Creative careers programme partners with YouTube to inspire the next generation of creative professionals

Discover! Creative Careers, an England wide industry-led programme, has partnered with YouTube to launch a campaign to excite and energise 11 to 18-year-olds about opportunities in the creative industries.

The exclusive screening and launch of the programme’s first film created for its young audience was made by art rock collective Dilettante from the North of England and will be uploaded to a new dedicated YouTube channel.

The film itself spotlights the range of professionals that bring live music to life, highlighting how many individuals behind the scenes are needed for musical performers to put on a gig.

Students from TMP College, an independent specialist college in Wigan, hosted the unveiling of the film at their newly expanded campus. After the screening of the film the young people had a Q&A with Francesca Pidgeon, the multi-instrumentalist and composer behind Dilettante and her manager, and she performed a selection of her tracks.

The students also had the opportunity to question an industry panel which included representatives from YouTube, UK Music, Kycker and Discover Creative Careers and respond to a filming and photography brief from the Discover! team. Students from a range of courses on offer at the college also had the opportunity to share some of their work.

Dilettante’s brief was to create a short film to feature the collaboration and hard work that goes into a live music gig. The film features some of the people who pulled it all together.

Samuel Nicholls ‘Whiskas’, director at Music Local, who manage Dilettante, said: Through our talent development program Launchpad, we are able to support artists from first releases through to full scale album releases and with Dilettante we have seen her grow her fanbase, play headline shows, major festivals and national airplay.

“We hope this film can give some insight to the work that goes into being a touring artist, all the associated roles that go into building a successful artist and demonstrate the pathways that young people can get involved into build a creative career themselves.”

Recent findings from Skills England’s first report reveal a shortage of skilled professionals across various creative fields. Discover! Creative Careers said this highlights the vital importance of the Discover! Creative Careers programme, which has received continued and expanded funding from the government to connect even more young people to employers in the creative industries.

The event at TMP College came at the culmination of Discover! Creative Careers Week (18 – 22 November), a week that connects thousands of students with employers in the creative industries. Discover! Week is part of the England wide programme from ScreenSkills, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Arts Council England and a steering group of almost 30 industry partners.

Sir Chris Bryant MP, Minister of State for creative industries, arts and tourism, said: ““Our powerhouse creative industries are not only a huge driver of growth, innovation and soft power, but they are also a hotbed of exciting career opportunities for young people.

“We believe that all children, regardless of background, should be able to pursue a creative career and have the skills and training to help them do so. That is why Discover! Creative Careers Week is so important.