This programme helped twelve of our young emerging BAME students in film, storytelling, VR and cross-media platforms.
The students took part in 3 days of workshops, developing ideas into projects, learning hands-on skills and gaining knowledge in project management, which culminated in a final showcase where they pitched to a panel of industry experts at Brixton Library.

On the first day of workshops, Writer and Poet Roger Robinson, took the students on a journey of self-discovery and confidence in their craft where the group got to connect with each other and themselves.

The second day was focused on storytelling and helping participants connect with their various art forms, whether it was film, visual art, writing or digital with Poet and Writer, Francesca Beard. She introduced different ways of seeing their environment by taking the students on a walking tour of Brixton.

To round off the third day Producer, Hank Starrs, Writer and Director, Dean Anderson, and Animator and illustrator, Comfort Arthur came to share their journeys. Multi-platform producer, Nosa Eke and Filmmaker Riffy Ahmed also shared their career paths. The speakers were all from different backgrounds. Their stories were inspirational, openly sharing their success stories and life lessons, as well as providing advice on how they navigated their industries. The Creative Catalyst participants got to hear many stories from different disciplines, ask questions and open their minds to new possibilities for their creativity.

One student commented, ‘I think my favourite parts so far has probably been listening to the speakers come in and just hearing their stories and how they’ve got from where I basically am now to where they are, and it makes you realise that you’re not alone in your creative journey.’

For further inspiration, the group also visited the Steve McQueen Exhibition at Tate Modern and BFI Future Film Festival.
At the final showcase, the students got to premier their films and speak about the processes, as they pitched to a panel of industry experts and each group are going to be awarded £200 for their collective projects.

It was clear to see how much the students had grown in confidence in such a short time and this is only the beginning for them.