Frantic music burst with sharp energy yesterday at Action for Employment (A4e) in Holloway Road to promote clients in the world of art and music to do the job they are passionate about and increase their opportunity.
Artist Challenge was the idea of Maxine Watts, Team Manager of the event venue and ex DJ, who knows how fulfilling a career in this industry can be if you have a love of music.“I saw a documentary on TV about people finding it really hard to get work in the music and when I came to work the next day I discussed this with my line Manager, Abu Najaar as I thought we can have an open day here just to set up placements for our customers wanting to get into the music industry and help them along to finding sustainable employment,” she said.
The opening of this unique event was held by the Branch Manager, Abu Najaar and Blessing Asomugha, who is the branch Work Boost Coordinator and the organiser of this artist challenge.
“Action for Employment is meant to improve the lives of unemployed customers taking part in the programme. Thanks to A4e eight hundred people from all backgrounds went back into work over the last 18 months, but there is still much we can do to support clients coming from the music industry,“ Mr Najaar said.
Ms Asomugha described how this event is a milestone in the history of the company.
“We did realise that it was hard to get a job for clients in arts and music and it was not our fault. Networking is extremely important, as most of the people working in the music industry started as volunteers.“We are going to achieve the task today; we have amazing providers giving opportunity to people in this challenging area. I want to think this is just the beginning of a dream for our customers,” she said.
A long list of well-established Work Boost Providers took part to the event: IMT Hurricane, Hillside Productions, BBC, Galaxy Radio, Flourish International, Viewnowtv.co.uk and Rolling Sound. They introduced themselves to the public, willing to look for new talents.
Hillside Productions Chief Executive Officer Lord Paul Johnson, who built up a fortune from nothing, described how he followed his ambitions to make the work done.
“It is hard for people in the music industry as there will always be someone putting you down, telling you to go and get a proper job, but this is your passion, so, never give up,” he said.
Mr Johnson is also the business manager of Angry vs The Bear, a punchy and innovative quartet from Colchester, who has already showcased at the SXS 2009 and 2010 festivals in Texas, despite having being together for just three years. Their exclusive live performance at A4e gave spectators the chance to appreciate titles like Kill me, I am electric, Show Emotion, We are the Enemy and Start a Rev, just to mention a few.
The day was also brightened up by the notes of DJ’s and several professional vocalists such as Janet Cofie, Kriss-S, Dylan Walshe, Geo Gabriel and Chichia Armstrong. They all gathered at A4e to put themselves in touch with some of the top names in creative industry.
Those who are talented enough but still need to gain all the important technical skills to work in the music industry had a chat with Phil Mc Donnell, director of IMT Hurricane. The company offers a wide range of technical qualification courses and mentoring programmes to unemployed people in the media and music industry. One A4e customer was secured a placement on the programme on the same day!
More than sixty customers from Holloway Road, Camden Town and Westminster took part to the event and some of them are already working even harder than before to achieve their dream.
“We still have lots of lives to transform and want to create more opportunities for clients. This is just the beginning,” Ms Asomugha said.
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