10 Resources for Black Creatives
From artistic collectives to professional communities, these ten resources may prove invaluable for Black Creatives.
To celebrate British Black History Month, we have compiled a series of useful resources for Black creatives. From industry bodies to social advocacy groups, these are ten leading forces in the UK's Black creative industries that you should know about!
This article is the latest addition to our newly established hub for Black Culture, Heritage and History. The hub offers a new focal point to raise the profile of the immeasurable impact of black culture within music and our wider community, presented as an archive of blog articles, videos and stories.
1. BBZ BLK BK | Advocacy / Empowerment
BBZ BLK BK is a “curatorial & creative production collective born, raised and based in South East London with roots in nightlife and clubbing culture.”
They are dedicated to prioritising the experiences of queer womxn, trans folk and non-binary people of colour - supporting their community with physical and online platforms.
Their exploration of experiential creativity spans the worlds of audio, installations, celebratory events, film screenings, photography & much more!
2. Black Lives in Music | Music Industry
Black Lives in Music addresses the inequality of opportunity that faces Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse artists and professionals, aspiring to enter the music industry (primarily within the genres of Classical and Jazz).
Alongside a breadth of partners, BLIM work towards the goals of dismantling structural racism in the music industry and support individuals with better professional opportunities.
3. Black Music Coalition | Music Industry
The Black Music Coalition (BMC) is a Black led association, founded in the wake of the #TheShowMustBePaused / #TheShowMustBePausedUK movements.
The BMC is committed to negating racial inequality and fostering "equality and equity for Black executives, artists and their communities within the UK Music Industry."
The organisation is staffed by an executive committee formed of Black professionals who are active members or affiliates of the UK music industry and a wider panel of Black music industry experts.
4. Black Music Action Coalition | Music Industry
BMAC is an advocacy organisation, established in alliance with the #TheShowMustBePaused movement. They represent “Black artists, songwriters, producers, managers, agents, lawyers and other passionate industry professionals” and aim to address racism within the music industry and society on the whole.
BMAC organise and disseminate key information through their network for 200+ members to influence culture on topics such as racial justice, equity through policy, charitable initiatives and voter education.
5. Black Representation in Marketing | Entrepreneurship
BRiM is a multi-industry movement, established to improve the representation of Black people in marketing. They provide actionable advice to help anyone, at any professional level and aim to create industry-wide and societal change through action and advocacy.
From Brexit, to Climate Change, BRiM provide editorial coverage of all key topics in Advertising, as well as actively engaging stakeholder, industry and governmental apparatuses to ensure their voice is heard.
6. INCARTS | Advocacy / Empowerment
Inc Arts “champions the creative, contractual and economic rights of the UK's African, Asian, Caribbean and ethnically diverse arts sector workforce.” Their vision is to foster a “thriving cultural community” that provides the foundations for everyone to achieve their best work.
They are dedicated to safeguarding and supporting those “who work in roles off-stage and support creative production” across the fields of archive, dance, heritage, music, theatre, outdoor installations, and visual arts.
7. POCC | Entrepreneurship
Pocc is an “organisation of transformation, championing change through creativity, activism and non-traditional means.” It was initially formed as a WhatsApp group to provide a safe-space for creatives of African, Caribbean and Asian descent, and has since grown into an intercontinental network of thousands of participants in the fields of Advertising, Film & TV, Media and the Arts.
Its creative arms - Pocc Studios and Pocc Productions enable the organisation to produce industry-leading creative projects - collaborating with the likes of Disney, Netflix, Meta, the V&A, Apple, Serpentine, Prada, Clear Channel and more. Their non-profit arm - For the Culture and Community supports community-led initiatives, campaigns, events, bursaries, movie screenings and member-events.
8. PRS Power Up | Music Industry
PRS’ Power Up Movement aims to “harnesses the experiences of individuals in the music industry to inform powerful, meaningful and wide-reaching action.” The association is in alliance with the Black Music Coalition, and they work together towards a “fairer, more equitable music industry for Black creators and industry professionals.”
The organisation empowers underrepresented creatives and aims to compile organisations, companies and individuals to increase the number of Black creators and professionals in their networks to create fruitful, lasting working relationships.
prsfoundation.com/power-up-movement
9. Saffron Music | Advocacy / Empowerment
Saffron Music was founded in Bristol in 2015, it is a non-profit organisation that “primarily offers training in music production, sound engineering and DJing, as well as running an artist development programme and record label.”
Their aim is to develop gender equality in the music-tech industry through the establishment of role models and the creation of safe-spaces for women, non-binary people and other minority genders.
10. The Association of Black Event Professionals
The Association of Black Event Professionals has been founded by a group of black executives, operating in the UK events industry. Their initial report “Black in the Boardroom,” analysed a breadth of trade associations and bodies to assess the representation of Black professionals. Their findings revealed that there are no black board members across 15 of the UK’s leading event trade bodies and associations.
"My journey may have been different if I'd had an association behind me. We want to be able to support more black event professionals." - Nadu Placca (founder of The Zoo XYZ).
You can access the Black In The Boardroom report here:
Bonus. Sofuture | Media
The ‘Black People Did That’ series showcases and celebrates the immeasurable impact that Black artists have held in the formation of modern music.
From Hip-Hop to Techno to Vogueing - this documentary video series “explore the origins of music genres and the pioneers who birthed them.”
Bonus. Independent Society of Musicians' celebration of Black history in music
The ISM has put together a list of resources celebrating the historic legacy of Black performers and composers in the UK, as well as exploring the topics of diversity and inclusion.
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To completely immerse yourself in your music career, chat with our friendly Admissions Team via email enquiries@icmp.ac.uk or give them a call on 020 7328 0222.
Find your course
We've been developing and delivering contemporary music education for over 30 years – longer than any other music school in the UK. With a proven track-record, countless music industry connections and unrivalled access to facilities, it's easy to see why hundreds of students choose ICMP each year.
To completely immerse yourself in your music career, chat with our friendly Admissions Team via email enquiries@icmp.ac.uk or give them a call on 020 7328 0222.