Feminist Lab for Creative Work is a community space facilitated by community and consultancy Women of the Wick to enable skill-sharing, learning and mentorship for creative women and marginalised practitioners in East London. The creative work studio and digital learning platform offer accessible information online and onsite in Hackney. The online resources give guidance, support and training for individuals who require community support and especially those who are in the early stages of launching their business venture and/or freelance practice. The multifunctional space is located at Stour Studios in Haggerston that offers access to a feminist library, skill-share hour, meet-ups, study, coffee and online resources for its community members.

What we'll deliver:

• Open the Feminist Creative Work Community Space in Dalston
• Organise public events for the community members twice a month
• Build free online resources on creative work and leadership
• Host skill and knowledge-share meetings
• Build the feminist library on creative work for the community members

Why it's a great idea:

The creative industry is the fastest-growing sector in the UK economy. According to a 2021 study by digital and creative recruitment specialist Major Players, women earn on average £10,400 less than men in the creative industries. Even freelance day rates are significantly lower: women make £44 less per day than their male counterparts. Our primary aim is to tackle inequality in the creative industry, offering support to hard-to-reach groups and information in an accessible way that is often left out in creative degrees and education. The online platform and on-site community offer a platform where members can network and virtually access the bite-sized courses and virtual toolkits about entrepreneurship and community allyship, including business model consultation, negotiation and leadership skills for women. By collecting the voices behind the community together, our aim is to take a clear stand towards gender and racial equality in the cultural industry.

Steps to get it done:

• Paint the studio and build shelves
• Open Feminist Lab for Creative Work in Hackney
• Give access to the online resources to all members
• Create a calendar for all events
• Launch the Online Membership Platform
• Run 1 monthly workshopp in the space and 1 online