UK2024

Applications are opening soon!

We are moving the dial on disability with the only disabled creatives initiative of it’s kind

With just over 14.6 million disabled people in the UK and more than one in five of us will be affected by disability at some point in our lives.

Action is needed more than ever, as we know there is chronic underinvestment in disabled talent, so we are running our second Disabled Creatives initiative, setting the standard for global talent regeneration and championing disabled talent. 

Disabled Creatives is a 15 day programme, split over 5 weeks (with a two week break). It is FREE to attend and is open to up to 20 disabled and neurodivergent people from across the UK (not just London) who've previously worked or studied as a creative (creative strategist, art director, copywriter, editor, content creator or designer or very similar role) in the advertising, marketing or design industry.

Disabled Creatives provides the tools, knowledge and support to develop individuals in creative fields and provides bridges into creative employment.

Scroll down for more info and FAQs on how to apply.


In partnership with :

The Disabled Creatives programme

Disabled Creatives is a 15 day programme, split over 5 weeks (with a two week break), run in three sections:

  1. The workshops
    A curated mix of online sessions, self-directed learning, and interactive workshops designed to flex your creative thinking skills and foster collaborative dynamics, as well as highlight current creative industry trends. These sessions are run online by the world-class educational organisation D&AD and you’ll be supported all the way through!

  2. Creative Exploration and the Presentation Day
    The cohort will receive a creative brief from Diageo where you can show off your creative skills. You'll work either individually or as part of a team with support from mentors from our Creative Agency Partners.
    This is an in person day in a central London location we’re you’ll be able to present your creative ideas and/or designs back to Diageo and before an audience of your Creative Mentors and industry peers.
    This is more than a presentation; it’s a testament to the inclusive ethos of our program, ensuring every creative voice is heard and acknowledged.
    (Depending on circumstances, if necessary, allowances will be made for a virtual connection on the Presentation Day).

    ~ TWO WEEK BREAK TO ALLOW TIME TO DECOMPRESS AND REFLECT ON LEARNINGS ~

  3. Post workshop support
    The cohort will be offered additional workshops to support with training on how to best utilize LinkedIn, how to refresh your portfolio, hear from talent and career specialists. Alongside this additional mentorship will be offered over a 3 month period.


This is your opportunity to:

  • Boost your creative career: your perspectives and views are very much needed in the industry

  • Discover how the creative landscape looks today and where you can make the most impact, as a person with a diverse perspective

  • Participate in a round table around techniques to best to manage ableism in the workplace, and how to request the accommodations you need to do your best work.

  • Learn about creative and technological advancements including Gen AI 

  • Get your creative juices flowing by working on a brief set by Diageo that you can use in your portfolio 

  • Receive training on how to best utilize LinkedIn and how to refresh your portfolio 

  • Hear from talent and career specialists 

  • Network with creative professionals from our agency partners

Who is this programme for?

Disabled Creatives UK is open to  disabled (and those that identify as disabled) and neurodivergent creatives, who have previously worked or studied as a creative in the advertising, marketing and design industry.

You will need to:

  • Have previously worked or studied as a creative, creative strategist, art director, copywriter, editor, content creator or designer or very similar role, in the advertising, marketing and/or design industry.

  • You have current full UK working rights and are currently in the UK.

  • You have support structures in place to be able to attend the course virtually every day and attend the presentation day at a London location (depending on your circumstances, allowances will be made for a virtual connection)

  • You have the computer equipment/internet access in place to be able to attend the course virtually every day

  • As part of the application process, you will respond to a simple creative brief and provide a video to assess working level on a skills first basis

  • We understand that financial barriers can be a hindrance to participation, and we don't want that to hold anyone back. If you require financial support for travel or assistant/carer costs during the programme, please let us know by ticking the relevant box in your application. We'll review your request and do our best to assist you. We want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to benefit from our programme, regardless of their financial situation.

    Note:
    If we can make adjustments to make this programme more accessible, please let us know on your application form or by emailing emma@creativeequals.org

The experience had such a positive effect on my work that one of my freelance clients snatched me up as a permanent employee just a few months after the course. Overall, this has given me so much more confidence in regards to my employment!”

— DisabledCreatives 2023 participant

“I had no idea how impactful joining Disabled Creatives would be, and the thing I least expected was for it to bring me to a place of deep understanding about myself.”

— Disabled Creatives 2023 participant

FAQs

APPLICANT INFORMATION

  • Any person who is disabled (or who identifies as disabled) and/or is neurodivergent.

    You must have previously worked or studied as a creative in the advertising, marketing and/or design industry in one of the following roles: creative, creative strategist, art director, copywriter, editor, content creator or designer or very similar role.

