A collage image of young people enjoying themselves at the last Upgrade Yourself takeover.

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Upgrade Yourself Festival

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Book ticket
FREE
07 - 08 Jun 2024
16.00 - 20.00
Lancaster & River Rooms
New Wing

Upgrade Yourself Festival is back, connecting emerging creatives ages 16 to 30 with trailblazing creatives and industry experts. Join us for inspiring talks, workshops, and mentoring sessions plus music and performances!

Across both days enjoy:

  • Networking activations for connecting likeminded talent with I LIKE NETWORKING. 
    From 16.00-16.45, join the team to learn how to make the most of the event. This is a space for people who might be a little nervous or have come alone and looking for a buddy / to make friends.
  • Free headshots by fashion photographer Kwame Dapaa
  • Free food and drink provided by Clement Worrall
  • Live DJ sets from CAFFY (Friday) and CasuallyClued (Saturday)

Main Stage - Friday

Hosted by Matty Chiabi
A group of young Black folk enjoying themselves in the sun in a field. they are gathered in a circle, two people taking a selfie, some sat on the floor (with one holding a film camera and someone sat on a bike.
Panel Talk
16.30 | Lancaster Rooms

Somesuch Speaks: Navigating the Film Industry

Learn what it means to be an entry-level producer, director or filmmaker and what the journey might look like to get these roles with film production company Somesuch and The Kusp, a not-for-profit improving representation in creative media.
Young people handpaint a brightly coloured geometric mural on a wall.
Talk
17.30 | Lancaster Rooms

The Journey Into Architecture and Design

Architect and co-founder of Power Out of Restriction (POoR) Collective Larry Botchway discusses his journey into the architectural industry, his unique perspective as a minority and the benefit of unheard voices in the built environment.
A close-up of a person who holds a manicured long acrylic nail to their lips, which are immaculately lined and lip glossed. They are wearing gold jewellery and a gold septum piercing and you can just begin to see the frames of their glasses.
Panel Talk
18.30 | Lancaster Rooms

How to Build a Publication, Business, or Brand

Tori West (BRICKS Magazine), Isabelle White (Image Gang) and Kesang Ball (Trippin World) discuss how to sell yourself, centre your narrative, foster community and find your audience.
Summer Pearl poses for the camera. She is a young Black woman wearing a crochet white dress. She kneels and rests her head in hands, looking defiantly into the camera lens.
Performance
19.30 | Lancaster Rooms

Summer Pearl

The music artist hailing from London brings her care-free live acoustic performance and to the point lyrics to the main stage. Summer is influenced by Jazz, Soul, Hip Hop, R&B and Reggae.

Main Stage - Saturday

Hosted by Matty Chiabi. BSL Interpretation on Saturday 08 June only
A black and white image of Ell Penick, a young woman with dark straight hair wearing a black suit and white shirt. She sits on a chair and is looking directly to the camera, with her head resting lightly in her left hand.
In Conversation
16.30 | Lancaster Rooms

Going Against the Grain in the Art World

In this talk, Founder and Director of Guts Gallery Ell Pennick and artist Elsa Rouy discuss their journeys into the art world and explore strategies to address and overcome the many challenges of working in the art world today.
An installation view of an artwork commissioned by Shape Arts, the artwork is by Sophie Hoyle, A TV screen is suspended from the ceiling and on it you can see a microscopic images of cells.
Panel Talk
17.30 | Lancaster Rooms

Forging Accessible Creative Careers with Shape Arts

Join Shape Arts and their supported artists for a panel discussion on accessibility for artists and artworkers trying to kick start creative careers, with Elinor Hayes, Kaiya Waerea, zack mennell and April Lin 林森.
Holly-Marie, a Black woman takes a photo of herself in a mirror. The room is in shadow and there is a patch of sunlight lighting up her face. Her face is half obscured by the camera she holds to her eye.
Talk
18.30 | Lancaster Rooms

Almost a Decade In: Lessons On How To Freelance with Holly-Marie Cato

Learn from photographer Holly-Marie Cato as she takes you on an in-depth crash course on best practices learned in her decade in the industry, from money management to building client relationships.
The comedian Sophie Duker wears a pink and orange houndstooth check cardigan and long blond braids tied in a top know. She rests her head on two closed fists and looks to her right with a pensive, pouty expression
Performance
19.30 | Lancaster Rooms

Sophie Duker

Sophie Duker brings a stand-up comedy set to the main stage. The acclaimed comedian and writer is a sell-out at Edinburgh Fringe and a regular guest on TV panel shows across the BBC, Channel 4 and Dave.

Workshops

We advise pre-booking for G16 workshops when you book your ticket to the festival. Workshop entry is on a first-come, first served basis until we reach capacity and those with workshop tickets will be prioritised.

