare North Playhouse. They’ll also be joined by Arts Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay.
• In Stoke on Trent, Carse & Waterman Productions will host an interactive animation and visual effects workshop.
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Sounds like there’s lots happening! Why do you think the week is so important?

Our programme has year-round opportunities and resources. However, the annual flagship week is a chance for educators and the industry to celebrate and share insight into creative careers – including jobs young people may not be aware of! These unique experiences can really inspire career choices. It’s also fantastic that this year’s Discover! Week falls on Artsmark Celebration Week, so we can all share the importance of creative partnerships.

How will the programme impact the sector?

To build a skilled and inclusive workforce for the future, we believe the initiative must be led by the industry. The programme can only benefit the sector if employers and individuals get involved. This includes sharing the opportunities and challenges that affect their subsector and raising awareness of the wide variety of career pathways available. By working together, we’ll see a much stronger talent pipeline for our thriving sectors.

How can people get involved?  

There are several ways you can get involved. Teachers and careers leaders should check out our events and resources section of the Discover! website to find out about upcoming events and access lesson plans and resources available throughout the year.

Careers professionals can sign up to our creative industries awareness training.

If you’re a young person, parent, or carer, why not use our careers finder and explore over 500 different jobs across the creative industries?

Plus, everyone can sign up to the mailing list for the latest news and opportunities!