    You must have current full UK working rights and be currently in the UK. We can only consider applications from candidates who have UK citizenship or hold a valid visa.

  • Once applications are open, there will be a link to the application form. Submit your information to be considered for selection to the second stage.

    The second stage will require you to provide a video of yourself and you will need to respond to a simple creative brief.

  • We’re still firming up dates for the next cohort, but once these are confirmed this FAQ will be updated. Hold tight!

  • Yes. This program is only open to people who have previously worked or studied in the creative industry as a creative, creative strategist, art director, copywriter, editor, content creator or designer, or very similar role.

  • Yes, however you will need to work with your employer to ensure you have the availability to attend the full day sessions every day of the programme.

  • Yes, absolutely.

  • If you are working in a job outside of the creative industry and would like to return to a creative role you can apply. However you must be able to attend the full programme schedule.

  • Unfortunately not. This program is only open disabled/neurodiverse creatives who have experience either studying or working as a creative in the advertising and design industry.

  • While we wouldn’t rule it out, this programme is better suited to disabled or neurodiverse people who have already spent time working as a creative.

  • Yes, but you will need to be able to get yourself to London for the presentation day at the end of the programme. In saying that, depending on circumstances, if necessary, allowances will be made for a virtual connection.

  • In the first stage application form we will ask you for:

    • A CV ( don’t worry if it’s a little out of date)

    • A portfolio ( a website or PDF of work, again don’t worry if it looks out of date)

    • Proof of your right to work in the UK (this might be a passport or a visa)

    In the second stage application form we will ask you for:

    • A video of yourself explaining why you’d like to join this programme

    • A response (in whatever form you like, Photos/PDF/Image/Video etc) to a small, simple campaign brief. (You should spend no more than half a day on this brief - it’s just so we can understand your approach/way of working)


    You shouldn’t need access to anything high-tech to be able to complete your application. As long as you have access to a mobile device or computer, and a reliable internet connection you should be able to complete the first two stages application process.

SELECTION PROCESS

  • The Creative Equals team will review all applications. We will let you know as soon as possible whether you have got through to the 2nd stage.

  • All 1st stage applications will be reviewed for suitability by a panel of people who work or are familiar with the creative industry.

    If successful, there will be a 2nd stage where we will ask you for a creative response to a small brief (You should spend no more than half a day on this brief - it’s just so we can understand your approach/way of working)

    After reviewing your creative response, we let you know whether you have secured a place on the program.

  • There are up to 25 spaces available.

THE PROGRAMME

  • The program is 15 days long.

    Split over a 6 weeks (with a two week break).

  • The program is run virtually via Zoom however the final day, is in person in London. You must be able to attend this.

  • The program will run virtually from 10:30am-2:30pm from Wednesday 31st Jan - Thursday 15th Feb.

    On the final day ( 16th February) the hours will be in person from 10am-5pm in Manhattan. You must be able to attend this full day.

    From the 5th Feb onwards you may find that you will want to spend some additional hours in your own time working on a creative brief and having catch-ups with your mentor.

  • Yes. You will need to be able to attend the full 15 days. Days 1-12 will be online and the final day will be in-person in London.

  • We expect you to commit to the full 15 days of the programme.

  • We’re committed to building an inclusive cohort irrelevant of age, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability or ethnicity.

    If you require any adjustments or have any accessibility needs to attend the online program and the final day in person, please let us know in the application form.

    We also understand that financial barriers can be a hindrance to participation, and we don't want that to hold anyone back. If you require financial support for travel or assistant costs during the program, please let us know by ticking the relevant box in the application form.

    We'll review your request and do our best to assist you. We want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to benefit from our program, regardless of their financial situation.

    • Access to a mobile device or laptop

    • Access to a quiet space with reliable internet connection

    • To be able to attend all 15 days of the programme schedule

    • Childcare/caring duties ( if applicable) covered during the programme hours

    • To be able to attend the presentation day in person in London

POST PROGRAM

  • It’s important to us that you finish the programme feeling confident about working within the creative industry.

    However we also understand that in some cases a little more support is required. If this is the case we will offer you a mentor who will support you for a limited time post programme.

  • Some of our partner agencies will invite you all to attend an agency open morning where you will get the chance to hear about their recent campaigns, the structure of their departments as well as get an understanding of what their CDs look for in a creative.

  • We love working with agencies, brands and charities! Our partners usually support this programme in one of four ways:

    • Providing mentorship for the creatives

    • Providing sponsorship

    • Providing expertise, an helping run a session/workshop

    • Providing help with outreach.

    If one of the above options strikes your fancy, or you’ve some other ideas on what might work , we’d love to chat about how we can work together. Please email emma@creativeequals.org

We’re an agency, brand, charity…