Creative Careers Festival 2025
Panel discussions with expert speakers in the 4th week of Hilary term, exploring career paths in the creative industries
The creative sector is broad and it encompasses an enormous range of talent. The sector includes a variety of roles in areas such as tv and film, heritage, music, journalism, and other creative industries, with different entry requirements and skill sets needed to succeed.
Many Oxford students are passionate about the creative sector. To support this, the Creative Careers Festival in the 4th week of Hilary term 2025 features a series of engaging panel discussions, featuring expert career advisors and inspiring guest speakers who will share valuable insights and experiences. These sessions are designed to motivate and guide you as you explore your next career steps, offering practical advice and inspiration from professionals who have succeeded in the creative industries.
All Oxford University students, researchers and alumni are welcome to attend the...
Creative Careers Festival: 10 February - 14 February 2025
HILARY TERM: 4TH WEEK
Below is the list of online and in-person events for the Creative Careers Festival. Click on the event links to find out more about each one and to secure your place in CareerConnect.
About the sessions
Monday 10 February 2025
Creative Careers Keynote: Adam Fleming, Broadcast journalist and presenter, BBC Newscast
In person at the Careers Service, 12:00 - 13:00
Join us for an engaging keynote session with Adam Fleming, renowned broadcast journalist at BBC News since 2002. Adam will sit down with Careers Adviser Julia Sadler to share insights from his impressive career and his journey from Oxford to reporter/presenter at CBBC’s Newsround, Daily Politics and now BBC Sounds’ daily news podcast Newscast.
Adam Fleming is a TV and radio presenter, mainly covering politics for the BBC and presenting BBC's daily news podcast Newscast. Adam studied geography at Oxford (Hertford College) where he also wrote for the Oxford Student and got his first taste for radio broadcasting with Oxygen FM (now Oxide Radio). In an interview for Cherwell, he ‘traces his journalistic abilities to his time at Oxford, explaining that the "essay-tutorial system is probably the most important lesson” he’d ever had as a journalist.’
Please note that the Getting Creative Whilst @ Oxford (Mini-fair), 13:00-14:30, has unfortunately been cancelled.
Tuesday 11 February 2025
Expert Panel Discussion: TV & Film Careers
Online event, 12:00 - 13:15
A unique opportunity to hear from professionals across TV and film talk about their careers, offer advice about developing relevant skills and finding work experience and jobs. Hear from:
James Cowan – Screenwriter, Researcher & Writer’s Assistant
Since leaving Oxford, James has balanced aspirations to be a screenwriter with freelance work as a researcher and writer's assistant. He has written a feature film, two TV pilots and is currently working on a new feature film. Within the industry, he has worked with screenwriters and production companies to help give them detailed background for world-building and hone their stories. His clients include screenwriter Matthew Orton (‘Operation Finale’, ‘Captain America: Brave New World’), Working Title Films and Steve McQueen’s production company, Lammas Park. He also does script reading work for Bath-based festival, Script&Co.
Emily McDowell – Talent Agent, Independent Talent Group
Emily started out as a Runner in Entertainment TV before then working as an Agent's Assistant at one of Europe's largest talent agencies. She is now working at the same agency as a Talent Agent in the Below the Line department representing Producers, Production Designers, Costume Designers, Editors, Directors of Photography, and Hair and Makeup Designers.
Anna Pritchard – Production Designer
Anna is an award winning Production Designer in TV and Film and has been working in the industry for over 20 years. She is known for shows such as "Gentleman Jack” (BBC and HBO) "Top Boy” (Channel 4),”Trigger Point”, "Broadchurch” and "Vanity Fair” (ITV). In 2021 she won a Royal Television Society award and a British Film Designers Guild award for Gentleman Jack. Anna has worked internationally and collaborated with many directors including Sally Wainwright, Ed Hall, Dominic Savage and Ben Taylor. Anna recently worked on "Renegade Nell”, an eight part drama for Disney Plus, about a Highwaywoman in 1705.
Safa Dar – Script Editor, BBC Children’s 7+ Commissioning
Safa started out as an office runner, assisting the team at a TV production company before doing freelance script reading for a number of companies and competitions. After an attachment as an Assistant Commissioner in radio comedy and drama, she has recently returned to her substantive role as a Script Editor at the BBC, working across TV comedies and dramas from development all the way through to production.
