Introducing The Kusp
- alana2903
- Apr 24
- 4 min read
We’re excited to introduce The Kusp - a not-for-profit social enterprise on a mission to make the creative industries more inclusive, accessible and connected.
Through curated events workshops and their unique membership platform, The Kusp is breaking down barriers for underrepresented talent to thrive locally and beyond. Ahead of our upcoming event collaboration on 22nd May (save the date), we caught up with them to learn more about their story, their goals and why community is at the heart of everything they do.
For those who are new to The Kusp, could you give us a brief overview of who you are and what your mission is?
We are The Kusp, a not-for-profit social enterprise with a big mission of building an inclusive ecosystem that enables underrepresented talent in the creative industries to thrive locally, nationally and globally!
What inspired the creation of The Kusp, and what makes your approach to representation and community unique?
The journey is a long, meandering and an unorthodox one; but the short version is - I recognised whilst working in advertising and marketing that there was a real lack of representation within the creative sector.
Managing creatives and artists at one point in my career exposed me to the lack of access they had, particularly if they were from underserved groups such as Black and Global Majority or lower socioeconomic. I saw myself in these individuals and it made me want to make a difference, so ultimately we could share more professional spaces together. After learning that the 'access' problem came down to the lack of industry insight and education, networks and job opportunities that was on offer to these; and that these challenges permeated across sectors such as film, TV, fashion and media - we set out to try and address each one of these challenges, and they became the pillar of our social enterprise.
I think the uniqueness of our work comes from our curated approach when we support emerging creatives, our ethos is 'curated for introverts, accessible for extroverts', which is the vibe you feel from our masterclasses, events, meet-ups and workshops. Our three-tiered membership, The Kusp Club, is also curated to meet creatives where they are at, so they have a platform to excel.
What sparked The Kusp's desire to connect with the Brighton & Hove community, and what kind of positive impact do you hope to create?
We recognised that talent joining some of our experience came from Brighton. We had also worked with academic institutions in the region, delivering curated experiences to upskill students, and in 2023 - supported by BFI South East and in partnership with the Film & TV Charity - we hosted a panel talk and industry mixer for BGM creatives in the region on navigating the film & TV industry. Also, Brighton is lovely and has a creative buzz about it, so it felt like a community we wanted to expand into.
We are so excited to be partnering with The Kusp! What are you most looking forward to about collaborating with the Projects community?
Bringing new ideas together and facilitating space for talent to be catered for. We've seen some great output from our past events in other regions where talent go on to collaborate with each other. Hopefully, this collaaboration leads to a lot more of those opportunities.
Community is at the heart of both Projects and The Kusp. How do you believe collaborative events like the one on May 22nd benefit the participants and the wider community?
It allows for new connections to be born. The creative industries thrives on community, and it wouldn't be where it is without it. Bring our two worlds together just creates more opportunities for people to grow.
Can you give us a sneak peek into what attendees can expect at the event on May 22nd?
Maybe this will give you a good picture. Or this!
Who is the ideal participant for this event, and what will they gain from attending?
Emerging and existing creatives exploring opportunities to learn, connect, share and grow within film, TV, fashion and other media industries.
What are some of The Kusp's future goals and aspirations? Are there any exciting projects on the horizon?
We are looking forward to prospect of hosting more events within the region in the future. We are also looking at ways to enable creatives to be better connected to job opportunities and knowledge no matter where they are. So we are launching a new marketplace platform, The Kusp Hub. Excited to share more on this soon.
How can the Projects community continue to support The Kusp and stay connected beyond the event?
Follow us on social media - particularly Instagram or LinkedIn. If you're a creative, you can join The Kusp Club. We have a free tier, which still gives you access to our events and some occasional perks too.
What message would you like to leave with the Projects community, inspiring them to engage with The Kusp and the upcoming event?
Ultimately, The Kusp exists to ensure that within the creative industries, the unseen feel seen and the underserved are served in one, or another. So come with the intention to build your community and find your tribe.
We'd love to see you at The Kusp X Projects Creative Meet Up on the 22nd - it's completely free and open to all, simply sign up here.
