MYFUTURE Education and Careers Guide 2021/22

‘I have acquired an understanding
of the things that go on in our
community, how to award money to
a project and invest carefully to make
the most out of what you put in’
CASE STUDIES
What advice would you give
young people, particularly those
from BAME backgrounds, who
are interested in a career in the
creative arts?
For many young people choosing a
career can be daunting. Choosing
one in the creative arts, often
without clear career structures or
the support of parents and peers,
access to relevant information
and where there is an under
representation of people who look
or sound like us, can be even more
challenging.
Growing up in East London from a
first generation migrant family who
had ‘traditional’ careers, I had to
rely on the guidance of others to
understand where to take the next
steps or to even know that I could
take them. Mentors have played a
big role in my development, and my
advice would be to build a support
structure around you and seek role
models you aspire to, even if those
people are not in your immediate
circle – it is essential to your success!
Take every opportunity that you
can. Don’t let fear stand in your way.
You might not know if you are going
to enjoy the experience or not but
challenges can teach you that you
are better than you think are.
Your motto is ‘Creativity,
Community, Change’. What
changes do you think Rosetta
Arts helps bring in the local
community?
Our goal is for Rosetta Arts to
transform communities through
creativity. As a community hub
(normally in West Ham and currently
online at https://rosettaarts.org)
we offer creative courses, projects,
events, exhibitions and a platform to
the diverse residents of Newham, so
many of who otherwise have little
access to the transformative benefits
of the arts. We really take the time
to get to know people and nurture
their creativity and that has a huge
ripple effect, putting more artists
on the map locally and really just
allowing more people to connect
with each other and feel good about
themselves through art.
50
ALANNAH FRANCIS
Rosetta Arts Marketing Officer
For the majority of my working
life, I’ve worked in media as a
journalist. I’ve worked at national
newspapers in the UK (The Times
and The Guardian) and smaller,
independent publications.
I started my role as Marketing
Officer at Rosetta Arts in 2020.
Joining the charity during a
pandemic where face-to-face
activities have shifted online,
I’ve witnessed first-hand how
important the arts are to people
during such confusing times. In
my role I’ve been able to build on
my social media and digital skills,
which have been in more demand
than ever at a time when everyone
is online. It’s been great to have
the freedom to get creative about
how we can reach people, be
accessible and stand out in the
digital sphere.
The advice I would give to
young people, especially those
from BAME backgrounds,
who are interested in a career
in the creative arts is to take
advantage of the opportunities
that are available to you. There
are so many free and affordable
activities, courses and clubs that
you can get involved in as a young
person. These are great ways to
explore your passions, experiment
and develop skills. All you need
to do is look in the right places
– and if you can’t find something
that caters to you, create it! I
would also say, don’t give up.
Pursuing a career in the arts can
be challenging but I really believe
that if you’re passionate, creative
and persistent, you can carve out
a space for yourself.
AMBER PERRIER
Rosetta Arts Young Trustee
I came across Rosetta Arts
Centre at the age of 15 joining
in their ‘Young Newham Artists’
programme. I learnt so much on
the History of Art, planning my art
business, drafting a budget plan
and communicating with clients
on commissions.
I returned to Rosetta Arts after
finishing my Fine Art degree at
UEL and supported in delivering
community art courses, preparing
materials and demonstrating
to pupils for Saturday School.
Writing application proposals for
funding and promoting upcoming
creative courses to students.
These skills led me to a traineeship
in Culture and working in Culture
and Heritage and becoming a
Community Engagement Officer
at The British Library.
I am part of the Rosetta Arts
Board as a Young Trustee which
consist of making decisions in the
board meetings, reading through
proposals and plans, alongside
going through strategies with the
board members and CEO.
The advice I would give to young
people who are keen in a career
in the creative arts is to create a
portfolio of varied styles of work.
Join in career workshops, many
offer advice on how to get started
and update your CV. Research
into apprenticeships, traineeships,
or take up work experience to
learn what skills are needed for
a specific role. Participate in
networking sessions, you will
never know who you’ll meet!
Do not be afraid to ask questions,
you won’t know if you don’t ask!