Whitechapel Gallery Creative Careers Programme

What are the routes into the creative industry?
Can you make a living working in the arts?
What kind of jobs exist?  
Do I need a degree to pursue a creative career?  

In response to demand from participants of the Youth Programme for professional opportunities, I initiated the Creative Careers Programme, a series of talks, workshops, visits and paid training to broaden access, opportunities and insight into the creative sector. Sessions were led by me and other gallery staff, industry professionals and young creatives.

Selected Programme

Work Placements, Experience and Summer Workshops

Youth collective members undertook paid training in the Education, Communications, and Archives departments over two months.

Hosted secondary school students on unpaid work experience in the Education Department as part of their curriculum requirement.

Led behind-the-scenes tours and workshops for groups from NCS and Create London to meet departments and learn about diverse roles within the gallery.

Creative Careers Boot Camp

A week-long programme for young adults focused on Creative Careers. Sessions included Speed Meeting with Gallery staff; Curating Exhibitions with Amanprit Sandhu, Curating Public Programmes with Jane Scarth; Technical Production with Sam Williams; Curating within Education with myself and Jenny Cooper; Building a Communications Campaign with Alex O’ Neil (White Cube); Studios visits with Acme Studios. Read the participants’ blog.

Masterclasses with New City College (Tower Hamlets Art, Media & Design Department)

Four young creative professionals namely illustrator Erin Aniker, designer Anya Land, painter Jerome Ince- Mitchell, photographer and Duchamp & Sons alumnus Sonam Tobgyal gave talks on their practices, shared the highs and lows of their creative journeys, and led hybrid workshops.

Digital Curating Course

An 8-week paid online intensive for 10 current and past youth collective members to co-curate a new exhibition at Whitechapel Gallery with artworks from the Hiscox Collection.

Duchamp & Sons Ambassadors and Peer Facilitators

A paid initiative for four older and established youth collective members to co-plan and co-lead the Virtual Studio Visits Programme with me, gaining training in project management, delivery and evaluation. One ambassador gained further experience running the collective’s social media accounts for the alumni takeover.