Leah Foster – Development Executive, West Road Pictures
Leah joined West Road Pictures as Development Executive, having previously worked as Development Editor for Monumental Television where she nurtured projects across the development slate. Alongside this, Leah was Script Editor on MRS SIDHU INVESTIGATES for Acorn TV and Junior Script Editor on MURDER IN PROVENCE for ITV / BritBox. Prior to this, Leah worked at Magnolia Mae Films, where she was Development Associate and also served as Producer’s Assistant on THE DIG (Netflix).
Expert Panel Discussion: Music Industry Careers
Online event, 14:00 - 15:15
Join us for an engaging discussion where our experts will share their career journeys, offer valuable advice on skill development, and provide insights into securing work experience and job opportunities within the dynamic music industry. Hear from:
Clare Batterton – Music editor, Netflix
After graduating from University of Liverpool, Clare went on to further study music obtaining a Masters in music from Wadham College, University of Oxford. Clare is a classically trained and accomplished violinist and composer although it was music editing where Clare found her calling. Clare’s musical approach to editing has led her to working with Brian Eno on BAFTA winning series Top Boy (2019-2023). Other multi-episode TV series include Netflix's Supacell (2024-) Bridgerton (2020-2022), The Witcher: Blood Origin (2022) and BBC's His Dark Materials (2019). Film credits include Ridley Scott's Napoleon (2023), Hustle (2022) working alongside composer Dan Deacon, and Guy Ritchie’s Wrath of Man (2021).
Imogen Reay – Music supervisor, Twenty Below Music
After completing a law degree, Imogen took her knowledge of copyright law and licensing, combined with her love of music and set out to begin a career in Sync (music for visual media). She interned at various record labels before eventually securing a job at Concord Music Publishing, pitching their roster of artists for placements in film, TV and advertising. After 4 years there she moved on to her current role as Music Supervisor at Twenty Below, where she has sourced and licensed the music for brands such as Nike, Amazon, Audible and Huel.
Izzie Thorneycroft – Artist coordinator, Harrison Parrott
Isabella works as an artist coordinator at the classical music agency, Harrison Parrott. Representing artists including Víkingur Ólafsson, Jean Rondeau and Stephanie Childress, she manages the logistical, financial and legal aspects of her artists’ careers. Before starting at Harrison Parrott, Izzie read BA Music at Herford College, University of Oxford and was a busy orchestral musician.
Expert Panel Discussion: Advertising, Marketing and PR Careers
Online event, 16:00 - 17:15
Join our expert panel discussion to hear from professionals working in these dynamic and creative industries. They’ll share their career journeys and offer advice on breaking into the field. Panellists include:
- Alice Aldridge - Director of Brand Strategy and Advertising, Sky Creative
- Rosamund Gadsden - Senior PR & Digital Manager, Longchamp
- Annie Rose - Marketing Manager, Penguin Random House
Wednesday 12 February 2025
Expert Panel Discussion: Radio & Podcasting Careers
Online event, 12:00 - 13:15
Hear from professionals across the radio and podcast industry, talk about their careers, offer advice about developing relevant skills and finding work experience and jobs.
Andrew Alexander – Executive producer, Times Radio
Andrew is the executive producer of the Hugo Rifkind show on Times Radio. Before joining the station, he worked at the BBC for 10 years across programmes including Politics Live, the Andrew Marr Show and The World At One. He produced Andrew Neil’s interviews with party leaders at three general elections, as well as his interview with Boris Johnson in 2019, and edited the Truss-Sunak leadership debate in 2022. His first job in journalism was at the Oxford Mail and he wrote for Cherwell as a student. He graduated from St Anne’s with an English degree in 2001.
Millie Chu – Lead podcast producer, The Louis Theroux Podcast
Millie is a freelance audio producer, currently producing The Louis Theroux Podcast (Mindhouse/Spotify). She has also produced scripted history show British Scandal (Wondery), hosted by Alice Levine and Matt Forde, eight-part narrative series Smokescreen: The Greatest Scam Ever Written (ITN/Sony), and Rylan: How To Be in The Spotlight (Mindhouse/BBC Sounds). Before going freelance, she worked at Sony Music across both radio and podcast projects, including Out to Lunch with Jay Rayner, The Penguin Podcast, and several shows across BBC Radio 2 and 6Music. She has made shows for Audible, Wondery, BBC, and Spotify, and received the Radio Academy 30 Under 30 Award in 2024.
