The Arena is a not-for-profit creative community and mentoring platform.

We’re on a mission to arm aspiring creatives with the tools, inspiration and confidence needed to kickstart a creative career, live up to their potential and eventually lift as they climb, holding the door open for the next generation of talent.

OUR STORY

In The Arena with…

IN THE ARENA WITH...

Peggy Afriyie

Dreamer, thinker. Silver tongued schemer. Peggy shares her story about a generous GCSE teacher, using words as a vehicle and learning to let go of everything you know.

Pickle Illustration

The Birmingham-based illustration duo, known for transforming public spaces with fantastic foxes and masterful murals.

Mathushaa Sagthidas

The freelance photographer with an infectious attitude towards attracting opportunities and taking important risks.

Rosie Rackham

From Norfolk to East London via Leeds, interdisciplinary designer Rosie Rackham talks to the team about experimenting with mediums, self-belief and changing lanes.

Paul O’Brien

Freelance packaging designer Paul O’Brien talks to us about working with his dream clients, putting yourself out there on LinkedIn and the ups and downs flying solo.

Ami Vadi

In conversation with Ami, she shares her ambition to always challenge and experiment with new mediums of design. We also touch on Ami’s love for music and advice when it comes to sharing your creative work online.

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Opinion

OPINION

Patriarchy problems? Here's how women can fight it at work

Robot Food’s Jess Cook talks us through some of the main challenges that still face women in the workplace today: confidence, having a voice, being heard, equal opportunities for career progression and more.

No degree? No problem!

In this piece, we hear from four top-tier creatives without a design, illustration or photography degree between them, to find out how they made it here today.

Be a problem seeker, not a problem solver

Mother Design’s ECD Kirsty Minns explains why in her eyes, truly great designers should all strive to be problem seekers rather than just solvers.

Rejection email, we meet again

Like all annoying things in life, you don’t really want to deal with them but they still find their way into your inbox. Same old rejection email, we meet again.

A day in the life of an intern

We speak to five creative interns, who’ve had placements up and down the country since the start of the pandemic, about their experiences in-house, at home and in the studio.

No internship? No problem!

In this piece, we talk to five kick-ass, successful creatives without a single internship between them, to discuss why internships really aren’t everything.

Finding courage and confidence after graduating

Graphic designer Jenny Taylor shares her experiences and advice, on finding courage and confidence after graduating.

Be a creative freak

Designer, illustrator and Founder Callum Ritchie shares his journey from Norwich University to embracing his inner “creative freak”.

To the class of 2021

Photographer, designer and illustrator Laura Tobin breaks down her thoughts on the question every 2021 grad dreads: “So what’s next?”

No award? No problem!

This one is for all the losers and the just-missed-out-ers. It’s time to look beyond the pencil and start reflecting on what went on the paper.

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How to

HOW TO:

How to expand your creativity by finding inspiration in the everyday

Craig Berry, designer at global branding agency Nomad talks us through how he uses the world around him to develop his creative skills and artistic thinking.

How to be (not so) productive

This article is not really about how much you’ll be able to do in a day if you put your mind to it, but more about how you can approach those tasks with more serenity.

How to navigate creative-industry sceptic parents

Making your path in your chosen career can be daunting. But for aspiring creatives, there is often an added challenge: the creative industry might as well be wizardry for some muggle parents.

10 things I wish I knew when I started freelancing full time

From feeling fulfilled to time management, Jack Redley shares his reflections and learnings from the past few years spent as a freelance web designer.

The recipe to CV success

Graphic designer Jenny shares her tried and tested recipe for CV success, showing you how to sell yourself and leave the reader wanting more.

9 productive ways to spend your time post-graduation

With no more deadlines or 1-2-1’s comes a lot of freedom, but also the impending realisation… What do I do now?! Design grad Maria shares a handful of her ideas for those post-uni plans.

The art of reaching out

Find Your Intern founder Jasmine MacPhee sets out her guide to reaching out to brands and professionals, to find opportunities in the creative industry.

Step outside of your comfort zone

In order to gain confidence, you need to get comfortable being uncomfortable. But how do you actually step outside of your comfort zone?

Turn your internship into a job offer

Congrats - You've lined up your next internship! But if you’re ready to lock in a full-time role, how can you give yourself the best chance of securing a spot in that company longer-term?

Level up your networking game

We spoke to I LIKE NETWORKING's founder Isabel Sachs to get the low down on what networking is, what networking isn’t and how to do it like a pro!

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