How The Working Class Creative Database Is Opening Doors In The Elite Art World
“It’s vital that marginalised voices are part of the art world,” says Chanelle Love, co-founder of the Working Class Creative Database (WCCD). “Whether it’s about uncovering and reframing history or highlighting contemporary culture, working-class culture tends to be overlooked and sometimes reinterpreted in galleries. The Working Class Creative Database is a document in history that might not have otherwise been recorded.”
Love, along with fellow artist and archivist Seren Metcalfe, founded the WCCD as the antidote to the UK’s exclusive London-centric creative scene. Gone are the signet rings and the Soho House membership. In its place is a platform without a price tag or a postcode; a genuine community that doesn’t require an invite from a friend of your parents’ (or one of their credit cards) to get in.
WCCD isn’t just a directory of creatives – it’s an entry pass to the art world for those without insider connections. The platform provides all kinds of opportunities, from open calls for exhibitions and collaborative residencies to all-important studio space. Here, you’ll find everyone from sculptors to dancers – a networking symposium and who’s-who of emerging talent. Members also get access to creatives who have already made their mark in the industry, helping to support those just starting out.
The platform started in 2020 as a straightforward group chat, founded by Love and Metcalfe, both of whom attended two of London’s most prestigious art schools. Feeling disconnected from their privileged peers, they set out to create a supportive community, sharing opportunities, connections and resources for creatives from working-class backgrounds. “When people think of class, it’s really not just financial; it’s also cultural. It’s those connections, and it’s having that knowledge.” says Metcalfe. “Most people at my university came from private schools with a background in art history, which I knew nothing about. My work was based on my own experiences, while everyone else drew on academic references. For me, the art our community creates comes from a different place, and that’s why our platform is so valuable.”
The disparity between working-class creatives and creatives from other backgrounds is well-known in the industry. A recent report by Creative Access, a recruitment company that provides opportunities in the creative sector for marginalised groups, revealed that 74% of respondents from the creative sector believe it is harder for working-class individuals to secure roles in creative industries. Most professionals also agree that working-class representation is lacking, particularly at a senior level. So, what can the industry do to better support and nourish creativity for those from less-privileged backgrounds?
“When you look back at the origins of art movements or music genres, it often traces back to working-class culture,” says Metcalfe. “So it’s about making sure people are aware of those voices. But also having proper arts education, providing youth clubs, building public creative facilities and encouraging young people to be creative. So many of our members just never had the access or opportunity.”
“I think putting the working-class narrative at the forefront in spaces that don’t usually spotlight it,” adds Love. “Making it accessible to communities from all different class backgrounds. It’s something people should be able to look up, see, recognise and be aware of – both the existing class disparities and the historical context that’s brought us to this point.”
Now, with over 1,000 members, the future of WCCD supports this vision. The volunteer-led team wants to expand its resources, collaborate with more organisations and even start a publication – a taster seen on the Editions section of the website, which spotlights some of the talent within its community. It aims to continue dismantling barriers and expanding the talent spotlight beyond London – a revolution to an outdated system; a door open wide instead of closed shut. As Love says, “We are creating an economy that we weren’t born into.”
3 Up-And-Coming Artists To Know From The Working Class Creative Database
- Nuz Fatima – Her work explores the politics of aesthetics through her intricate artistry of henna. Her work aims to challenge norms in the art world while tackling conventional beauty aesthetics, seeking to define beauty and the intersection of beauty, culture and societal expectations.
- Sky Dair – A a writer and multidisciplinary artist from London. Her practice focuses on the documentation of living and exploring the emotional catharsis that comes as a result of making and thinking. She has an MA in Fashion Image from Central Saint Martins and writes a Substack called I’ll Be Loving You, which delves into the culture that sustains her and brings her joy.
- Abdullah Adekola – A writer, performer and creative wellbeing practitioner. He is interested in racial, social and climate justice, decolonisation and healthy approaches to masculinity. His breakthrough poetry collection, Nigrescence, is out now on adekola.bigcartel.com.
Jamie Styles is Editorial Assistant at Service95
