Perceptions of creative careers in education and beyond
What is the impact of our STEM-first, Art-second culture?
Being a young person in pursuit of a career in the creative industries is not an easy feat. Whilst the magnitude of such a vast industry can be daunting, the prejudice surrounding what it consists of continues to deter people from choosing the arts, thus deepening the divide between understanding what creative careers are and what they are perceived to be.
The perception that the creative industries are insignificant is a baseless stigma formed on concepts older than the people saying them. If you study a creative subject for Higher Education, you’re jeopardising your future because those are “easy” subjects for people who are “incapable”. If you were “capable”, you would do a STEM job, or something in the humanities, like becoming a Lawyer or embarking on the six year stretch that is Medicine.
Perhaps, the stigma is created by the lack of faith that people have for the creative industries. Creative subjects are being eradicated due to low funding and demand. 90% of schools asked in a survey by the BBC said they had to cut back in one or more aspect of their creative curriculum. The reduction of funds is created by the lack of demand which is created by stigma (and stigma thrives on ignorance); essentially, the circle of decline for creative industries starts with prejudiced ideas about the industry.
Many wish they had chosen to pursue creativity at younger ages, but a fear of deviating from the norm may have lead them to be, as Nicky Morgan (Education Secretary under David Cameron) has stated: ‘held back’.
Where do these myths surrounding the creative industries come from?
The ever changing circumstance of the industry leads people to query the security of it all. They are left with the conclusion that it is unstable. Unlike many other industries, creative ones flourish with the present. They change quickly leading to experience being valued as a necessity, and despite this, many interns go unpaid. Who though, can afford to work for free? Internships are not a viable option for many young people, especially as creative hubs are typically based in costly cities such as London or New York.
The creative industries are changing, constantly. But this does not reduce their value, if anything it increases it. In 2017, the Creative Industries contribution to the UK economy was £92bn where it saw a growth at twice the rate of the other industries, according to the DCMS. The wealth of the Creative Industries, both economically and metaphorically, establish why it is not something that should be brushed under the rug as “easy”.
During my time at ustwo Adventure, I learned the power of community- we can create magic simply by bringing like-minded people together. Therefore, to continue to allow growth of the creative industry, there should be equal opportunities and diverse pathways for all. From speaking to members of the community in regards to their individual journeys, I asked:
How has the perception that the creative industries are insignificant affected you?
When I was at school, for A levels, I didn’t do art because I thought there no point even though I was good at it. I did a Politics degree, even though I actually wanted to do Drama. So in terms of my choices, it had a big impact. [I had a] very tumultuous time during my mid 20’s because I thought doing something creative was less valuable and wouldn’t lead to a job.
-Isabel Farchy, Founder of Creative Mentor Network.
You find that in a lot of industries that aren’t the creative industries they don’t really allow you to try new things. I decided to quit my job in IT and start my own company in Music — I have African parents so you can imagine their response. People kind of thought there was no money in it and my parents gave a lot of resistance. Until they noticed I was really serious about it and they became more supportive.
-Nana Parry, Dubzoo
I was definitely pushed down a more scientific route, it’s kind of been my whole life. Purely because of a lack of awareness, on my parent’s side and mine. I was unaware of the creativity of the tech industry, and whilst I was creatively inclined I felt that there wasn’t space for that. As I became aware it was really eye opening, but I felt as though it was too late for me to do anything. Even now, it’s hard speaking to my family and people outside of the creative industries about what I do — It feels like an uphill battle.
-Neef Rehman, ustwo Adventure
Before I did any of this, when I was at school I studied music production. I continued to follow that through uni. I felt that since I came out of uni, that since I’ve done lots of creative jobs, everyone is like: “Yeah that’s good but when are you going to make it?”. People see the creative industries at just the top level, not anything else. No one really values it until you’re popular. The perception that an office like this is that it is all fun games but people work really hard. People don’t value the work you do, they think that the creative stuff is easy.
-Joshua McGovierm, Dubzoo
Chana Edwards is a Sixth Form Student and Writer. Read more of Chana’s words on her blog, which covers storytelling, art, filmmaking and fashion.
