How Can Parents Nurture Our Creative Young People?

A conversation between Sacha Corcoran MBE and her son, Ricky Harriott, Creative Director at SRVC Studio

Here at Big Creative Academy we listen to parents. We hear you at open evenings when you’re weighing up whether to go into the creative arts and there are sometimes a few question marks about whether it’s the right thing to do. This is a careers event for parents to understand the creative arts and help support your young person to remove those question marks and start their creative career. Despite what parents might thing, young people do want their parents’ input, so let us help you help them.   

The creative arts can be an opaque sector – there’s not a linear progression path like in other industries. A career in the creative arts, traditionally, was unstable and you didn’t earn much money. It’s understandable a parent might be sceptical whether it’s the best career choice.  

Sacha Corcoran, Principal of Big Creative Academy, has stood in your shoes. Her son, Ricky Harriott is a successful Creative Director in the fashion industry and we are delighted to present a conversation between them to share their insight.  

 The video starts with a short presentation about the labour market information in the creative arts: 

• The creative arts is a growing sector, and a priority sector for London and the government
• 1 in 5 jobs are in the creative arts, 1 in 8 businesses in the creative arts
• Creativity is the number one employability skill for all industries

Then it’s into the main event. Sacha and Ricky describe their humble beginnings in Tottenham, with no real knowledge of the creative arts and how Ricky followed his passion through school, college and university. Sacha explains how she wanted Ricky to be happy and do what interested him, supporting as much as she could.  

 There are some lovely moments in the conversation, which is open and honest sharing both points of view – child and parent – Ricky’s realisation when he knew he could do well in fashion and what it would take, and Sacha’s appreciation of Ricky’s work making women feel empowered. There were definitely a few glassy eyes! It was a privilege to talk through their experience and we hope parents watch the piece for an insight into supporting a creative young person.  

View the full powerpoint presentation here. 

Hosted and written by Victoria Spence.