On The Kusp: Meet the creative community putting POC first
[et_pb_section bb_built="1" admin_label="Section" fullwidth="on"][et_pb_fullwidth_image admin_label="Fullwidth Image" src="http://between-borders.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/KUSP.jpeg" animation="top" custom_margin="|||" /][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built="1" admin_label="Section" transparent_background="on" custom_padding="0px||0px|0px"][et_pb_row admin_label="row" make_fullwidth="on" custom_padding="0px|0px|0px|0px"][et_pb_column type="1_4"][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_2"][et_pb_text admin_label="Details" text_font_size="14px" text_text_color="#a0a0a4"]
The world of work
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" text_orientation="center" max_width="1750px" header_font_size="45px" header_font_size_tablet="35px" header_font_size_phone="24px" header_font_size_last_edited="on|phone" text_font="PT Sans||||" text_font_size="52" text_font_size_last_edited="on|desktop" text_text_color="#1d1d1d" text_line_height="1.1em" custom_margin="10px|-100px|-20px|-100px" saved_tabs="all" inline_fonts="Bitter"]
On The Kusp: Meet the creative community putting POC first
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Details" text_font_size="14px"]
Words by Luc HinsonArtwork by Sam Douglas
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" max_width="3000px" text_font_size="18px" text_font_size_tablet="16px" text_font_size_phone="15px" text_font_size_last_edited="on|tablet" text_text_color="#44444a" text_line_height="1.5em" text_line_height_phone="1.5em" text_line_height_last_edited="on|phone" custom_margin_phone="|-15px||-15px" custom_margin_last_edited="on|phone"]
The Kusp aims to be a gateway, a means of granting access to underrepresented creatives. Creatives from marginalised backgrounds lacking in resources and connections but brimming with talent. The Kusp was set up to combat exclusivity and nepotism, we caught up with the team behind the Kusp ahead of their launch to discuss the current landscape of the creative industry and what change they hope to stimulate.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" text_orientation="center" text_font="neuzeit|on|||" text_font_size="11" text_text_color="#bababa" text_line_height="1em" custom_margin="||0px|" custom_padding="||0px|" inline_fonts="Bree Serif" /][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" max_width="3000px" text_font_size="15px" text_line_height="2em" text_line_height_phone="1.5em" text_line_height_last_edited="on|phone" custom_margin_phone="|-15px||-15px" custom_margin_last_edited="on|phone"]
BB: Tell our readers a little bit about Kusp, what is it?
The Kusp is a gateway for the next generation of diverse creatives from underrepresented and underprivileged backgrounds seeking opportunities to excel within fashion and film & television. We deliver intimate masterclasses with some of the best brands and professionals within those respective industries. We're also building an exclusive digital community for creatives to connect, learn, share and collaborate - as no journey within the creative industry is easy, when pursued alone.
BB: Why did you decide to launch Kusp, and why now?
Now more than ever, we're beginning to see more diverse creatives receive the accolades and recognition they deserve. From successes within film & television like Get Out and Moonlight; whilst the financial achievement of Black Panther made a lot of executives within that industry to take notice. Whilst in fashion, the achievements of Edward Enninful at Vogue and Virgil Abloh at Louis Vuitton shows that doors are gradually being opened; but more work still needs to be done with both industries. We've seen a lot of great platforms out there, but we wanted to differentiate ourselves by creating an inclusive environment, where creatives could be connected through their craft and quality of work. Furthermore, we wanted to push the notion of our masterclasses being 'curated by creatives', which means we would recognise each creative on their own unique journey with varying obstacles hindering their career potential.
To cater to that we deliver masterclasses to find solutions. Providing intimate spaces, no more than 10 - 15 people, for creatives to get personal advice from these 'industry gatekeepers' on the necessary next steps they need to take, whilst also uncovering insight on the industry. We also try to encapsulate the above in our launch campaign, #JOINTHETRIBE. Playing on the notion that a tribe is a community linked by a common culture or belief, we wanted encouraging potential creatives to join our exclusive community to help them build relationships, learn, share and ultimately, propel their creative prospects.
BB: What do you hope to achieve through the establishment of Kusp?
