The Impact Partnership Programme was conceived during a global pandemic and fuelled by the murder of George Floyd. It is driven by an urgent need to help Black and Global Majority film and television professionals tell the stories that shape our world.
As members of the Film and Television Charity’s Inclusivity Committee, we understand the need for and the importance of creating dedicated spaces where Black and Global Majority creatives can explore their voices, professional challenges, and untold stories. The insights we gained following qualitative and quantitative research into the industry show that it clearly needs to evolve and put infrastructure in place to enable Black and Global Majority professionals to have access to programmes and opportunities which unequivocally lead to sustainable and satisfying jobs.
In 2021, the Charity commissioned Sasha Salmon’s Think Piece on Anti-Racism in the UK Film and TV Industry. Within this work, Black and Global Majority creatives shared their experiences, including the example below:
“Even though I went to one of the best film schools and had an extensive track record, after so many experiences of being undervalued or gaslit I started to believe I wasn’t good enough and when I was with other colleagues at [said institution] I started to lose confidence and found it hard to speak up in meetings even though I knew I had good ideas. I started to think maybe I just wasn’t good enough to get those bigger jobs. Now I realise that I was struggling with mental health challenges, and most of this was as a result of racism and classism. There were hoops I was being made to jump through that my White colleagues were not. Now I recognise that the problem wasn’t about my ability.”
We therefore believe the Impact Partnership Programme is a rare and radical opportunity to try and transform this current landscape into a fair and safe environment with racially just outcomes. It is a project that will honour the importance of teamwork, equality, and creative courage.
Joseph, Juliet, Kirsty, and Deborah
Film and TV Charity Inclusivity Committee