Joey McCarthy – Podcast producer, Goalhanger
Joey trained as a journalist at Goldsmiths, University of London and then became a sports documentary producer in 2019 with Goalhanger Films. As the media landscape evolved during the pandemic, Goalhanger transitioned into a podcast production company. Joey is now a producer of two separate podcasts as Goalhanger: The Rest Is Entertainment (Richard Osman, Marina Hyde) and We Have Ways of Making You Talk (Al Murray, James Holland).
Expert Q&A: Practicalities of Being an Artist with Fiona Whitehouse
Online event, 14:00 - 14:45
Dive into the dynamic world of creative freelancing and beyond with renowned artist (and Head of the Internship Officer here at the Careers Service) Fiona Whitehouse. In this Expert Q&A, Fiona will share invaluable insights and firsthand experiences, shedding light on the practicalities of building a successful career as an Artist.
Fiona Whitehouse has navigated the intricate landscape of freelancing, undertook a portfolio career, whilst establishing herself as a prominent figure in the art world. This session is designed for aspiring creatives, freelancers, and artists eager to learn from Fiona's wealth of knowledge.
Expert Panel Discussion: How to Write for a Living
Online event, 16:00 - 17:15
Join a group of published authors and literary agents as they share their experiences of breaking into the industry and making a living through their craft. Hear from:
- Beth Ashely – Journalist and Author of Sluts: the truth about slut shaming and what we can do to fight it
- Philip Bowne – Author of Cows Can't Jump and writer for The Wombles
- Caitlin Devlin – Author, The Real Deal
- Sarah Rutherford – Screenwriter and Playwright
Thursday 13 February 2025
Expert Panel Discussion: Publishing & Journalism Careers
Online event, 12:00 - 13:15
Embark on a captivating journey into the dynamic realms of publishing and journalism at this panel discussion with accomplished professionals in these sectors. Hear from:
Janina Conboye – Journalist, Financial Times
Janina Conboye is a journalist on the FT's visual and data journalism team. Previously she was a writer and editor on the FT's work and careers desk, writing, commissioning and editing features that cover working life, from leadership and management to hybrid work and the labour market. She has also produced or co-produced other content projects, such as video series and reader surveys, and writes for other sections, such as special reports. Previously, Janina has held numerous roles across companies, markets, world, opinion and weekend.Before joining the FT she worked at the Guardian and The Times.
Inka Kärnä – Rights Assistant, Faber and Faber
Inka Karna started her journey into publishing through a postgraduate degree in publishing at Oxford Brookes, during which she was also involved in the Society of Young Publishers. This was followed by a period of bookselling at Blackwells, alongside event management for the Oxford Literary Festival. Inka still works with the Festival, now managing the volunteer programme for the third year in a row. Following this, she found her true passion in publishing: in-house rights licensing. Starting as a translation rights assistant at Oxford University Press, Inka moved to a rights and contracts data co-ordinator position at Bloomsbury managing contractual records. She is now a rights assistant at Faber where she manages material and domestic rights licensing.
Modupe Omitola – Trainee sub-editor, The Times and The Sunday Times
Modupe graduated from Lady Margaret Hall in 2024 with a degree in philosophy and theology. She now works at The Times and The Sunday Times on the sub-editing graduate scheme while studying for a diploma in journalism. Modupe was a junior news editor on The Oxford Blue, business director for the Oxford Review of Books, wrote for the Oxford Women in Business insight magazine and started a magazine in college with her friends. She completed the Reuters Digital Journalism Foundations online course and did four micro-internships, one of which was a journalist assistant role. Rotating through different roles, Modupe learnt that she preferred to be in news production rather than being a reporter.
Expert Panel Discussion: Creative Careers Beyond the Obvious
Online event, 16:00 - 17:15
Join us for a captivating panel event exploring creative careers beyond the obvious. This presents a unique opportunity to gain insights from professionals who harness their creativity in fields extending beyond the conventional 'creative industries.' We'll also delve into the experiences of individuals working within the creative industries but in roles not typically associated with creativity.
- Ishan Deshpande – Creative Freelancer
- Gail Caig – Policy Advisor at Creative Industries Council
- Wanmei Liang – Nasa Science Data Visualizer, NASA Earth Observatory
Friday 14 February 2025
Expert Panel Discussion: Culture & Heritage Careers
Online event, 12:00 - 13:15
Hear from professionals across the culture and heritage sectors talk about their careers, offer advice about developing relevant skills and finding work experience and jobs.
