Arts Emergency says pursue what you love, do it for you, and we’ll support you because you are just as entitled as anyone else to live the life you want! No one else says these things, and backs it up with real long term support, real networks, and real opportunities.
Young people’s applications for 2024 mentoring have just closed, and all the things our team do to meet, match and support all of those sixteen and seventeen year olds are underway. But, for the tenth year running, Arts Emergency has had more applications for mentors than we have the resources to take on.
The need for our unique programme is clear. We simply lack the funds.
The time is right to ask you to support these young people and fund one place for the year ahead. We're looking for 21 new Bursars to fund places for 21 more mentees in 2024. Are you one of them?
Our Bursar Club is a small funding circle who pledge £1,000 or more to us annually. Historically, this has been the average cost of supporting a young person’s ten year long place with Arts Emergency.
This £1,000 annual pledge works out as under £20 a week, and you can pay monthly or annually.
It is vital that those of us weathering this storm send ladders down so people in less secure positions make it through. There is no greater way to pass on your privilege.
Arts Emergency is truly a factory of hope and opportunity. Check out the good news reel below for a small taster of the positive action your donation will have on our community!
The Bursar Club includes writers, comedians, actors, tv execs, designers, photographers and a whole host of recognisable names including Joe Lycett, Yomi Adegoke, Mat Baynton, and Nish Kumar. In funding one young person's place in this community, you'll be standing alongside these good people and businesses across the creative sector (and beyond).
Get in touch with our Director of Fundraising & Marketing, Lucy about alternative ways to donate, giving in someone's name or if you are considering giving at a higher level.
Be generous. Now be more generous. Share your privilege.
If you need help deciding whether to support, here is a glimpse of the AE teams internal good news Slack Channel, with just some light editing to remove personal names and details. Enjoy!
⬇️ Good News Slack Channel ⬇️
- Merseyside mentee on their audition to Oxford University:
"Had my Oxford Uni audition last week. Had a horrible time with weird and wacky interviews and I thought I bombed the audition. But, a day later got an offer to read Music with an organ scholarship!!! Thank you so much to you, Arts Emergency and my mentor for giving me the confidence and support throughout the process! - 🎉 Jessica has been successful in a recent audition and has been offered a place on a drama school course!
- Got an email from BAFTA to say they awarded two bursaries to Arts Emergency applicants!
- Email from a mentee:
"Thank you so much for this opportunity. It has really helped me believe that I can actually have a career in fine arts." - Comment from a mentor:
“Mentoring is the highlight of my month!!" - Email from work experience participant:
"My work experience was amazing, very helpful and I was able to be more hands-on" - Email from a mentee:
"I got my degree results today and I thought I'd let you know I'm graduating with a first in BA (Hons) History of Art and Museum Studies!! I wanted to let you know personally as our mentorship was really valuable to me and one of the main reasons I decided to take this course and work towards curating xx" - Tania got a job!!! She's a new Development Assistant at Paramount +
- Social post from mentee:
"Over the year, my mentor supported me with prepping for interviews, putting me in contact with other museum professionals, networking (every introvert’s nightmare) and realising what I’m good at (fighting major imposter syndrome). Not only did I get a mentor but a friend too!" - Message from a mentee:
"As I did say in my first interview I will pay it forward, I can’t express my gratitude to Arts Emergency for all the opportunities and work you guys continuously do for me. When I have my big agency I would love to be a mentor and coach to some individuals who are also interested in the PR/Advertising sphere and be of help to them!" - An update from mentee Eddie:
"The conversations I had with people working in the charity sector were invaluable and I’ve since gone on to get a job in community fundraising. I’m also really excited to share that i’ve been selected for the Bush Theatre’s Emerging Writers Group. I’m very passionate about what Arts Emergency do and hope I can stay in touch and help in the future however I can!" - Aisha has started writing for the Climate Culture as a regular 😊
- Email from a mentee:
"My mentor Billie has been a massive support to me not just with my work but my confidence and also I would say overall mental health." - Update from Tom:
"One of my short films has actually been selected for a small film festival in North Wales - Lovely message from a mentor 🫶:
"Just a note to say that I'm really enjoying being an Arts Emergency mentor, it's such a great initiative and is quickly becoming the most worthwhile thing I've done in a long time. Thanks for putting it together and making it such a great programme. I think we've both got a lot out of this connection so far." - From the Royal Academy interviewing our young community for internships:
"We were really blown away by the candidates!! They are amazing individuals. A few of them also had high praises for Arts Emergency and advocated for the work you do!” - Wonderful news from mentee Clara:
"I have some exciting news regarding some of my recent auditions. I have successfully secured a place on the BA Degree course at Northern School of Contemporary Dance; Trinity Laban and London Contemporary Dance School!" 💃🏽 - Salma emailed to say she's through to the interview round for an internship with CNN :)
- Ellen, 17, said the best bit about mentoring over the last six months was:
"Not feeling pressured by school to conform to a career or subject yet and understanding that I have time to explore and find out what I’m actually interested in" - Maria has exciting news about an audiobook audition last week which she got!!!
"This is actually the second audiobook job I booked in a week. Both auditions were with publisher Harper Collins, who held auditions for Arts Emergency talent. It's a wonderful full-circle moment! I am over the moon" - Message from a work experience participant:
"I did my work experience at the Royal Court. The staff were lovely and made sure I felt comfortable while in the rehearsal room with the actors. It was a wonderful experience to see how the rehearsal process works when preparing for a professional piece. This experience is something that I definitely would not have been able to do without Arts Emergency's help."
