Creative Industries Career Day

About Creative Industries Career Day

We're inviting the next generation of curious minds to an unmissable day of discovery in the creative industries. Dive into inspiring sessions with creative organisations large and small. Meet with artists, designers, tattooists, theatre-makers, writers and creatives, and find out about careers that you didn’t even know existed.

Whether you're interested in theatre, visual arts, design, writing, music or beyond, this event is crafted to ignite your potential, spark ideas, and show you the endless possibilities ahead.

Year 9+ students
If you’re a student choosing GCSE options, or looking at further education pathways, we've got a range of creative professionals ready and waiting to give advice and practical tips on getting experience in your chosen area of interest.

University students and graduates
Focussing on creative roles across a variety of industries, this is your opportunity to access presentations, panel discussions, workshops, interactive stands, CV surgeries – all led by professionals at the top of their game. If you’re ready to survey the employment landscape then this careers fair is for you.

Quiz experts on apprenticeships, trainee schemes, career pathways and employment opportunities. Whether you’re looking to explore design, writing, music, a skilled trade, technical production, digital creation, gaming, public speaking, theatre or more, we can help.

The following organisations will have stalls on the day in the Festival Theatre foyer. From 9.30am onwards you can chat and discover the possibilities they can unlock for you:

Architectural Plants (plant and garden nursery)
Brightblack (immersive technologies)
Bristol School of Acting (drama school)
Cameron Mackintosh Ltd (West End theatre producers)
Centre for Creative Immersive and Extended Reality (CCIXR Portsmouth)
Chichester College (further education)
Dreweatts (fine art auctioneers)
Glyndebourne (opera house)
LW Theatres (West End theatre producers)
Montezuma’s (luxury chocolatiers)
Novium Museum (local history museum)
Pallant House Gallery (modern British art museum)
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars (luxury car manufacturer)
Rosie Matthews (tattooist and body piercer)
Sussex Heritage Trust (conservation charity)
Talawa Theatre (Black British theatre company)
The Graphic Design House (graphic design agency)
The Pleasance Theatre (London-based venue)
The Wardrobe Ensemble (theatre artists)
The Weald & Downland Living Museum (Sussex rural history)
West Sussex Music (Music education resource)
White Light (lighting and audio visual services)

Please email [email protected] for group bookings. Individuals can also drop in on the day.

Timetable

Time	Venue	Session	About
9.30am - 2.30pm	Creative Hub	CV Surgery	Drop in to our CV Surgery with Naz Jahir, People Manager at CFT. Naz will be holding 10 minute 1-2-1 sessions for for A-Level students and university graduates.
9.30am - 10am	Roddick Room	Technical theatre workshop	Discover backstage magic with this technical theatre workshop run by CFT. Explore lighting, sound, and stagecraft.
10.10am - 10.30am	Rehearsal Room	Fundraising for the Arts	Learn how to turn your passion for creativity into a career, connecting businesses and individuals with the arts they love. With Liz McCarthy-Nield, CFT's Director of Development.
10.30am - 12.15pm	Creative Hub	How to write your personal statement	Drop-in to have a 10 minute session with Jane Dowding, recruitment specialist, on what to include in your personal statement and interview techniques.
10.45am - 11.05am	Rehearsal Room	Pathways into Theatre	Curious about creating theatre with and for communities? Uncover what it takes to become a theatre practitioner with Matt Hawksworth, Head of Children & Young People's Programme at CFT.
11am - 11.30am	Minerva Theatre	Making Theatre panel discussion	Industry experts including Justin Audibert (CFT Artistic Director), Amelia Ferrand-Rook (CFT Producer), Ryan Dawson Laight (Costume Designer), Phil Porter (Playwright), Andrew Jameson and Juliet Hornsley (Casting Director) will discuss the creation process of a show from page to stage, covering creative and practical roles.
11am - 11.30am	Roddick Room	Education & Bass	A hands-on introduction to music technology with Andrew Ferguson, exploring tools, techniques, and creative workflows that form the backbone of the music industry today.
11.20am - 11.40am	Rehearsal Room	Events Planning	Join Keshira Aarabi, an expert planner and stylist, as she shares her 18-year hospitality journey. Learn about creativity, networking, budgeting, and client collaboration.
11.45am - 12.15pm	Minerva Theatre	Technical Theatre and Apprenticeships panel discussion	Find out about the different roles and pathways for a variety of positions within a technical department in a theatre. Panel includes Sally Garner-Gibbons (Apprenticeships Coordinator), Sam Garner-Gibbons (Technical Director), Chris Boone (Technical Director) and Stuart Porter.
12pm - 12.20pm	Roddick Room	Acting workshop	Explore the power of action in realism. A dynamic acting workshop for anyone ready to dive into authentic storytelling.
12.30pm - 1pm	Minerva Theatre	Recruitment and Roles panel discussion	A guide to exploring transferrable skills and how to get ahead in the creative industries. Our panellists will speak about their experiences and how there's no one route into working in the creative industries. Panel includes Jane Dowding (Recruitment Specialist), Simon Bucknall (Public Speaking Coach), Loz Tait (Head of Wardrobe), Simon Martin and Adam Foster.
12.30pm - 1pm	Minerva Brasserie	Casting Director Q&A	This is your opportunity to ask professional Casting Director Juliet Horsley any burning questions you have about getting into acting and the casting process.
1pm - 1.20pm	Rehearsal Room	Scriptwriting	Dreaming of seeing your story on stage but not sure where to start? This talk is perfect for anyone who's curious about becoming a playwright with writer Phil Porter.
1pm - 1.30pm	Roddick Room	Technical theatre workshop	Discover backstage magic with this technical theatre workshop run by CFT. Explore lighting, sound, and stagecraft.
1.15pm -1.45pm	Minerva Brasserie	Keynote Speech	Simon Bucknall is an inspirational speaker and public speaking coach who will be offering tips for managing nerves, projecting confidence, how to discover your voice and share your value with others.
1.35pm - 1.55pm	Rehearsal Room	Design for Theatre	Simon Higlett discusses pathways into the design and technical side of theatre, sharing highlights from his remarkable 40-year career.
2pm - 2.30pm	Minerva Brasserie	Interview techniques workshop	An interactive role play workshop on effective interviewing with Simon Bucknall and Jane Dowding, recruitment specialist.
2.10pm - 2.30pm	Rehearsal Room	Costume Design	Ryan Dawson Laight is an accomplished costume and set designer. Here he shares insights into his creative process, from initial sketches to costume fittings.

From 10am - 1pm, Pallant House Gallery will be delivering sessions focused on art, design and media. This opportunity is available for a limited number of students from Years, 9, 10 and 12. These sessions are now fully booked, however if you would like be added to the waiting list or be emailed for future events like this, please contact their Learning team: [email protected]

In association with Pallant House Gallery, Chichester College and Creative County West Sussex.

Chichester Festival Theatre

About Creative Industries Career Day

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