Fill out this form to register your interest in attending a session.
The UK creative industries power the growth of the UK’s workforce, adding new jobs at almost three times faster than the economic average, according to official data.
There are a multitude of careers within the arts industry – everything that you see on stage, on the screen, in an exhibition or hear on the radio is the combined effort of several working parts and roles. But how do you make a start? What skills do you need to enter some of these creative roles?
Welcome to Rich Mix, an arts centre and live events venue in Tower Hamlets, where many creative journeys have begun.
During this practical online session with Mr Gee – a poet and Associate Artist behind the Rich Mix New Creatives programme – you will get a chance to explore your areas of interest and examples of the industry behind them.
Through group conversation and a gentle creative writing task, you will grow your confidence and skills necessary in any creative profession. You will also learn about the Rich Mix New Creatives programme of personal and professional development, offering one-to-one coaching and a three-week paid work placement.
About the sessions:
Tue 2 Mar – Ideas Rule the World
The generation of ideas is always important, no matter on what scale, so it’s time to respect and value your ideas.
Tue 9 Mar – Every Seed Planted
Figuring out which idea you want to pursue and committing to it – whether it’s writing a poem, doing your first performance or taking a risk on learning something new, commit to it.
Tue 16 Mar – Practice, Practice, Practice
Turning that first idea, that dream, that new skill into something real takes practice!
Tue 23 Mar – Your Art as a Business
Time to look around you and reflect on how to sell your creativity and art to the world.
Places will be prioritised for Tower Hamlets residents, and East London more broadly. You don’t need to join all the sessions, let us know which session(s) you are available to join in the registration form.
Before the session:
Have a look at ‘Becoming A New Creative’ podcasts where we interviewed East London artists and industry experts about their journey into where they are now. We will revisit some of the themes in the session so it’s helpful for you to have seen them beforehand.
Watch the ‘Becoming a New Creative’ podcasts.
Find out more about the programme.
About Mr Gee:
Mr Gee has been a veteran on the UK’s Spoken Word scene for two decades. Perhaps best known as the ‘Poet Laureate’ on Russell Brand‘s SONY award-winning radio show, he has toured the world with the comedian many times.
He has delivered two TedX talks and his work has featured in the Times, The Guardian & the New Statesman. He’s presented several radio series: ‘Bespoken Word’, ‘Rhyme & Reason’ & ‘Poetic Justice’, all on BBC Radio 4, the latter of which focused on the extensive rehabilitation work that he does in prisons. He’s an advisor for the prison mentor & trainee charity Switchback and currently co-hosts the podcast ‘The Magic Number’.
Mr Gee was a host for the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Forum in London. He starred in the West End show ‘Into the Hoods’ (as the Poet) which won the What’sOnStage Theatregoers’ Choice Award for Best Ensemble Performance. He was also a featured guest on Akala‘s BAFTA nominated BBC 2 program ‘Poetry Between the Lines’ and his poetry launched the 2020 Heads-Up FA Cup Finals.
He created a digital art-piece called ‘Bring Me My Fire Truck’ for the Open Data Institute which was showcased at the Tate Britain for their 2020 ‘Blake Now’ series.
Chia Phoenix, Co-Director
Chia is a creative activist and spiritual mentor, who has worked in the arts, youth and criminal justice sectors for the last 18 years, using creativity as rehabilitation to inspire, empower and motivate young people and the wider community to heal through their creative expression. She has worked for many arts organisations, such as Lyric Hammersmith, Roundhouse, Spotlight, Theatre Peckham, Clean Break and many other community and education organisations. Chia is also an actor, writer, director, producer and poet. She is most widely known for her production The Forty Elephants which has had runs at The Albany, Camden People’s Theatre, Platform and Pop Brixton. She is also a member of the collective The Palace of the Dogs, an arts organisation raising the voice of marginalised communities within the arts.
Chia’s email address: chia.phoenix@richmix.org.uk
Alex Brown, Co-Director
Alex is a facilitator and creative educator with a wide range of experience in the arts. From 2019-21 he was Participation Associate at the Almeida Theatre where he directed the Young Company, produced For Free takeover festival and worked with young people throughout the pandemic to make audio dramas and curate online workshops and events. He has directed plays including Rebel Music (Birmingham Rep), The Island (Young Vic) and The Chronicles of Kalki (Gate Theatre) and worked as an assistant director at the Royal Court, National Theatre and in the West End. In TV he worked in script development for the BBC and Sister Pictures. He is also a musician and has played at festivals including Glastonbury and Boomtown. He started his career putting on short plays with live music at Rich Mix!
Alex’s email address: alex.brown@richmix.org.uk
These sessions will take place online, so make sure you have a laptop, tablet or mobile phone with a good internet connection
