Creative industry specific research
Suggested resources for micro-enterprises and small organisations
A large proportion of businesses in the creative and cultural industries are micro-enterprises. This includes freelancers and small organisations, and many of these are run or owned by women and or those from minoritised backgrounds. In some cases people have set up on their own or formed a small cooperative because of experiences of sexism, racism or other discrimination. Resources that help these small and micro-organisations thrive will also bolster industry diversity.
We have collated a non-exhaustive list of some of the places where freelancers, and small and micro organisations, can find practical business support.
- NextGen Resources have collated links to organisations and resources that can help you get started with a career in the music industry, including ones that will guide you in the right direction when it comes to setting up as a freelancer.
- Youth Music resources on How you can prepare for your career post-Covid.
- Museum Freelance was run by freelancers, for freelancers, supporting those working with museums, galleries, heritage sites, archives and libraries in the UK. Although no longer active, their resources are still available.
- This report explores the Role and Impact of Freelancers in the UK Dance Sector.
- This Film and TV Charity’s Freelancer Wellbeing Hub has been set up to give access to a fantastic range of self-help tools and resources for freelancers in film and TV.
- The Film and TV Charity also has two ring-fenced funds for Disabled and BAME applicants.
- Resources for emerging creatives and students, from storing your artwork to drawing up a contract.
- qLegal (Queen Mary University of London) provides free legal advice, workshops and resources to start-ups and entrepreneurs.
- National Federation of Self Employed & Small Businesses Limited provide a range of vital business services including advice, financial expertise and support.
- I Like Networking as a free Creative Careers Guide available.
- Business model templates.
- Pitching guidelines.
Consider the following for business growth / accelerator programmes:
- Diverse City: What adjustments, environments, conditions do freelancers need to do their best work? (https://ccskills.org.uk/working-with-the-self-employed-a-best-practice-guide-for-businesses/ )
- Museum Freelance has plenty of resources available here for organisations wanting to support freelancers (https://museumfreelance.org/resources-for-organisations)
- Freelance: Futures has created a six-step process for creating more equitable conditions for freelancers in your organisation, published in their Creating Greater Equity Within Organisational Practices Toolkit.
- Disability by Design: Representation in TV
- Parents And Carers In Performing Arts (Pipa) Covid Report
- Diversity in post-production sound roles in UK television production (https://bcuassets.blob.core.windows.net/docs/diversity-in-post-production-sound-roles-in-uk-television-production-132514656878973963.pdf)
- Reshape Music: A Report Exploring The Lived Experience Of Disabled Musicians In Education And Beyond.
- An All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for creative Diversity report into ‘What Works’ to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion in the creative and cultural industries (https://www.kcl.ac.uk/cultural/resources/reports/creative-majority-report-v2.pdf)
- Arts Council England EDI data report (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/19977/download?attachment)
- The 2022 UK Games Industry Census (https://ukie.org.uk/resources/uk-games-industry-census-2022)
- Creative and Cultural Industries Policy & Evidence Centre - Social mobility in the Creative Economy (https://cdn2.assets-servd.host/creative-pec/production/assets/publications/PEC-Social-mobility-in-the-Creative-Economy-Executive-Summary.pdf)
- Diversity In Broadcast Peak Scripted Television, 2018 A Report Commissioned By Equity’s Race Equality Committee (https://www.equity.org.uk/media/4062/equity_diversity_guide_2020-v3-sp.pdf)
- Ofcom’s 2021 Report on Diversity and equal opportunities in TV and radio (https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/information-for-industry/guidance/diversity/diversity-equal-opportunities-tv-and-radio)
- Gender Inequality And Screenwriters (https://writersguild.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Gender-Inequality-and-Screenwriters.pdf)
- Hold on. Diversity and Managing in the Arts (https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c18e090b40b9d6b43b093d8/t/5fb6967ab3db4d4323bf1f77/1605801598364/Hold+on+Inc+Arts+V19+FINAL+FULL+REPORT.pdf)
- BFI has various reports on its website (https://www.bfi.org.uk/industry-data-insights/reports/diversity-reports).
- Diversity In Interior Design Survey (https://biid.org.uk/resources/diversity-interior-design-survey-results)
- Migrants in Culture Research Report: What is the impact of the Hostile Environment on the Cultural Sector?