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Two years ago I graduated
from University armed with increased
skills, professional experience and an
intimidating debt, ready to tackle the bull by the
horns and make a living out of my creative
doodles. However, in truth, I'd only
increased my chances in what is a
notoriously competitive profession -
the world of Illustration is a tough nut to
crack, so much so that one of my biggest childhood
influences was made uncomfortable to learn that
he'd been directly responsible for someone
making such a difficult career choice with such
financial risks associated. It's true that a
qualified arts career is a huge gamble, but it's
also true that professional-standard training is
required to break through. So imagine how I'd
have felt facing that huge gamble now,
with prospective debts up to three times higher
than when I first applied thanks to our wonderful
coalition government and their adjusted fees? I
know for certain that I'd be too intimidated
at such a financial burden and, one year on, it
seems approximately 15,000 UK students feel the
same way after a 10% drop in
applications.
The new charity Arts
Emergency, co-founded by comedian Josie Long and
activist Neil Griffiths, want to provide support for
those abandoned Arts and Humanities
students to ensure that this countries
creative flow is not
strangled. Supported by such creators as
Alan
Moore, Stewart Lee and
Philip Pullman,
Arts
Emergency aims to provide emotional and
financial backing in various
ways, including a fees lottery
and private mentoring from qualified
professionals.
Your sponsorship in support of
100 Days of Art will help ensure
that the doors of university are kept open
for those most able to benefit from, but least
able to pay for education. Click the donate button
below to help and thanks for your support!
Thanks to all who have donated so
far! |
