BRIT Awards 2025 : Mastercard school outreach initiative helps the next generation of creative talent break through

●       Singer songwriter Ella Eyre launches Mastercard’s Mic Drop Talks school outreach initiative at Kelmscott School in Walthamstow, London, with a surprise performance and Q&A on her career

●       Hosted by radio DJ Vick Hope, Mic Drop Talks showcases the wide range of careers available in the music and creative industries as new research finds 48 per cent of young people¹ want to pursue careers in this sector, but may not know how to go about it

●       Mastercard’s Mic Drop Talks will be taking place at several state-funded schools across the UK and will be freely available on YouTube ahead of Mastercard’s 27^th year as headline sponsor of The BRIT Awards

●       The BRIT Awards will be televised live on ITV1 and ITVX on March 1^st. Funding from The BRIT Awards supports The BRIT Trust, which aims to improve lives through the power of music and the creative arts and is vital in supporting the work of the BRIT School and other beneficiaries

London, February 20, 2025 – To celebrate its 27^th consecutive year as headline sponsor of The BRIT Awards, Mastercard has launched Mic Drop Talks; a nationwide school outreach initiative designed to help students who are interested in a career in the creative industries to follow their dreams.

Singer-songwriter and BRIT School alumnus, Ella Eyre, visited Kelmscott Secondary School in Walthamstow, London, to launch Mic Drop Talks, wowing students and teachers with a surprise performance of her hit songs Waiting All Night and Came here for Love. Ella then talked with students about the many and varied career paths available to them in the creative industries.

Hosted by radio and TV presenter, author, and journalist, Vick Hope, the outreach programme comes as new research from Mastercard reveals that 48 per cent¹ of young people aged 12 - 17 want to pursue a career in the creative industries. However, 39 per cent¹ of respondents are unsure about the careers available in this sector beyond being a performer and a third (33 per cent)¹ feel they are not creative enough for the career path. Mic Drop Talks is here to help them explore the wide range of opportunities available in the creative industries, which employ around 2.4 million people in the UK⁴.

Charlie Carrington, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, UK and Ireland, at Mastercard, commented: “As a proud sponsor of music and the arts, we’re passionate about helping the next generation break through. This is why we’ve been supporting The BRIT Awards and the BRIT School for 27 years. And this is why we’re now bringing BRIT School alumni and other creative talent into schools across the UK, helping their students explore how they can turn their passion for the creative arts into a career. From performing, tour and event management to technology, journalism and the law, there are hundreds of great career choices in the creative industries. Mic Drop Talks will help bring them into the spotlight.”

Vick Hope, radio and TV presenter, author, and journalist, said: “Inspiring the next generation is so important, and there is such power in really knowing your options, so I’m excited to be launching Mastercard’s school outreach initiative, Mic Drop Talks, showing young people across the country the many careers available in the music industry. The UK is bursting with creative talent, and it’s been incredible to hear the aspirations of so many students and help guide them to fulfilling their potential, particularly in areas that are less well advertised and to kids who may not have had much access to the arts - because the future really is in incredible hands!”

Ella Eyre, artist and BRIT School alumnus, added: “I’m honoured to be launching Mastercard’s Mic Drop Talks campaign to help inspire the next generation of creative talent. It’s so important that young people are shown the options available to them within the industry, so they can see a path that’s right for them. I hope Mastercard’s outreach programme gives young people across the UK the confidence to pursue their passions and create their own path forward.”

Mastercard’s research highlights the importance of receiving the right support at secondary school age, with 77 per cent of 12 to 17 year-olds interested in a career in the creative industries already taking steps to turn their creative aspirations into reality having been encouraged to do so by their parents (80 per cent) or by teachers (68 per cent.)

More than a quarter (28 per cent)³ of parents surveyed are actively encouraging their children to follow their passion for the creative arts. However, 27 per cent³ feel it’s important for their children to have a backup plan, worrying about the financial challenges they might encounter with a career in the creative industries.

Notably, the research found that children are most likely to let go of their creative career ambitions between the ages of 14 to 16² ,with 23 per cent³ of adults admitting that their own career aspirations changed in their mid-teens to something more “realistic.” This is despite the creative industries being a major employer in the UK and generating £125bn for the UK economy in 2023⁴.

The regional data shows that young people in Edinburgh¹ are the most likely to show an interest in pursuing a creative career (61 per cent), followed by London (57 per cent), Newcastle (49 per cent), and Manchester (48 per cent). And when it comes to uncertainty about career options, Plymouth (52 per cent)¹, Sheffield (49 per cent), and both Newcastle and Southampton (45 per cent) topped the list.

The BRIT Awards 2025 with Mastercard will take place on March 1^st at the O2 Arena in London and will air live on ITV and ITVX. In addition to Mic Drop Talks, Mastercard is also sponsoring a skills and CV-boosting work experience scheme, which will see ten students from the BRIT School work on The BRIT Awards ceremony in roles including production, TV, digital, event and public relations. BRIT students will also feature in Mastercard’s advertisements, which will air on ITV and on screens in the O2 Arena on the night.