Young people across North Yorkshire are being encouraged to explore careers in the county's thriving creative sector through a month-long programme designed to inspire future talent and help to meet the growing demand for skilled workers.
Culture North Yorkshire, which brings together our museums, galleries, archives and cultural venues, has been working with partners including local cultural education partnership, Forge, the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and the North Yorkshire Creative Careers Working Group.
Together, they have developed a programme of activities in support of Discover! Creative Careers Month, which runs throughout November.
The North Yorkshire and York area has a thriving creative sector, with about 2,600 businesses contributing an estimated £790 million to the regional economy. Spanning screen industries, digital and immersive technologies, design, publishing, visual arts, music, dance, heritage and cultural tourism, the sector supports thousands of jobs.
Discover! Creative Careers Month was launched at The Station Cinema in Richmond on Friday (November 6), when more than 60 students from secondary schools across the local area heard from a range of creatives at different stages of their careers.
These included a freelance photographer, Matt Storm, Richmond Town of Culture steering group members Brian Cook and Nick Ibbotson, filmmaker and community artist Finn Varney, actor, writer and producer Toyosi Lala and local film and media student Alice Brown.
Executive member for arts and culture, Cllr Simon Myers, who opened the event, said: “North Yorkshire has a thriving creative sector, and we know many young people are interested in careers in film, television, design, music and digital media.
“One of the challenges can be knowing where to start. There is no single route into a creative career, and that can sometimes make the industry feel difficult to access.
“What events like this show is that there are many ways to build a career in the creative industries. The professionals sharing their experiences have all taken different paths and overcome different challenges along the way.
“Developing skills, building connections and being willing to learn can all open doors to exciting opportunities.”
Jodie Martin, head of English at Saint Francis Xavier School in Richmond, said: “It was lovely to have a group of people who were so inspiring from so many different fields giving students ideas about the different routes into creative industries. At a time when students are worried about the threat of AI, I think it was positive and inspiring.”
Other features of the month include creative careers talks, behind-the-scenes tours, work experience opportunities, artist-led sessions and opportunities to meet employers across venues including Skipton Town Hall, the Mercer Art Gallery, Scarborough Museums and Galleries and the North Yorkshire Archives.
Also involved is Richmond’s Georgian Theatre Royal, AMP music, Flash Company Arts, Craven Arts House, the Aesthetica Film Festival and secondary schools across the county.
Head of culture and archives, Danielle Daglan, said: “Supporting the development of North Yorkshire’s creative and cultural sector is a key priority, and that starts with helping young people understand the wide range of careers available to them.
“We hope these events show that there are many different routes into creative careers and encourage more young people to see the sector as a place where they can build successful and rewarding futures.”