Saatchi & Saatchi’s free creative schools’ platform, Upriser, has now expanded across the UK aided by the commencement of three new partnerships. 
Designed to inspire young people between 11-18 with creativity and offer a tangible introduction to the creative and marketing industries, Cowshed, IMA-HOME and Leith join the creative agency as partners for Upriser.
The new partnerships will work alongside ITV, who were announced as a founding partner for the programme in February, partnering with local school, Kensington Aldridge Academy.
Supporting Upriser’s goals to expand beyond London and reach secondary school students across the entirety of the UK, the new partnerships will allow the programme to roll out across Wales, Scotland and the North of England for the first time.
In Cardiff, the award-winning creative agency Cowshed has partnered with Willows High School, where the bespoke creative programme will kick off this September.
“We are incredibly proud to be Saatchi & Saatchi’s partner in Wales for their game-changing Upriser programme,” said Cowshed managing director, Vicki Spencer-Francis.
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“Upriser aligns perfectly with the work we carry out across the education and creative sectors and goes hand in hand with our commitment to giving back to communities in our home city,” added Spencer-Francis.
In Yorkshire, global marketing agency IMA-HOME will be building a programme that focuses on creating meaningful opportunities such as apprentices and paid placements at its partner school, Brigshaw High.
In Edinburgh and Manchester, Leith will be setting out to support local communities, partnering with Leith Academy and Manchester Academy to inspire young people about the different opportunities a career in the creative industry can offer them.
Both agencies expressed their delight at joining the programme with Leith head of strategy, Victoria Milne commenting on how the move formed part of the “agency’s wider commitment to diversity across gender, social background and ethnic identity.”
IMA-HOME managing director, Alexandra Uprichard, added that the initiative played “a pivotal role in bringing a more diverse set of skills and experiences to the whole industry in the region.”
The Upriser initiative was founded in 2022 by Saatchi & Saatchi, in response to what the agency describes as a ‘creative crisis’ – a sustained lack of funding for creative and cultural programmes in school.
The agency shared data that showed the average UK state school only invests £9.40 a year per student, a figure which is on track to have a knock-on effect on the UK’s creative output due to a lack of future talent entering the industry.
The programme provides, among other resource programmes, workplace visits and creative initiatives with the Saatchi & Saatchi agency.
“With an eye-watering £120bn contribution to the nation’s GDP our creative industries are truly exceptional. However it’s a busted flush without a pipeline of young talent,” said Saatchi & Saatchi managing director, Sarah Jenkins.
“Alongside ITV, our founding partner, we’re looking forward to learning from each other and becoming a true collective to ensure the power of creativity is hardwired into education and unlocking the next generation of creators, makers and fixers,” Jenkins’ concluded.
