Media release: Increasing access to career progression

New funds to increase diversity of people in Scotland’s arts, screen and creative industries 

Application deadline: Tuesday 21 January 2020

THE latest funding round for applications to the newly-enhanced £350,000 Create:Inclusion Fund, has been launched.

Set up to increase the diversity of people working in the arts, screen and creative industries by improving access to career progression, the fund is backed by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland.

Individuals and organisations can seek this development funding to progress creative ambitions, develop creative and professional practice, improve capacity or support them to take professional and creative risks.

Milica Milosevic, Creative Scotland’s head of Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion, said: “Opening up accessible entry points into and progression of careers through the Scotland’s arts, screen and creative industries is so important for increasing the range of immensely talented individuals working in these sectors, and the rich diversity of creative practice being produced.

“The high demand for the first round of Create:Inclusion has reinforced our resolve to work to ensure that a more diverse range of people and communities see themselves better reflected across the cultural life of Scotland.”

The publication of Understanding diversity in the Arts Survey and the Review of Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion within Scotland’s Screen Sector highlighted numerous and complex barriers to access, progression and representation in the arts, screen and creative industries.

These reports indicated that career progression is far from a level playing field, with challenges felt by women, people with parental responsibilities, disabled people and those from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds.

The Create:Inclusion Fund aims to start addressing some of these well documented concerns, seeking to prioritise applications from individuals who self–identify as sharing one or more protected characteristics defined by the Equality Act 2010; or from groups/organisations which are either minority-led or which focus on working with and for those who share one or more protected characteristics.

There are no minimum and maximum limits on fund amount requests, and the intention is to award funding at the levels requested by applicants.

Notes for editors:

1. Create:Inclusion fund guidance can be accessed here.
2. The establishment of the Create:Inclusion Fund follows recommendations made within Creative Scotland reports – Understanding Diversity in the Arts and Equality Matters – evidencing numerous and complex barriers to access, progression and representation in the arts, screen and creative industries.
3. Create:Inclusion prioritises the professional and creative development of applicants who self–identify as sharing one or more protected characteristics defined by the Equality Act 2010, and projects from groups or organisations which are either minority-led or which focus on working with and for those who share one or more protected characteristics. The Equality Act 2010 covers nine protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.

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Contact: Claire Thomson
Phone: 01413021708
Email: claire.thomson@creativescotland.com
Website: http://www.creativescotland.com