Channel is Somerset House’s new curated online space for art, ideas and the artistic process.
Somerset House’s careers development programme, Upgrade Yourself, offers a range of opportunities to support access to jobs and professional development in the creative sector.
As London’s Working Arts Centre, Somerset House’s extensive creative community of artists, makers, producers, and creative businesses provides opportunities and clear career pathways to future generations of talent across the creative sector. Our aim is to make the workforce more representative of the society we live in.
The title Upgrade Yourself was conceived by programme alumnus Hodan Ibrahim to reflect the collaborative, developmental and transformational process for both participants and those delivering the programme.
Upgrade Yourself is delivered in two ways to support participants at different stages into a number of pathways within the creative sector.
- Regular online and onsite sessions focusing on know-how and delivered with the creative industries and cultural sector. Sessions give an insider’s knowledge of different career options, skills development, connections, and access routes. They are delivered with members of our creative community and the wider sector.
- We run placements and residencies for emerging professionals looking for their first step into the creative and cultural sector. We offer London Living Wage placements, with on the job learning that nurture, mentor and train the next generation of creative professionals. Both programmes connect and collaborate with our creative community, including our Exchange and Black Business Incubator initiatives.
- Creative Industry Placements
Nine-month placements getting inside how a creative business is run from operations to programming. Working across Somerset House Trust and hosted by organisations within our creative community.
- Future Producer Residencies
A two-year development programme for emerging cultural producers, making work and developing participatory events for Somerset House’s cultural and digital programme, while being supported into pathways for a sustainable freelance career.
If you would like to know about Upgrade Yourself opportunities and to find out more about the Inclusive Talent Engagement team's work please subscribe to our mailing list for updates.
Upgrade Yourself programmes are generously supported by The Blavatnik Family Foundation, Freelands Foundation, John Lyon’s Charity and The Maria Bjornson Memorial Fund.
*By under-represented we mean: People who are under-represented within the creative sector workforce and audiences, specifically in terms of: LGBTQIA+ and/or non-binary, having a migrant or refugee experience, from African Diaspora, from South, East and South East Asian diaspora, and/or ethnically diverse, neurodivergent, disabled, affected by a health condition or impairment, affected by homelessness, care-leaver, carer, unemployed and/or have received welfare benefits, working class and/or first in their immediate family to go to university.