An insight into the University of Warwick’s Arts and Creative Industries Fair

The University of Warwick’s career fairs for the arts and creative industries have provided a wealth of knowledge and insights into several sectors of the working sphere. The two-hour time slot for the fair was dotted with several sights: the Film, TV, and Podcasting zone included a twenty-minute line for Tom Ward, a script editor; the Writing and Publishing zone saw a gathering of aspiring authors by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn’s table, and a section of colourful and vibrant art made by radio-controlled cars by artist Ian Cook in the Art, Heritage and Culture zone. The fair celebrated several accomplished individuals, all enthusiastic to share their knowledge with inspired students.

Take the time to understand and befriend the industry with kindness and tact

Although speaking to such accomplished professionals in your dream job should have been intimidating, their advice was equally inspiring and reassuring. Louis Conte, a creative director at Sidemen Entertainment, encouraged students not to fear the daunting shadow of the corporate ladder, but to concentrate on gaining entry through the door first. The focus on the ‘little steps’ was a recurring insight from all professionals. Conte focused his passion on video-making as a student at the University of Warwick by taking job opportunities that the university provided. For example, he created a video infomercial for the library on induction day. Xaymaca Awohungbo encouraged students not to overlook the societies that Warwick has to provide. The Film Society, for instance, is a good first step in understanding what goes into film production and meeting other students who may be interested in helping you create a short film.

The professionals seemed unanimous in the importance of making connections. Conte suggested watching the credits of your favourite film and TV show and reaching out to them. Blackburn recommends reading the acknowledgements of your favourite books and noting down the names of professors or agents. Even if they do not have entry-level job opportunities, settle for a conversation. Tom Ward advises asking them if they could direct you to someone who can help. Take the time to understand and befriend the industry with kindness and tact. However, don’t be disheartened if people do not respond. It is important to note that reputation lasts, and being demanding and disrespectful to their time can harm your professional image. But regardless of reputation and image, kindness and patience will always reap more rewards.

However, connections are meaningless without the most essential ingredient for success: passion and consistency. For aspiring writers, several online tools help hone your skills, such as Jericho Writers, Spread The Word Organisation and Literary Consultancy. Make your art known by entering competitions; for example, the BBC Writers Room and Reedsy offer several each year. Winning one of these competitions may guarantee you a meeting with an agent. Finally, always have something on the go. Don’t let any rejections suffocate your desire to create. Even if your days seem governed by university assignments, what you study does not have to equate to what you make. Many of the professionals came from unrelated degrees. For example, even if curating a museum exhibition seems years away, start by volunteering on free days. The fair presented many local galleries and museums to research and volunteer at: the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Compton Verney and even the Warwick Arts Centre. These steps, whilst small, are indispensable in building your confidence, knowledge and passion.

Hemmings’ own career path was shaped significantly by her time at Warwick, where she discovered the possibility of combining business acumen with creative expression

Chrystal Hemmings, Social Media Executive at The Really Useful Group, emphasised the importance of building skills gradually throughout university years. She advocates for a three-year approach: “For first year, I’d say getting involved in societies, so creating societies or even just general ones like the politics ones, and getting into the marketing positions of those.” She continues that in second year, students should “create your own content, whether it’s creating graphics or posters or videos – find what your niche is and build on that,” while third year is “very much about forming your portfolio from the previous two years.” Hemmings strongly believes in the power of in-person networking, explaining, “I practically prefer meeting people in person… because your personality can come across a bit more and that person is probably getting hundreds of DMs.” Hemmings’ own career path was shaped significantly by her time at Warwick, where she discovered the possibility of combining business acumen with creative expression. As she reflects, “I wouldn’t have experienced some of the range of opportunities that are out there… I realised you can find a path that can combine the two, which is then how I settled on marketing.”

Rachel Duffy, Senior Social Editor at The Telegraph, brings expertise from one of Britain’s leading news organisations. She stresses the importance of understanding target companies thoroughly, advising students to consider “why is it different? Who are the writers that you really enjoy reading articles from? What is that business doing differently?” She emphasises tailoring academic work to career goals, as exemplified by her own decision to write her dissertation on TikTok, noting it’s “a really good thing to be able to speak about in interviews.” Duffy has taken her commitment to supporting emerging talent further by founding the Young Journalist Network, which she describes as “a networking opportunity for young people in the industry… it’s really, really good to be able to have something where it’s just young people being able to connect and get to know each other.” She encourages aspiring journalists to look for stories everywhere, asserting that “there’s a story everywhere, right? So just always look for the scoop, but then equally really know your patch.” Her experience with major stories like The Telegraph’s Lockdown Files highlights how being ready to step up to challenges can shape career trajectories. As she recalls, “At the time, I didn’t realise quite how big that was and how it would go on to lead the COVID inquiry and bring about change. But just really being able to step up at that moment was so helpful.”

Whether volunteering at local galleries, joining relevant societies, or creating content for university events, these seemingly modest beginnings can lay the foundation for a successful creative career

A common theme that ran throughout the many conversations we had would be the need to focus on small steps throughout your university journey, rather than making giant leaps. From Louis Conte’s emphasis on getting through the door first, to Chrystal Hemmings’ structured three-year approach to skill building, the professionals consistently emphasised the value of starting small and building gradually. Whether volunteering at local galleries, joining relevant societies, or creating content for university events, these seemingly modest beginnings can lay the foundation for a successful creative career.