Nearly half of ethnically diverse people in creative industries need help paying their bills

Nearly half of ethnically diverse people in creative industries are financially unstable or need help paying their bills, according to new research.

Research from Manchester University and Creative Access found that only 29% of ethnically diverse people in creative industries were in employment in March 2021, down from 51%.

They also found that nearly half of respondents said they are financially unstable or need immediate assistance to pay their bills.

The overwhelming majority of ethnically diverse creative workers reported feeling anxious or worried, with job insecurity being a major contributing factor.

The report’s authors are calling for a host of changes at creative and cultural organisations to tackle these issues.

The proposed changes include financial incentives for organisations which develop targeted schemes for graduates from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

Professor Bridget Byrne from the Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity said: "This sector is critical not only for its contribution to the economy, but also because it shapes the cultural life of the country - this is why structural racism faced within the sector is so concerning."

"We need action within individual organisations, but also more broadly at a policy level to both collect the data needed to track ethnic inequalities and also to implement proactive actions to ensure that ethnically diverse people have fair access to training, jobs and promotion within the sector."