Richard talked about learning ecologies in class and how we should bring our whole selves to our projects. I realised that I was going about my research all wrong. I was focusing on the wrong things and trying to change something that didn’t have my whole self in. So I needed to change. Quickly.

I wrote notes about the things I truly care about, and then I asked myself “Felicity, why did you apply to MAAI?”

I went back and read my personal statement/study proposal from when I applied to this course. Admittedly I wrote it at 7am when I was half asleep so there are a couple of spelling mistakes (I only noticed them after I submitted it) but I think writing it so early in the day allowed my true thoughts to come out without censoring myself or trying to appear impressive. I wrote about how people from lower socio-economic backgrounds struggle to make their way in the creative industries, and how they don’t feel that they have permission to express their creativity. I come from this background, so I know exactly what this feels like. And honestly, I feel like a fish out of water at CSM most of the time. There is no visible support for people who are here because they worked their butt off and gave up a lot of things to be able to even think about affording their course.

This is what, and who, I care about.

I care about the creative industries truly being inclusive, and I care about anyone being able to have a creative career, no matter where they come from or how they are perceived by others. 16% of people in the creative industries come from working class backgrounds, compared to 29% across all occupations. 13% difference doesn’t sound like a lot of people but it equates to thousands of people. Thousands of people who are stuck doing jobs they hate instead of doing what makes them happy. Is it fair to deprive people of what could be a wildly successful career just because of where they were born? Of course not.

Freedom.

It’s all about freedom.

And if I can help even one person feel more free, then I consider that a success.

So having said all that, my new question is…

“How can arts universities better support female students from working class backgrounds?”