Danielle Burke – Art Historian, Fine Art Restoration Company
Danielle is the Lead Art Historian at Fine Art Restoration Company in Cumbria. Following an Art History degree at The University of York, Danielle worked in the film industry for several years as a cinema manager at Pinewood Studios and Curzon. She then ventured into the world of e-commerce before joining Fine Art Restoration Company in 2020. Danielle's current role combines historical research with digital marketing, content creation and online sales, reflective of the company's modern approach to a traditional sector.
Rachel Delman – Heritage Partnerships Coordinator in the Humanities Division at the University of Oxford
Dr Rachel Delman is the Heritage Partnerships Coordinator in the Humanities Division at the University of Oxford, where she is responsible for building and nurturing mutually beneficial partnerships between researchers and external heritage sites and organisations. She came to her current role following a doctorate in History from the University of Oxford and subsequent research fellowships at the universities of Edinburgh and York, including a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship. As a historian with an interdisciplinary background, Rachel has extensive experience of communicating medieval and Tudor women’s stories to academic and non-specialist audiences. Her most recent publications focus on the reception of medieval buildings in modern day heritage settings and contexts. Rachel is a fellow of both the Royal Historical Society and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and an Advisory Board member for the Centre for the History of People, Place and Community at the University of London’s Institute of Historical Research.
Dr Mai Musié – Ancient historian and public engagement professional
She currently works for Swansea University on impact and engagement activities and projects. She worked for University of Oxford for over 10 years on access and public engagement projects. She was the ECR Fellow at SAS between 2022-2023, exploring Inclusion, Participation, and Engagement in research and beyond. Mai’s research explores race and ethnicity in the ancient world, investigating how the ‘other’ is represented in ancient Greek and Roman literary sources. She is passionate about exploring the interconnectivity between the ancient Mediterranean world and northeast Africa. She has organised and consulted on history and heritage projects that foster co-curation, co-production, and building equitable relationships between communities and researchers. Mai is well known for her public engagement and outreach work and was awarded the 2019 Classical Association Prize, given each year to the individual who has done the most to raise the profile of Classics in the public eye. She enjoys communicating the stories of the ancient world for modern audiences through tv, radio, podcasts, and interviewing writers and actors. Mai is a trustee of: Classics for All , the Roman Society, and Actors of Dionysus.
Expert Panel Discussion: STEM Expertise for a Creative Career
Online event, 16:00 - 17:15
The panellists will bring a wealth of experience from various industries, shedding light on the unique ways in which science, technology, engineering, and mathematics can fuel creativity.
Jonny Brooks-Bartlett – Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Spotify
Jonny currently works as a Senior Machine Learning Engineer at Spotify, developing algorithms for the main Search product within the app. Specifically, he works on determining which results to display for user search queries. Previously, he was a data scientist at Deliveroo, working in several areas, including personalized restaurant recommendations, menu classification, and fraud detection. Jonny holds a Master of Mathematics degree from the University of Southampton and a DPhil in macromolecular X-ray crystallography from the University of Oxford. Outside of his engineering work, Jonny is a father to a beautiful girl and enjoys competing in various fitness challenges. He previously played American football for nine years.
Penny Sarchet – Managing Editor, New Scientist
As Managing Editor, Penny Sarchet oversees news, features, culture and comment journalism at New Scientist, as well as leading on editorial content strategy across its print and digital products. She is also a host of the New Scientist Weekly podcast and writes about biology and health when time allows. Penny read Biological Sciences at Oxford, followed by a DPhil in Plant Sciences. She then worked as a reporter at the science policy publications Research Fortnight and Research Europe, before joining New Scientist in 2014, where she has since held a number of reporter and editor roles focussed on news and digital journalism. Her work has also been published by The Guardian, Slate, Washington Post, BBC Focus and Times Higher Education and she regularly speaks about all aspects of science on radio, podcasts and on stage.
Laura Sutherland-Patman – Archive Researcher, BBC Studios
Laura is an Archive Researcher at BBC Studios in Bristol, where she has worked across productions including Planet Earth 3 and Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster. She has a wealth of media research experience, having spent 10 years at Nature Picture Library, a specialist stock library, and before that Wildscreen, an award-winning conservation charity. Laura achieved distinction in a Masters in Biological Photography and Imaging at the University of Nottingham after her BA in Biological Sciences at Keble College, where she was also Boat Club Captain.
