Female CDs Stefanie DiGiavincenzo and Tara McKenty tackle diversity beyond gender with RARE Masterclass in Sydney, Nov 20th – 24th
Two of Australia’s leading creative directors, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne’s Stefanie DiGiavincenzo (below, right) and Google’s Tara McKenty (below, left), have today launched a new initiative aimed at combating the lack of diversity in creative departments across the country.
Launching in partnership with D&AD, RARE is a four-day masterclass featuring industry leaders from around the world, aimed at giving creative talent from diverse backgrounds the network and knowledge they need to succeed.
Hosted in Sydney at The Glue Society from 20 – 24 November, the concept for RARE came about based on the recognition that while there’s been a lot of talk about diversity in the creative industry, there’s not been much doing.
Creative and tech departments are still lacking in diversity of gender, colour, class, preference and perspective, especially at the top. Being a minority brings about a set of issues that many aren’t equipped to deal with, leading to great talent dropping out of the industry prematurely.
Says Tim Lindsay, CEO, D&AD, highlighting the issues that RARE has been designed to address: “The general lack of ethnic and demographic diversity in our business and the appalling lack of gender balance at senior levels in agency creative departments is getting worse, not better. And as our business becomes more homogenised, whiter, more middle-class and more male we serve our clients less well and produce homogenised thinking and solutions. So, for the future of the business, we all have to do something to put this right.”
The four-day masterclass is designed to combat the challenges that diverse creative talent face in the workplace, by arming them with tangible tips and skills from industry leaders who’ve overcome these challenges over the course of their careers.
The RARE program has been developed in partnership with Berlin School, with the lineup of speakers including BBDO India chairman and chief creative officer, Josy Paul, CEO and chief creative officer of Amusement Park, Jimmy Smith, Apple’s UK lead on Beats by Dre, Emily Kortlang, and Banksy’s only female protégé, Vexta, among a host of other local and international creative leaders.
The speakers will all be sharing tangible tips, tools and skills based on their personal experience of breaking through as a diverse talent in an industry traditionally dominated by white, straight males.
DiGiavincenzo, says that her personal experience and frustration around an industry-wide lack of action led her and Tara McKenty to bring RARE to life: “RARE truly is a response to a collection of experiences that Tara, myself and many other creatives of diverse backgrounds have had in this industry. Creative departments have been enshrined in a particular way of thinking, acting and behaving, and often it’s at the detriment of fantastic talent who don’t fit a certain profile.”
McKenty, added that the content being provided in the RARE masterclass will go a long way to encouraging diversity and arming creatives with the tools they need to succeed in departments that aren’t geared to nurture diverse talent.
“Says McKenty: There’s been so much talk about increasing diversity through different means and measures, but we’re still fundamentally missing out on the most important driver of change in all of this – the diverse talent themselves. With the collection of creative leaders in attendance at RARE, we’re hoping to provide future creative leaders with the knowledge and networks they need to remove that sense of isolation and equip them with tools they can use to overcome any barriers to their success.”
Further information on the RARE program and applications for tickets to the masterclass are available online now at https://rare-syd.com. 80 spots are available, with those interested asked to submit an application about what makes them RARE.
All proceeds from the event will be put towards grants and initiatives that further deliver on RARE’s objective to boost diversity. If you are interested in supporting or sponsoring the event or a scholarship please contact info@rare-syd.com.
10 Comments
Well done, this looks awesome and is exactly the sort of thing this industry needs more of!
Yasss Gurls!!
Well done Stef! This looks amazing!
Finally!!!! Go Girls and thank you for finally doing something for good, something seriously lacking in this industry.
This is brilliant. I imagine it will be hugely inspiring. Well done Tara and Stephanie for pointing people in the right direction.
This looks awesome.
Kudos, ladies.
Really? It’s still all the fault of those pesky white males. Despite the diversity in the courses? The only question should be: what agency is stupid enough to turn away a folio or talent who will make them money? What creative director says: ‘wow this person is totally fantastic… oh but just not a pesky white make’ Every agency just wants a successful team and most agencies are onto it. These sweeping and commanding statements ‘The Industry needs to do something,’ implies all is sinking. The doors ARE open and this emotional attack is not based on too much reality of talent. If an agency is successful it’s because whoever is working there makes it so. Not because there is a secret agenda of pesky white males. Get a grip!
Jeez, how about tackling the lack of diversity in the suiting department?
Or, how about tacking the lack of diversity at Google?
Of course not. Attacking white men and blaming them for everything is really sad. Why not attack lesbian agency owners whom only employ females or PR agencies that seem to only ever employ females?
Pot. Kettle. Black.
So, equality is not selective and based on the colour of your skin, and the gender you assign yourself to?
Get over it. This industry is hard for everyone.
What I see here is a course to help mid to senior creatives help excel their careers. And people are complaining that it’s not for white dudes, and that white guys aren’t getting enough opportunities? Am I reading this right?