This June, Sarabande Foundation will host What Now? – a series of talks and workstations to help recent and soon-to-be arts and fashion graduates tackle post-university panic.
The COVID-19 pandemic deeply affected the creative industries and had a huge impact on job prospects for new graduates. Job openings fell by 66.5% – some 128,000 fewer jobs than pre-pandemic, and recent graduates who were self-employed or freelancing had their work opportunities crushed.
Building on the success of last year’s inaugural What Now?, designers Matty Bovan, Michaela Stark and Yoav Hadari will join Abigail Wilmore on Wednesday 22nd June in a candid discussion on wellness and self-betterment after an arduous academic year. And the Sarabande main space will be dedicated to drop-in one-to-one workstations on Thursday 23rd June, ending the day with a panel talk on portfolio development and ways to pique the interest of headhunters and recruiters.
What Now? supports students and graduates to realise their creative vision, increase their chances of being employed and bolster their design portfolios. Attendees can meet with specialists and creatives who have walked a similar path, offering 1-to-1 support as well as panel discussions.
This year’s event brings together professionals from a cross-section of the creative industries, including life coach and HR specialist Abigail Wilmore, Stephanie Finnan of Creative Search, editor Tamsin Blanchard, not-for-profit arts organization Bold Tendencies, specialists from Alexander McQueen, Draw Recruitment and more.
What Now? A Post-College Guide with Sarabande will take place on 22nd and 23rd June.
22nd June: Graduate Wellbeing with Abigail Wilmore in conversation with Yoav Hadari, Matty Bovan and Michaela Stark (19:00 – 21:00)
23rd June: Drop-in Workstations with representatives from Bold Tendencies, Alexander McQueen, Draw Recruitment, Tamsin Blanchard, Abigail Wilmore and Stephanie Finnan. (11:00 – 16:30)
23rd June: Fashion Portfolio Development for Headhunters Talk (19:00 – 21:00)
Sarabande Foundation 22 Hertford Road, London N1 5SH sarabandefoundation.org @sarabandefoundation
Sarabande Foundation: Lee Alexander McQueen was an artist and visionary. It is through his generosity that Sarabande is able to continue his legacy, supporting those who have incredible talent and artistic ability, those willing to push boundaries and overturn prevailing orthodoxies. With Lee’s vision and direction, Sarabande has changed the lives of more than 130 artists and designers through scholarships and heavily-subsidised studio space. The Foundation operates from a listed Stable Block in Haggerston, East London, where 15 studios form a creative community with designers and artists from multiple disciplines. The building is home to visual artists, sculptors, filmmakers and photographers as well as accessories and fashion designers, reflecting the range of Lee’s talent and the variety of craftspeople he worked with for his own collections. The studios opened in 2015 and as well as housing the artists in residence, it hosts inspirational and practical talks, workshops and exhibitions.
