How Create Jobs’ seven-week programme is empowering a new wave of visual storytellers
Last October, the teams behind Create jobs and Magnum Photos launched Creativity Works: Visual Storytelling for the second year in a row, in partnership with The Hudson Bec Group. The idea was simple: 24 creatives at the very beginning of their careers were posed with the question, “What is your London?” kick-starting an array of visual works that explored individual experiences of the vast city. Attendees aged between 18 and 24, many with no previous experience of photography, had the chance to rub shoulders with and learn from some of the industry’s biggest movers and shakers, including Magnum-represented photographers, the Tate’s design team and editors from Port Magazine and The Financial Times. Here we’re sharing some of the brilliant work from 2019’s cohort, as well as hearing from three alumni about their time on the programme.
Meet the Storytelling Works class of 2019
Faith Aylward’s project ‘Scenes From My London’ shares her experience of self-discovery, experimentation and adventure in the capital
Billimae Latimer’s ‘A Gift from the Tories’, highlighting the rise of knife crime in the UK
Randy Mankoto’s series ‘The Pursuit’ explores faith and community through moments of reflection and intimacy
Cleo Webster’s project ‘Comeasyouare: The Bedroom Chronicles’ explores individual creativity through the lens of the bedroom
Daniel Norman’s series ‘Soph’ looks at mental health and loneliness in the LGBTQ+ community
Jai Toor’s project ‘Yet Another Day’ examines the relationship between his grandparents
George Robson’s ‘Flying the Nest’ series highlights the transitional experience of leaving home
Yvonne Gyamfi’s project ‘I Feel You Still’ explores the intimacy of communication and the evolving nature of language
Gwen Datyner’s series ‘A Girl’s Walk Home’ highlights the anxieties and precariousness women face after dark
Jazz Noble’s ‘Part of the Furniture’ explores the nature of pubs as personalised, homely entities
Kevin Chemuka’s series ‘My Role Models’ tells the story of four friends and what it means to be positive role models
Ellie Radford’s project ‘Is Paradise An Island Of Perfection?’ investigates colour and fashion as forms of communication
Lourice Ramos’s series ‘The Face Of The People That Need YOU!’ highlights the stories and experiences of characters from her local market
Melissa Gardner tells the story of London's inclusive nightlife with her series ‘All Under One Roof Raving’
Sabab Khan’s series ‘The Silence Before it Changes’ documents the changing nature of his local borough, Tower Hamlets
Nathan Ford’s ‘With Compliments’ tells of a young adult living with autism
Work by Eric King from his project ‘The Edge’, exploring the area around the artist’s home
Tishon Nicholson’s project ‘The Inner Me’ focuses on four generations of the artist’s family and their stories
Shani McFarlane-Marti’s series ‘The Uncanny’ explores how everyday environments can affect atmosphere and mood
Victoria Onubogu’s ‘We Move’ series highlights the importance of work-life balance
Faith Aylward’s project ‘Scenes From My London’ shares her experience of self-discovery, experimentation and adventure in the capital
Billimae Latimer’s ‘A Gift from the Tories’, highlighting the rise of knife crime in the UK
Randy Mankoto’s series ‘The Pursuit’ explores faith and community through moments of reflection and intimacy
Cleo Webster’s project ‘Comeasyouare: The Bedroom Chronicles’ explores individual creativity through the lens of the bedroom
Daniel Norman’s series ‘Soph’ looks at mental health and loneliness in the LGBTQ+ community
Jai Toor’s project ‘Yet Another Day’ examines the relationship between his grandparents
George Robson’s ‘Flying the Nest’ series highlights the transitional experience of leaving home
Yvonne Gyamfi’s project ‘I Feel You Still’ explores the intimacy of communication and the evolving nature of language
Gwen Datyner’s series ‘A Girl’s Walk Home’ highlights the anxieties and precariousness women face after dark
Jazz Noble’s ‘Part of the Furniture’ explores the nature of pubs as personalised, homely entities
Kevin Chemuka’s series ‘My Role Models’ tells the story of four friends and what it means to be positive role models
Ellie Radford’s project ‘Is Paradise An Island Of Perfection?’ investigates colour and fashion as forms of communication
Lourice Ramos’s series ‘The Face Of The People That Need YOU!’ highlights the stories and experiences of characters from her local market
Melissa Gardner tells the story of London's inclusive nightlife with her series ‘All Under One Roof Raving’
Sabab Khan’s series ‘The Silence Before it Changes’ documents the changing nature of his local borough, Tower Hamlets
Nathan Ford’s ‘With Compliments’ tells of a young adult living with autism
Work by Eric King from his project ‘The Edge’, exploring the area around the artist’s home
Tishon Nicholson’s project ‘The Inner Me’ focuses on four generations of the artist’s family and their stories
Shani McFarlane-Marti’s series ‘The Uncanny’ explores how everyday environments can affect atmosphere and mood
Victoria Onubogu’s ‘We Move’ series highlights the importance of work-life balance
Capella Buncher
Capella is an English literature graduate who completed a stint working for the NHS before embarking on her creative journey into photography and art.
