Three creatives will speak about their current practice, the choices they've been making, and the direction they want to go in as PLATFORM's funded activity comes to an end.

PLATFORM started as a series of events for Leicester creatives to meet each other, share work and learn from people already working in the industry. Over the last 18 months we’ve held short film showcases via Short PLATFORM, pitching nights, idea development and business labs and talks with commissioners, writers, directors, art critics, producers and artists.

People who met through PLATFORM have started collaborating outside the programme. New projects have appeared. People have found crews, collaborators, confidence and, in some cases, a reason to keep going with work that can often feel financially and emotionally unsustainable.

For this event, three creatives from the PLATFORM community will talk about the work they’re making now and what it actually feels like trying to sustain a creative practice in 2026. The good bits, the exhausting bits, the uncertainty, the side jobs, the small wins. We’ll also revisit some of the advice shared by past PLATFORM guests over the last year and a half and ask what still feels useful now.

Our current funding for PLATFORM has come to an end, which feels strange to say out loud. But before we figure out what happens next, we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge what this community has become and its potential. We’re hoping this is the start of another chapter rather than the end of one, and we want the people who’ve built this community to help shape wherever it goes next.

BTS image courtesy of Diva Rodriguez 'Surprise, Baby!' 2024 Dir Zane Igbe