Exciting Updates at Creative Portal!

Dear Creative Portal Community and New Future Friends,As we look back over the past four years, may we extend a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us—talented creatives, our networking community, partnerships and friends.

Our aim is to make the arts more inclusive, with diverse creative voices. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved, but we know there’s still so much more we can do together to raise the importance of the creative sector to our lives, culture and wellbeing.

We are thrilled to share what we do, our values and exciting changes at Creative Portal as we continue our journey of empowering the creative community! Over the past four years, we’ve proudly offered free e-portfolios, access to career resources, creative conversations, blogs, and networking opportunities to support our incredible users. Staying true to our values, we’re delighted to confirm that existing users will continue to enjoy these benefits at no cost for the lifetime of the platform.

After a successful start, it’s time to expand our offerings, introduce exciting new features, and ensure long-term sustainability. To achieve this starting 2025, new individual users will be asked to contribute a one-time fee of £10 for portfolio functions and CMS access to career resources. Rest assured, every penny will be reinvested into enhancing the platform and adding innovative features that serve your creative aspirations.

But that’s not all! in 2025, we’re launching a brand-new service designed to support job seekers and aspiring apprentices. Our Jobs Wall will connect creatives with meaningful opportunities, available for an annual subscription fee of £36. This modest charge which is highly competitive allows us to maintain affordability while continuing to develop quality adaptable services tailored to your career growth.

For educational institutions such as schools, colleges, and universities, we offer discounted corporate rates for multiple logins. Contact us directly to explore tailored packages that fit your institution’s unique needs.

DM; mike@creativeportal.co.uk

For those who believe in the platform, we have set up a regular giving page on  
The Good Hub.

Your generosity will not just enable us to enhance resources, inspire creativity across education and communities we are looking at the feasibility of it funding a Creative Cashpoint small grants fund.
We are incredibly grateful to you, our members, for being part of this amazing journey. Your support empowers us to remain proudly independent and focused on uplifting the creative community. Together, we are shaping a brighter, more innovative future for everyone passionate about creativity.

Thank you for being part of the Creative Portal family. Here’s to an exciting new chapter ahead!

Warm regards,The Creative Portal Family Team

From Mike; Creative Arts Advocate, Educator and Founder of Creative Portal

Enthusiastic about the transformative power of creativity; an advocate for its ability to drive social mobility, enhance well-being, enrich culture, and make a profound economic contribution. 

With over 4.7 decades in diverse educational roles in arts education, combining personal expression in Fine Art and Theatre Design. In Further and Higher Education, I stayed dedicated to unlocking creative potential, inspiring career opportunities and continue to be excited by breadth of employment in the sector by keeping pace within immersive technology and the evolving career landscapes it promises.

I am a staunch believer in STEAM over STEM, striving to prove how creativity supports cross-curricular learning. I am particularly committed to dismantling perceived barriers to careers in the creative sector, championing inclusivity and enabling neurodiverse individuals to thrive. My concern about the decline of arts education, in particular music is coupled with a broader question: who will visit the galleries, museums, and music venues of tomorrow if we do not act today?

Four years ago, I decided to personally invest my time and finance in founding Creative Portal. The ambition to create an action-driven platform celebrating the rich diversity of the UK’s arts and be an inspiring service for careers at every life stage. Built on a collaborative ethos that mirrors my own open and resilient personality, Creative Portal is more than a mission—it is a passion.

Whether fostering skills, connectivity, promoting employability, or empowering individuals to explore their creative potential, I am dedicated to playing a role in ensuring the future of the arts remain a vibrant, inclusive, and impactful force for future generations.

My Values are built into Creative Portal, values that spell out who we are: 

CREATIVE.We embrace 

Curiosity as the spark for innovative ideas, while 
Respect ensures every voice is valued. Committed to 
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion to create a culture where everyone belongs. 
Accessibility is key, making sure all can take part. Built on 
Trust, we act with integrity and transparency. We drive 
Innovation, always pushing boundaries with a 
Visionary outlook that shapes the future. Finally, we believe in 
Empowerment, giving our community the tools and support to thrive. 

Creative Portal: One Affordable Creative Spark at a Time
Recent introduction of a CMS System has extended the range of offer. With drop down access to a new career’s expert resource, creativity with a disability and more to follow.
The online platform is free to both portfolio users and professional organisations who can set up a profile. For users it is a place where artists, designers, performers, musicians —whether just starting out or at any career stage —can highlight their talent, connect with peers and craft a unique "creative selfie."  It is also a digital space to networking with industry pros who by being with us can search portfolios and give a little something back by sharing their experience and ability.

Given Creative Portal empowers users to explore collaboration opportunities the next logical development to become directly involved in promoting those opportunities with a soon to be released a jobs wall / talent pipeline in support employment, apprenticeships, internships and more.
What sets Creative Portal apart is the aim to introduce career emerging creatives with industry ability. We’re all about fostering real, meaningful connections—linking users with professionals from universities, colleges, and leading creative organizations. Through these creative conversations helping live and interactive career insights, mentorship, and valuable guidance. 
As a Social Mobility Partner of Speakers for Schools we have been able to amplify our reach into Schools and Colleges being initiative-taking in introducing creative careers into the heart of the classroom and curriculum. Together, we host online Creative Arts Careers Insight Encounters and Virtual Placements that bring inspiration, confidence, and clarity to students of all backgrounds as they navigate the endless possibilities of the creative sector. We have regularly invited professionals to join, delivering snapshots of their career journeys or windows into specific industries. These have shown an effectiveness in engaging young people.

