This year has been a rollercoaster for us all, but no more than our creatives and performers who have been failed by a system that is there to protect them. However, as natural hustlers, people have popped up with small businesses all over the place and we wanted to celebrate that. Over the past month, I have been taking note of some businesses that are definitely worthy of being on everyone's Christmas list. Take a look at some of the people who we have found, and why not have a little search around social media to see if you could buy any gifts from people in our industry, helping them out could really make a difference. This list we have created is a start, but please actively search for not only independent and small business but also those that have been set up by people who have been left without work in our industry.
Banner artwork by Justin Williams.
These stylish and stunning digital custom portraits are truly one of a kind. With a background in Ballet, Jamie Shields has also appeared in musicals like Cats and We Will Rock You. He creates these fabulous minimalistic sketches that are super stylish and would fit into a modern design home perfectly. Get an icon to add some unique art to your walls or perhaps slide into Jamie's DMs to commission a personalised portrait.
With credits such as Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Titanic, Les Miserables, The Barricade Boys, Pipe Dream, Chess and many more, Kieran Brown is no stranger to the West End stage. What you may not know about him is that he is a very talented photographer who has taken this one step further. He has set up his own website where you can purchase any of the gorgeous images he has taken, but why not go the extra mile and get the pictures on facemasks, on a mug or even on a coaster?! What makes purchasing one of these images even better, is that 10% of every sale goes to Acting for Others. All information can be found on his website.