Friday

Creative Access Application Clinic
16.00 - 19.30 | G19

Creative industry guidance plus where to look for opportunities, plus advice on formatting and tone of applications. The team can cover CVs, cover letters, portfolios, statements and answer any questions you have about industry recruitment practices. Bring one thing to focus on during the appointment to make the best use of your time.

Sounds of Solidarity - Building Community with RepresentAsian 
17.00 - 18.00 | G16
Please pre-book when booking your festival ticket

Discover how music can build community in creative spaces and the workplace. Through prompts and crafts build a collaborative playlist, set affirmations and create personalised badges.

Cruising Beyond Creative Alienation
18.30 - 19.30 | G16
Please pre-book when booking your festival ticket

Strategise methods of reclaiming your narrative, body and your relationship to contested space through art making and games with 'The Spaceship', a mobile fabrial mural, with Jacob V Joyce.

Fashion Illustration Using Sustainable Ink
16.00 - 19.30 | River Rooms

Create unique illustrations from styled fashion looks using CQ Studio's in-house food and plant-based inks and found items for mark-making tools.

Saturday

CV Clinic with Represent
16.00 - 19.30 | G19

Represent shares practical knowledge and confidence-boosting strategies to equip you with the tools for a successful and thriving career. The team can cover CVs, portfolios, and work applications and answer any questions you may have about industry recruitment practices. Please bring one thing to focus on during the appointment to make the best use of your time.

REVENGE AS PRACTISE, REVENGE IN LIFE
17.00 - 18.00 | G16
Please pre-book when booking your festival ticket

Explore how revenge can be used as a writing technique to generate unexpected ideas and reflection with Samra Mayanja and Imani Mason Jordan, two artist-writers bringing abolitionist thinking into their writing practices. 

We're Seeing the Future First - A Workshop About Short Filmmaking
18.30 - 19.30 | G16
Please pre-book when booking your festival ticket

Minute Shorts' founder and CEO Janvier Wete guides you through the various stages of making short films in today's diverse and dynamic film industry, focusing on planning, marketing and distribution.

Manifest Your Dream Career
16.00 - 19.30 | River Rooms

You're invited to think about what your dream career is and what steps you need to take to make it happen, using prompts, words, images and drawings, to create a collage that will map out your journey with Nadina Ali.

1:1 Mentoring Sessions

Drop-in 1:1 mentoring sessions with creative industry experts and trailblazing talent including:

  • Claudia Afranie (Friday)
  • Imani Mason Jordan (Friday)
  • Nate Agbetu (Friday)
  • Rabz Lansiquot (Friday & Saturday)
  • Ibz (Lord Tusk) (Friday & Saturday)
  • Leila Dear (Friday & Saturday)
  • Jeffrey Oyinlola (Friday & Saturday)
  • Sophia Hinton-Lever (Friday & Saturday)
  • Jason Baron (Friday & Saturday)
  • Selassie Tevie (Saturday)
  • Tori West (Saturday)
  • Jacob V Joyce (Saturday)
Meet Your Mentors

 

Access Information

Our ambition is to make this event accessible to everyone, but we know there is work to do!
 
Upgrade Yourself Festival will take place in G Rooms, River Rooms and Lancaster Rooms at Somerset House (New Wing). The space is on the ground floor and accessible to wheelchair users. There is an accessible toilet close by and all toilets will be gender neutral. There will also be a quiet space and access packs available.
 
The event will be supported through BSL Interpretation on Saturday 08 June only. If you would like more information or to request specific access support, please email engagement@somersethouse.org.uk prior to arriving.
 
We are constantly working towards making our events more accessible, if you have any feedback on how we can improve. Please let us know!
 
Find out more about accessibility at Somerset House here.
 
ACCESS PACKS
On the days of the festival you'll be able to borrow Access Packs from the New Wing Reception. These will contain large print guides, noise cancelling headphones, a copy of the visual story, a document detailing what you can expect navigating your way to the event, and a stress ball.

About Upgrade Yourself

Read more

Somerset House’s Upgrade Yourself programme is aimed at deepening and widening engagement. Produced by the Inclusive Talent Engagement team, these events and opportunities seek to remove barriers and increase representation in the creative sector, with a focus on young aspiring creative talent from underrepresented* backgrounds. The Upgrade Yourself programme focuses on giving emerging talent aged 16-30 access to skills, experiences and progression routes to pursue careers in the creative sector, connecting to the wider Somerset House programme and resident creative community.

If you would like to keep up to date with the Upgrade Yourself programme and opportunities at Somerset House please sign up to our newsletter.


*The Inclusive Talent Engagement team at Somerset House acknowledges that particular people are underrepresented in the creative sector. Particularly those who identify as: 

  • Ethnically diverse and/or Global Majority
  • Living with a disability
  • Working class and/or from a lower socio-economic background
  • LGBTQIA+ and/or non-binary
  • Neurodivergent  

We also acknowledge that people face barriers in many ways not mentioned above, and we are open to hearing from anyone who considers themselves to be underrepresented in the creative sector.