Jerwood Arts has announced the 50 organisations that will create new roles within their businesses to give talented individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds an opportunity to forge a career in the arts and cultural sector.
The Creative Bursaries scheme funds up to 90% of the participants’ salaries while also providing a supplementary career development programme and an individual mentor in partnership with Arts Emergency.
The initiative aims to address the lack of social mobility within the arts and culture sector, with Jerwood Arts fearing the pandemic’s after effects will have a similarly detrimental impact to the 2008 financial crash.
“I am delighted to launch this reimagined edition of the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries and to be doing so at a time when the arts and cultural sector is in such urgent need of support,” notes Lilli Geissendorfer, director of Jerwood Arts.
“We hope these bursaries make a real difference and it is heartening to see socio-economic diversity and inclusion remain such important drivers for our partners during these challenging times. This programme will help discover and nurture the potential of talented individuals as well as contribute to changing organisational practices for good.
“All this will assist the arts and cultural sector in coming out of this pandemic healthier, stronger, more balanced and inclusive.”
All host venues applied to be part of the programme’s fourth edition prior to the Covid pandemic and none have since withdrawn their offer. Of the 50 involved this time around, 19 are now open for applications with most other sites set to begin recruitment by early 2021.
To explore all 2020-22 Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries opportunities, click here.
