Apple and UK’s largest arts centre, the Southbank Centre, have announced a partnership to expand Apple’s global Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI) to the United Kingdom, providing tools and resources to support emerging Black talent and aspiring creatives in the country.
As explained by the Southbank Centre, the partnership, which will launch later this Autumn, has two key components including “an intensive, industry-led training and development program to help address and remove the structural barriers Black creatives often face in the creative industries” and a collaboration with local schools to“ spark a passion for creativity among the next generation of talent, providing a powerful experience for participants early in their creative journeys.”
“As part of our work to address challenges in racial equity and justice, we’re excited to partner with Southbank Centre to increase representation in the arts,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook on Twitter. “This is a wonderful program designed to unlock people’s full creative potential, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.”
Apple’s relationship with the Southbank Centre began in summer 2022 with support for the Southbank Centre’s Photo-Fantastic accelerator programme for aspiring image makers. Fifteen emerging, London-based Black photographers took part, and their work has been exhibited at the Southbank Centre throughout September.
On Sunday, Apple CEO Tim Cook was spotted in London at Apple Covent Garden, where he was seen taking pictures with staff as Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s Leader of Retail + People was similarly seen at Apple White City.