Mentoring

Mentoring 4 Creatives- Applications now open

Bectu/CULT Cymru are delighted to announce that applications are open for our highly successful mentoring programme: Mentoring 4 Creatives.

Previous programmes focused on members working in the screen industry but M4C is open to those working across theatre, live entertainment and music as well as screen. The relevant unions are Bectu Cymru, Equity and Musicians’ Union. If you’re interested in joining one of these unions in order to be eligible, please contact: siwan@bectu.org.uk

Funded by Welsh Government, the programme is open to members living and/or working in Wales.

Please read the information below and complete the application form by midnight 17th September 2026.

“Working with my mentor has profoundly changed my approach to my practice on a practical and personal level. As well as being hugely motivating, working with my mentor has instilled a confidence and laser focus on my goals that so often got lost when working solo. It’s been amazing”
Oola Pearl – Burlesque and cabaret performer and show producer

“The noise of the day to day had drowned out the real me and I hadn’t realised that I had lost my way. The mentoring programme encouraged me to focus in an incredibly supportive environment and my mentor went out of his way to help me begin to realise my dream of directing for TV and film.”
 Amer Nazir, actor and aspiring writer/director

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How does the mentoring support work?

Mentoring is a partnership where a more experienced mentor shares their knowledge and expertise with a mentee. As a mentee you’ll be encouraged, challenged and supported by your mentor to learn and progress.

We aim to match successful applicants with mentors who are established and currently working in the industry in your field or in the field in which you’d like to work.

  • Mentoring sessions are usually conducted online but you can meet face-to-face on occasions if geography, time and accessibility allow.

How & When?

6 x 1 hr monthly mentoring sessions (or equivalent) from Autumn 2026 to Spring 2027 plus opportunities to participate in a mentee roundtable (online) where you can meet other mentees on the programme.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and levels of experience, these include:

  • Fully paid-up union members (Bectu, Equity or the MU) – including new members
  • Those returning to work after a period of absence (due to health, disability, maternity, caring responsibilities etc)
  • in a group that is under-represented or require additional support – women, parents, Global Majority, disabled and LGBTQ+ communities and those from a less privileged socio-economic background.

What is a mentee?

A mentee is someone who wants to focus on their personal and professional development. You’ll have goals and objectives you want to achieve, and you want to overcome challenges. As a mentee you can expect support, encouragement, challenge, feedback and ideas from your mentor. You accept that your mentor will not have all the answers nor tell you what you should do; nor is it their job to give you a job!

Mentoring can:

  • Help boost your confidence and increase your self-awareness.
  • Give you clarity and an opportunity to focus on your challenges, goals and career objectives.
  • Provide a confidential, safe space to come up with ideas, to reflect, develop and progress.
  • Give you the opportunity to learn from your mentor and their experience.

To get the best from the mentoring partnership you’ll need to:

  • Be proactive and drive the mentoring process.
  • Be clear about what you want to achieve.
  • Use your planning and organising skills.
  • Understand your strengths and needs for your career – and be willing to share both with your mentor.
  • Be ready to receive feedback, be challenged and to use your creativity to generate ideas.
  • Learn from your mentor’s experience.
  • Commit to actions and review progress with your mentor.

Terms and Conditions

Successful candidates for mentorship will:

  • complete a short Welsh Government Learner Form.
  • complete a short feedback form at the end of the process and will be invited to contribute their story as a case study (GDPR compliance applies). The benefits of receiving mentoring often emerge further down the line.

Please see CULT Cymru’s privacy policy

Becoming a mentee requires great commitment and hard work and you need to be proactive. Please read above before you decide whether to apply:

How to apply

Please note that this is a competitive process, so we urge you to take time to complete the online application form. Apply here

Deadline: Thursday 17th September, 2026 at midnight.

 

A CULT Cymru programme funded by the Welsh Government’s Wales Union Learn Fund.