Make Bank strive to tackle creative poverty
Written by Matthew Ponting
Published 12th November 2021
Make Bank is a social project which aims to tackle creative poverty in UK schools. Through the distribution of materials kits and online resources, the platform ensures that all pupils can reach their full potential. The aim is to encourage a more diverse and accessible creative industry with added equal opportunities.
Explaining how the idea came about, Make Bank founder, Kirsty Thomas says “There was this crossover that came up between creative poverty and a lack of diversity in the industry and that was where the idea for Make Bank came in. I wondered if we could utilise all the people we knew in the industry to create an opportunity to give certain kids a leg-up. The kits idea came from the fact that art budgets are shocking because they are the same as any other subject despite needing so many more resources.”
Make Bank Art Kit & Ceramics Kit
The five subject-specific kits cover specialisms including art, design, photography, textiles and ceramics. Materials within these sets include high-quality drawing pencils, paints, pastels and more. Alongside this the online resources include insights from creative career stories sourced from a wide breadth of individuals from various creative disciplines. Writer for Make Bank, Greg McIndoe, explains “From textile designers and illustrators to architects and writers, we share the stories of those who are living proof that a creative career is a viable option. Topics such as mental health, diversity and equality regularly crop up as makers share how they have overcome adversity, as well what they learnt along the way.”
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