Upgrade Yourself Festival June 2024
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!
Archived Event
| Dates | 07 - 08 Jun 2024 |
| Times | 16.00 - 20.00 |
| Space | Lancaster & River Rooms New Wing |
| Price | Free |
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)
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)
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.