Access and improving representation are our two main goals. Figuratively speaking, imagine us being like an access card, that gets you exclusive access into rooms that were once inaccessible; and within these rooms there's access to resources, industry insights, networks and a community of like-minded creatives. We believe that once were able to open those doors for the underrepresented and underprivileged, giving them the access they need, then we'll be able to unleash untapped talent to these creative industries - diversifying the existing industry and in turn, we'll naturally improve representation.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" max_width="3000px" text_font_size="15px" text_line_height="2em" text_line_height_phone="1.5em" text_line_height_last_edited="on|phone" custom_margin_phone="|-15px||-15px" custom_margin_last_edited="on|phone" /][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_4"][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built="1" admin_label="section" custom_padding="0px|0px|0px|0px" fullwidth="on"][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built="1" admin_label="section" custom_padding="0px|0px|0px|0px"][et_pb_row admin_label="row" make_fullwidth="on" custom_padding="37.7969px|0px|0px|0px"][et_pb_column type="1_2"][et_pb_image admin_label="Image" src="http://between-borders.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/DSC6403.jpg" sticky="on" align="center" /][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" text_font_size="12px" text_font_size_last_edited="off|desktop" text_text_color="#c1c1c1" text_line_height="1.5em" custom_margin_phone="|-15px||-15px" custom_margin_last_edited="on|phone" /][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_2"][et_pb_image admin_label="Image" src="http://between-borders.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/THE-KUSP-Ella.jpg" align="center" /][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built="1" admin_label="section" custom_padding="0px|0px|0px|0px"][et_pb_row admin_label="row" make_fullwidth="on" custom_padding="0px|0px|0px|0px"][et_pb_column type="1_4"][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_2"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" disabled_on="off|off|off" header_font_size="37px" header_font_size_last_edited="on|desktop" header_line_height="1.2em" text_font_size="52px" text_font_size_tablet="48px" text_font_size_last_edited="on|phone" text_line_height="1em" custom_margin="40px|-60px|50px|-60px" custom_padding="0px|||" saved_tabs="all"]
" WE NEED TO MAKE SURE TO WORK WITH THOSE THAT ARE 'UNDERREPRESENTED', MAKING SURE THEY ARE CONSISTENTLY IN THE RIGHT SPACES. "
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_4"][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label="row" custom_padding="0px|0px|46px|0px"][et_pb_column type="1_4"][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_2"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" max_width="3000px" text_font_size="15px" text_line_height="2em" text_line_height_phone="1.5em" text_line_height_last_edited="on|phone" custom_margin_phone="|-15px||-15px" custom_margin_last_edited="on|phone"]
BB: What does diversity mean to Kusp?
Diversity for us means originality, innovation and inclusivity. In order to try and achieve those things in the long-run, we need to make sure to work with those that are 'underrepresented', making sure they are consistently in the right spaces, in front of the right people and being recognised for their work. For us, someone that is 'underrepresented' means 'a creative individual who is from a comparatively underprivileged upbringing/background; that is a female or ethnic minority (person of colour)'. We've witnessed the value that diversity brings to the industry, we just need to elevate that and take it to a new level. This is why we exist.
BB: Describe the current landscape of the creative industries in 3 words:
Evolving, Optimistic, Growth.
BB: What does Britishness mean to you?
Wow. It's an amalgamation of different things. I think it's the ability to embrace, accept and see the value in difference - although current affairs don't really portray it as such - but that's what true Britishness looks like. It's also the ability to turn on a cockney accent whenever or wherever. The terms, 'fella', 'geeza', 'mate' and 'cuppa' are part of the starter pack.
BB: What are your hopes for the rest of 2019 and beyond?
We are at the very early stages, so generating awareness amongst relevant brands and creative talent is our hope for the rest of 2019. Beyond that, well we've got so much planned... from partnerships to content, to showcases, to work internationally. But we won't say too much, yet.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_4"][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label="row" custom_padding="0px|0px|46px|0px"][et_pb_column type="1_4"][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_2"][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_4"][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built="1" admin_label="Section" background_color="#f9f9f9" custom_padding="20px||0px|" disabled_on="off|off|off" global_module="30533"][et_pb_row admin_label="row" global_parent="30533" make_fullwidth="on" custom_padding="0px|0px|0px|0px" parallax_method_1="off" custom_css_main_element="padding-left:30px !important;||padding-right:30px !important;"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" global_parent="30533" header_text_color="#ffffff" header_letter_spacing="19px" text_letter_spacing="1px" custom_margin="15px|||"]
READ MORE
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_blog admin_label="Blog" global_parent="30533" fullwidth="off" posts_number="6" meta_date="j M, Y" show_author="off" show_date="off" show_pagination="off" offset_number="0" masonry_tile_background_color="#ffffff" header_font="|on|||" header_font_size="20px" meta_font="||||on" meta_font_size="12px" meta_text_color="#939393" use_border_color="on" saved_tabs="all" /][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built="1" admin_label="Section" background_color="#000000" custom_padding="0px|0px|-60px|0px"][et_pb_row admin_label="Row" custom_padding="38.3594px|0px|5px|0px" parallax_method_1="off" parallax_method_2="off" parallax_method_3="off"][et_pb_column type="1_4"][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_2"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" text_orientation="center" header_line_height="1.4em" text_line_height="2.3em"]
CONTEMPORARY CONVERSATIONS
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_social_media_follow admin_label="Social Media Follow" link_shape="circle" url_new_window="off"] [et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network="twitter" url="https://twitter.com/borders_between?lang=en-gb" bg_color="#000000" link_shape="circle" follow_button="off" url_new_window="off"] Twitter [/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network="instagram" url="https://www.instagram.com/betweenbordersmag/" bg_color="#000000" link_shape="circle" follow_button="off" url_new_window="off"] Instagram [/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network="facebook" url="https://www.facebook.com/BetweenBordersMagazine/" bg_color="#000000" link_shape="circle" follow_button="off" url_new_window="off"] Facebook [/et_pb_social_media_follow_network] [/et_pb_social_media_follow][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_4"][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]