In 2022 Creative Portal Co Hosted with the amazing ERIC APP Co-Founder Samantha Hornsby in an immensely powerful contribution to National Careers Week with UK registrations for over 50 talks attracting several thousand learners from UK wide Schools Colleges and other learning partners. We are returning to this national stage in March 2025 with five days of presentations each day focussed on a specific field of the UK creative and cultural industry. With a day specifically set aside for music in all its front and behind the scenes occupations.
We view the platform as a safe art dedicated space, almost an art centred social media. It is open to all fields of expression, standing for the diversity of the visual and performing arts. What’s more at login it converts to a URL giving a personal platform that is more a creative selfie to include CV and more to be there for as long as…its growable and transportable to Employers, Education 

Providers and opportunities. 
We are working to upgrade and release our online exhibition feature X-Hibi soon to our users to create their own individual or group exhibition into videos. Like the portfolios this feature is transportable and links to the portfolios.
From young people, educators, families, communities to proven professionals, Creative Portal, creativity is more than a career pathway tool —it’s a vital part of personal growth, well-being, and social progress. Our mission is clear: to create a space where every user, no matter their age or background, can access the resources they need to unlock their creative potential, share their voice, and shape the next chapter of our cultural legacy—or simply enjoy expressing themselves creatively.

In Summary Creative Portal Offers
Free Digital Portfolios 

At the heart of Creative Portal are our “Creative Selfies,” free digital portfolios that offer users a professional space to document and share their creative journey. Whether it’s showcasing artwork, CVs, blogs, or performances, users can personalise their portfolios with a unique URL, making it easy to share their progress with friends, educators, and potential employers. This tool is designed to grow with them, becoming a lifelong digital home for their creative evolution.

Peer Learning and Networking
Creativity thrives in community, and at Creative Portal, we believe that creativity is contagious. Offering the Professional Sector to show a profile presence we connect “in house” users with peers, educators, and professionals across the creative industries, helping collaborations, mentorships, and shared learning experiences. Whether you’re an aspiring artist, designer, performer, or digital creator, Creative Portal is here to connect you with the people and opportunities that will help you flourish.

Creative Conversations
At this time of internet exposure we are proud to be viewed by some as a creative dedicated safe social media space for creatives and those who support them. Through Creative Conversations, users can engage in positive, meaningful exchanges that inspire and uplift. Whether you’re sharing ideas, promoting events, or engaging in dialogue about creative practices, our platform encourages thoughtful conversations that foster a supportive and growth-focused community.

X-Hibi an online exhibition features
Our upcoming [ Nearly Completed] X-Hibi Online Exhibition Platform will give users the chance to display their work by converting their portfolio and exhibition requirements in video format, providing unprecedented visibility and accessibility to diverse creative expressions. This exciting feature will allow emerging talent to display their work with a wider audience and engage with feedback in a supportive environment.

Inclusive-Creativity with a Disability
At Creative Portal, inclusivity is at the core of our values. We’re committed to creating a space that is welcoming to all, including individuals with disabilities or those who face barriers to entering the creative industries. We believe every creative voice deserves to be heard, and our platform ensures that talent is recognized, valued, and celebrated.

Career Learning-Snack Bite and Career Cafe
We appreciate the importance of work readiness skills in parallel with career insights. In 2025 we plan to launch our Snack Bite employability short courses in collaboration with Ambitionology, lunchtime sessions for schools, colleges and universities. In support free drop-in Career Cafés, affording discussions on contemporary topics with industry professionals during informal.

As previously mentioned, the next reveal is a new subscription-based jobs wall, launching 2025 which will provide cost-effective access to the latest jobs, apprenticeships, internships and placements postings in the creative industries. Develop an innovative, cross-disciplinary “Talent Pipeline” on the Creative Portal platform. This Talent Pipeline will provide creatives, particularly those in the theatre, entertainment, and music industries, with affordable access to relevant job opportunities, multimedia portfolio integration, and enhanced networking. Creative Portal aims to differentiate itself by delivering personalised job matching, industry-specific features, and a collaborative community ecosystem that helps both creatives and employers.

Vision for the Future
The vision is ambitious, believing that everyone deserves the chance to nurture their creative talents and find a place to be the best of themselves in the arts, culture and creative industries. We imagine a future where creativity breaks down barriers, builds bridges between diverse communities, and empowers individuals to tell their stories. We want to be part of that future and grow into a global entity. But not on our own! We want to achieve this with like-minded partners.

Why Create a Partnership Relationship with Creative Portal?

Creative Portal’s blend of openness, values, inclusivity, and career support makes it a valuable partner for professionals, businesses, education providers, charities, and more. By providing free tools, career support, and a collaborative community, Creative Portal helps all stakeholders to foster talent, support personal and professional growth, and contribute to the creative industries' future.

Thank you for being part of the Creative Portal family. Here’s to an exciting new chapter ahead!

Warm regards,The Creative Portal Family Team

Our Socials;

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www.linkedin.com/in/mike-cobb-pernak-25929534

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