More people than ever before have chosen to centre their lives around their career. Previously, this role would have been filled by community institutions like religion, sports or even the pub! As our jobs place increasingly more demands on our time; these outlets are falling by the wayside, leaving only the office to provide us with the sense of meaning we crave. And now, the Covid-19 pandemic has taken this from us as well! As we attempt to make sense of our lives and seek direction, could the answer be found in freelancing?

We all know that forging a career in the creative industries isn’t easy in this country, despite Britain’s storied cultural reputation. New research highlights an interesting picture of class diversity within the UK’s creative sector, suggesting that if you’re not from a privileged background, you’re even less likely to make it. But why might that be?

The initial impact of Covid-19 on the make-up, hair and beauty industry was devastating, with months of forced closures and bad hair days. Thankfully, the industry is starting to recover with a new period of growth as the pandemic restrictions are lifted - with a reported 432% spike in bookings at the end of the last lockdown in April 2021. Is this upswing impacting freelance make-up artists, hair stylists and beauty therapists and what tips do they have for you?

It seems London Fashion Week will still be going ahead this February despite the looming threat of the Omicron variant. The country's premier fashion event is going hybrid with a combination of in-person and digital events. Unsure how to navigate the new format? Let’s dive in.

As the pandemic changes how we feel about life, work and what we want out of both, more and more people are taking that step back to rethink their lives. Companies that don’t provide the better working conditions they’re being asked for are quickly finding their workers leaving for greener pastures in record breaking numbers. As more people come to love the freedom that remote working provides, many are turning to freelancing to open up previously closed doors. 

Thanks to the newest upgrade to Covid-19’s asset pack, Omicron, rumours of yet another lockdown are starting to circle. In response to this, the chancellor is teaming up with Arts Council England to offer an additional £1.5 million in grants for creative freelancers in England. Not to be outdone, the Scottish government also announced a whopping £8m to support creative freelancers in the coming months. So - who is this money for and how can you apply?

Instagram Head Adam Mosseri confirmed during a senate hearing last week, Weds 8th, that Instagram are working on bringing back the chronological feed for early 2022!

As a member-focused platform, our team is always looking for feedback on how we can better serve our freelance community. We recently carried out a survey to help us understand what platform features our members find most valuable, and which areas they believe we could improve on.