The Creative Circle has announced the launch of The Creative Circle Foundation, as the longest running advertising awards body in the UK it aims support greater diversity in the U.K. creative departments of the future.
Furthering its mission to unite Britain’s creative industry, the Creative Circle has launched the foundation as a way to actively address advertising’s diversity issues, giving those who are less privileged the opportunity to study advertising and break into the creative world. No academic qualifications are required. Just an ability to demonstrate they can answer creative problems with creative solutions.
Starting in September 2017, The Creative Circle Foundation will educate 20 creative students each year and relieve them from the pressure of affording expensive advertising courses. They also plan to assist some of the students from out of London to live and afford the ever increasing rents in and around London.
The Creative Circle has pledged that 100% of all membership fees, along with 10% of the award entries, will go towards funding the Foundation Charity. As well as all the profits from this years awards ceremony at the Roundhouse. The Creative Circle Foundation aims are to support greater diversity in the U.K. creative departments of the future
Jeremy Green, CEO of The Creative Circle, comments: “For years now, everybody inadvertising has been talking about the need to address our ongoing diversity issues, but there have been very few, if any, attempts to actively do something about it. It’s time for Britain’s advertising community to put their money with mouth is and support the emerging youngsters from around the country who need our help.”
The announcement of The Creative Circle Foundation follows on from the launch of this year’s impassioned call for entries from the new Creative Circle President, Vicki Maguire (ECD of Grey London), who cited that one of the reason’s she took on the role was to help provide practical and financial support to emerging talent:
“Talent is still the lifeblood of this industry and Britain still leads the world in spunk and swagger. But by and large, we’re still white, male, hetro hoorays. We’re still losing our most talented, not to the Googles and the Facebooks of this world like we feared, we’re losing talent to London rents, college fees and hiring in our own image. We’re losing the funny kid who sat at the back of the class, the loud ones, the quick witted ones, the quiet ones who watched the world then drew it. We’re losing the women, the young mums, the guy who had to fund his way through college only to be faced with another couple of years of placements. We’re losing the chancers, the blaggers, the entrepreneurs. We’re in danger of losing the very thing that sets British creativity apart from the rest of the world. This talent is our calling card. Our lifeblood. That’s why I agreed to be President of Creative Circle. This show not only champions and awards work that hasn’t had to be put through the global filter. It provides practical and financial support for emerging talent.”
Jon Daniel, Creative Circle Foundation Trustee and independent Creative Director, comments: “As a former advertising agency art director and one of only a handful of black creatives working in mainstream advertising in the 1990s, I understand only too well the challenges that can inhibit the realisation of a more trans-cultural and trans-gender creative department that better reflects our society. I am proud to be part of the unique and dynamic team that Jeremy has assembled to help tackle an unnecessary issue that has dogged the industry for far too long.”
Links
http://www.creativecircle.co.uk/
