Sweetshop's Rare Access Masterclass to Launch at LIA's Creative LIAisons

Rare Access, powered by Sweetshop, is set to launch at London International Awards (LIA) Creative LIAisons in October at Encore Las Vegas. The masterclass has been equipping underrepresented creatives with MBA-level leadership and resilience training since 2017 – giving the creative industry’s most promising diverse talent the tools, network, and insights they need to thrive in an industry that wasn’t built for them.

Following the successful launch of Rare Access powered by Sweetshop earlier this year at D&AD Festival in London and Semi Permanent in Sydney, the global partnership will now roll out for the first time in the US as part of Rare’s activity at LIA. As well as receiving a place on the LIAisons program, five rare minds will be offered the opportunity to participate in the program, shadow the juries, attend a VIP dinner with special guest speakers Blair Imani and Samson Bonkeabantu Brown, and be flown in and put up for the duration of the program. 

Creative LIAisons is a five-day program funded by London International Awards, as a way to give back to the creative community. There are no delegate fees and LIA pays flights and hotel accommodation. As a result the attendance is extremely competitive. The LIA can only accommodate 100 delegates with preference given, of course, to agencies, organisations and publications that support us. 

1. What makes you Rare? 

2. How would a place on Rare Access help take your career to the next level? 

Applications close on 19th August 2019. Applicants must reside in the USA and must be at least 21 years of age and no older than 31 years. 

Barbara Levy, president of LIA said: “The aim of Creative LIAisons is to unify the advertising world’s best thinkers, work, and up and coming talent, and we couldn’t be more excited to collaborate with Rare and Sweetshop to further elevate the program, and empower our attendees with the tools and inspiration they need to thrive.”

A Google initiative, the masterclass is backed by the Berlin School for Creative Leadership. With training on crucial topics like negotiation training, authentic leadership, bravery, the program also features inspirational keynotes from world-leading thinkers, makers and activists – including renowned executive coach, Professor. David Slocum; author and historian, Blair Imani; world-renowned journalist, Lara Logan, as well as a host of creative legends from the prestigious LIA juries. 

“Gaining uninhibited access to the industry’s most important festivals and formidable leaders is invaluable for rare talent,” said Tara McKenty, Rare co-founder and Google creative lead. “World-leaders become personal friends and mentors, gold-standard campaigns become personal benchmarks, and mind-bending insights set the foundation for a bright professional future.” 

Greg Schultz, managing director of Sweetshop USA said: “We’re really excited to be extending Rare Access and the opportunities it enables to the US. The more we support this diverse kind of talent to flourish, the bolder the work will be. And Rare Access is exactly the kind of support that I think will be the catalyst to making this happen.” 

With LIAisons providing an environment of lively debate, intellectual honesty and camaraderie, the program will not only equip the industry’s promising talent with the network, knowledge and insight they need to thrive, but also help to drive diversity and inclusion across the creative industries arm-in-arm with some of the best.