Elevate

Jumpstart your creative career with a free course for 18–30 year olds

Posted on 23rd December 2021

Written by Near Now

Do you have creative skills that you’d like to turn into a job?


Would you like to expand your knowledge of working in the arts and creative industries?


Led by City Arts, ELEVATE is a free course for 18–30 year olds in Nottingham & Nottinghamshire to help young creatives jumpstart their careers.

From writing a business plan to building your brand online, you’ll learn essential skills for starting a creative career. Find out how to apply for funding, meet successful local artists and connect with local creative businesses.

The course will introduce you to people working in a wide range of creative careers, including digital arts, Illustration and games development. You’ll get a masterclass from renowned artist Rebecca Smith. Take part in workshops, join insightful talks, visit thriving creative businesses, and receive mentoring.

This opportunity is brought to you by City Arts working in collaboration with Broadway's Near Now, The Prince’s Trust and Big House. It is funded by Real Creative Futures.

Who can apply?

The course is for people aged 18-30, living in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Anyone can apply but we will prioritise people who have taken non-traditional routes into the arts.

This might include:

  • People who haven’t had a formal education in the arts
  • People who’d like to reignite their passion for creativity after a break
  • People who have faced barriers to entering the arts or creative industries because of their ethnicity, disability, social class or sexuality

Course content

View the course's prospectus at city-arts.org.uk or download a PDF version:

Key benefits

  • Explore the possibilities of a creative career
  • Meet and receive mentoring from successful creatives
  • Build connections with other creatives from your age group
  • Learn how to access and apply for different types of funding as an artist
  • Learn key skills such as social media, event planning, community engagement, networking and more
  • Help recruit and receive mentoring from a professional digital artist as part of Near Now’s Fellowship programme, and work with them to create a new artwork.
  • Sign up with Real Creative Futures – a programme that nurtures entrepreneurs with 12 hours of free tailored support
  • Connect with The Prince’s Trust which works with 18 to 30 year-olds to turn big ideas into a reality

On completion of the course, you’ll receive a certificate of attendance. You can include the course on your CV. If you need it, City Arts will provide you with a reference for jobs or funding applications.

Your commitment

The course is a total is of 43.5 hours. You need to be able to commit to attending all the sessions. Please read to prospectus for detailed dates and times.

How to apply

See city-arts.org.uk for more information about Elevate and how to apply.

The deadline for applications is 23 January 2022.

Author

Near Now