A Creative Career Conversation

A Creative Career Conversation is an event series and initiative launched by the Arena Theatre and UK Partnerships at the University of Wolverhampton to increase awareness and aspirations of the Creative Industries amongst young people, shining a light on professions their creativity could lead them to such as marketing, event management, producing, access and inclusion and more. Namely, those backstage roles that often are not considered in the Creative Industries.

The format of A Creative Career Conversation consists of panels of industry professionals giving insight into how they themselves got into their careers (the education and training they received, the jobs they occupied in the process) and the success - and more importantly, the failure - they encountered to get them to where they are today. Once industry professionals have told their story, young people are then invited to ask questions.

We have held two events so far: one featuring staff of the University of Wolverhampton's External Engagement department which we held on Wednesday 26th May 2021, and the other centered around Technical Theatre and Production to address the current jobs crisis in this particular industry. This event was held Wednesday 2nd March 2022.

Both productions were livestreamed, and the content is available below for schools, colleges and university to utilise.

If you are interested in a one-off careers event or talk, or would like to find out more, please e-mail our Education and Outreach Manager, Sam Fleming, on Sam.Fleming@wlv.ac.uk.

A Creative Career Conversation - Wednesday 26th May 2021

Our first event was livestreamed out of the Arena Theatre on Wednesday 26th May 2021. For the first A Creative Career Conversation, we shone a light on job roles and professions within the External Engagement department at the University of Wolverhampton including: Digital Content Creator, Head of Alumni and Development, Access and Inclusion Manager and Marketing Manager roles. Not only did panel members give an insight into these job roles, but they also talked a lot about their freelance work and their passions. This event was attended by pupils from City of Wolverhampton College, South Staffordshire College, Sandwell College and Halesowen College.

The event is free to view over on the Arena Theatre's Vimeo page below:

Full event (click)

Finance, Freelance and Fundraising panel (click)

Marketing, Communications and Press panel (click)

Access, Customer Service and Transferable Skills (click)

A Creative Career Conversation - Wednesday 2nd March 2022 - Technical Theatre

Our second event in the A Creative Career Conversation series focussed on Technical Theatre and Production, addressing the job crisis in this area of the industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The panel consisted of Stephen Payne, the Arena Theatre's Technical Manager; Neil Hughes, Senior Lecturer and Subject Leader for the BA (Hons) Digital Production Arts for Theatre; Sarah Browne, Head of School of Performing Arts; and Mike Chinn and Matt Weston, founders of company Stone's Throw Media.

The event primarily covered skills required to get into these roles, with members of the panel giving insight into their own journies and qualification routes they undertook.

The event is free to view over on the Arena Theatre's Vimeo page below:

Full event (click)