In November, we took part in Discover! Creative Careers Week, and Kids in Museums Takeover Day – both brilliant initiatives to inspire the next generation of creative industry workers. Over the week there were 300+ children from Tower Hamlets taking part in activities across the building, watching films as part of Into Film Festival, and also meeting teams from across the organisation (Events, Programming, Technical, Box Office, Visitor Services, Marketing, Cinema) to have a taste of what working in a dynamic arts centre is really like! Read on to find out about what they got up to…
Discover! Creative Careers Week
We were delighted to be part of this brand-new England-wide initiative in which more than 500 creative employers welcome over 30,000 students into their organisations to introduce them to the workplace.
We welcomed 80 young people and their teachers to the building for the annual Into Film Festival. This time screening On The Basis Of Sex followed by a Q&A with a charity Action Aid who spoke to the young people about their work empowering young women and girls across the world. Then 30 students from the local Mulberry Academy Shoreditch attended Discover! Creative Careers session.
Margot, our Young People’s, Families & Communities Producer, tells us more:
“At Rich Mix young people met our Marketing, Production and Technical Staff. The aim of the afternoon was to get some hands on experience of working across these departments at Rich Mix. Students were able to learn from Selma, Bettina and Ella about creating their own marketing strategy for events they devised on the themes of the film. They also worked with Dennis, Jack and myself to put together their own improvised theatre show with the lights, sound cues and superb impromptu acting and all!”
Kids in Museums Takeover Day
Kids in Museums Takeover Day is when museums, arts centres and heritage sites invite young people in to take over jobs normally done by adults.
Tracy, our Schools & Outreach Officer, takes us through the day:
“Arriving punctually, ready in their black work uniform, eager and excited for their day of work at Rich Mix, Thomas Buxton School TAKEOVER staff ceremonially received their badge and lanyard to welcome them as Rich Mix staff! As part of our Pic ‘n’ Mix programme of Film Education and linking into national Kids in Museums Takeover Day we were also excited to have their beaming smiles and energetic personalities as part of our team. A full day of activity taking over everything from welcoming other children and their teachers to a variety of events, making marketing materials, and even helping thread up the projector, lay ahead as they explored behind the screens and scenes at Rich Mix.
“On their tour of the venue we asked them “Your mum says that you can invite a friend to go to Rich Mix. What would you say?”
Azmina said “Come to Rich Mix with me because it is not just a cinema! There are lots of things to see and do. You can make stuff with your family, have a meal, see the art gallery and watch some drama and concerts.” Adeba followed up with “Rich Mix is a very eco and good quality place. It has amazing events of every sort of type of art and gives great service to customers. It has the best screens and provides for all people.”
“We asked the children what they enjoyed most about their day. Team work, meeting new people, making marketing and films, sharing ideas, looking around the building were mentioned, but bizarrely enough ‘Eating popcorn!’ featured most strongly!”
Read a blog of the day on the Thomas Buxton website