Coming from a working-class background and being able to go to university meant that there was a lot of pressure for me to follow a traditional route, meaning getting a viable well-paid job.
After graduating, I found myself in a little funk doing admin for the NHS’ preoperative ward. Feeling like I was moving further and further away from entering the creative world, I began focusing on photography, which eventually led me to secure a place on the Creativity Works programme.
“To see people like me thriving and not from typical creative backgrounds was reassuring.”
The programme was so accessible and all the feedback and support I received from industry professionals was invaluable. I was surrounded by talented creatives who were mostly from underrepresented backgrounds, which helped grow my confidence rapidly. To see people like me thriving and not from typical creative backgrounds was reassuring and has now equipped me with the confidence to break into the industry.
Filip Skiba
Filip is a 19-year-old photographer venturing into the world of fashion photography. Having completed a foundation course in photography, he’s gone on to become an ambassador for various art institutions as well as freelancing on the side.
Ahead of starting the intensive course with Create jobs, I’d completed a two-year foundation diploma in photography. I became interested in how its many forms could be used as a tool to raise questions about social stigma. I was also working on my ongoing project The Fluid State, which explores how members of the LGBTQ+ community deal with the definitions inflicted on them by society.
“I became interested in how photography and its many forms could be used as a tool to raise questions about social stigma.”
Having the opportunity to explore creative spaces that host the likes of It’s Nice That, AirBnb and Channel 4 was brilliant, and attending launches and networking events inspired me to continue putting myself out there. Hearing different creatives talk about their work also provided an understanding of the industry and the practice I’m looking to get into.
It’s important to focus on getting myself out of my comfort zone now – and that inspiration all stemmed from my time on the programme. Everyone can create similar work, but the key difference is the individual approach towards a project or initial brief. Ultimately it’s time to practice: connect, network and hustle.
Nelly Dedelaite
Nelly is a 23-year-old photographer, writer and painter. Having worked as a barista for the last couple of years, the Creativity Works programme was her first foray into the professional creative world.
I finished university back in 2017 and had little to no idea what I wanted to pursue outside of education. I don’t have a formal training in a creative field, but I’ve always had a strong affinity with the art world. For the last couple of years alongside my job as a barista, I’ve been constantly drawing, painting, writing and taking photographs. I needed something to happen and Creativity Works became exactly that.
“I don’t have a formal education in the creative arts but I’ve always had a strong affinity with the art world.”
Coming away with new-found skills in various Adobe Suite programmes like Photoshop and InDesign has been invaluable. I’ve been navigating my way around a camera, while also enjoying the huge network of supportive mentors and friends that I gained from the programme. I now understand just how much work goes into being a creative – whether in photography, design or journalism. It made me realise that I’d like to be in the industry in any capacity, so moving forward I’ll be pushing to get more projects out there in order to build on my portfolio.
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Create Jobs’ Visual Storytelling course is part of the Creativity Works programme, in partnership with Magnum Photos and The Hudson Bec Group (which includes Lecture in Progress, It’s Nice That and Anyways). See the full range of programmes here, and be the first to hear about new opportunities via their newsletter.
Header image by Victoria Onubogu from the series ‘We Move’.
Written by Creative Lives in Progress
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