Creativity’s
Diversity
Disconnect
NOVEMBER 2017

RESEARCH PURPOSE
Diversity and inclusion are important
issues that affect many industries,
including the creative field. As a partner
and contributor to the creative community,
we’d like to understand how race and
gender impact creative professionals in
their education and careers.
PRIOR INDUSTRY RESEARCH
Our work builds on studies that
shed light on the composition and
advancement of creatives in different
industries. Examples include the 2008
“Artists in the Workforce” study by the
National Endowment of the Arts and
AIGA’s 2016 Design Census, which
provide foundational benchmarking
for the gender and ethnic/racial
demographics.
Our observations are:
• Women enter the creative field in
comparable numbers to men but
don’t advance at the same pace.
• People of color run into challenges
in the workplace relative to entry
and advancement.
Introduction
OUR COMMITMENT
Our hope is that the insights from
our study will help build awareness,
amplify the conversation, and provide
a basis for action in education and
the workplace for women and people
of color. This research is just the
beginning. We view it as the start of
the conversation and we will continue
to build on this body of work through
additional discussions and partnerships,
as well as our own work with the
creative community.
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
1. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & KEY FINDINGS 2

U.S. creative
industry
professionals
U.S. creative industry
professionals,
educators, and
community leaders
±3.6% at the 95%
confidence level**
MARGIN
OF ERROR
N=750*
N=150 photographers
N=150 videographers
N=150 designers
SAMPLE SIZE
N=10
15-minute online
survey
METHOD
45- to 60-minute
phone interview
Survey fielded
from August 29 to
September 5, 2017
TIMING
Calls occurred between
September 25 and
October 4, 2017
*Note: The additional job titles represented in our study include architects, creative directors, art directors, animators, web / app developers, etc.
**Unless otherwise noted, differences between audiences are statistically significant at the 95% confidence level
Research methodology
QUANTITATIVE SURVEY
QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS
AUDIENCE
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
1. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & KEY FINDINGS 3

RICK ALBANO
Executive Creative Director,
SWIFT
LIZ DANZICO
Chair, MFA Interaction Design,
SVA
RIC EDWARDS
Creative Director,
NA Collective
KATHLEEN DIAMANTAKIS
Chief Strategy Development
Officer, KBS & Co-Founder,
On Behalf Organization
SHAMEKABROWNBARBOSA
Creative Director/Writer and
Entrepreneur, The Brown Scribe
GINA GRILLO
CEO, President, The
Advertising Club of New York
ASH HUANG
UX Designer,
Adobe
JACINDA WALKER
Diversity Task Force
Chair, AIGA
IAN SPALTER
Head of Design,
Instagram
JON HINOJOSA
Artistic/Executive Director,
SAY Sí
Qualitative interview participants
We’d like to thank the following people for sharing their experience
and insights to help us better understand the survey findings.*
*Quotes in this report are personal opinions of the interviewees and do not reflect the views of the company and organizations they work for or are affiliated with.CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
1. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & KEY FINDINGS 4

Survey: Key findings
Diversity drives success and better work,
yet progress lags.
• Eighty-two percent of creatives believe their most successful
group projects were produced by a diverse team. Page 10
• Seventy-six percent report they will avoid working for/with a
company they believe does not take diversity seriously. Page 11
• Eighty-seven percent say a diverse workforce should be an
industry priority. Page 12
• A vast majority (90 percent) agrees a more diverse workforce
is only effective if everyone feels included. Page 12
• Yet, only about half of respondents (54 percent) believe
diversity in the creative industry has gotten better, compared
to five years ago. Page 13
MAKING THE CASE FOR DIVERSITY
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
1. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & KEY FINDINGS 5

Survey: Key findings
Creative careers are out of reach for many
people of color.
• Lack of awareness of creative professions is a barrier.
Page 16
• Creatives of color are twice as likely to perceive a lack of
access to tools and training as a significant barrier. Page 17
• Parents and mentors of students of color are perceived
as being less likely to be very supportive of a creative
education. Page 18
• Fewer creatives of color graduate with a creative major
compared to white respondents. Page 19
* This section focuses mainly on perceptions among people of color around their awareness and exposure to the creative profession. We also analyzed responses by gender and found many similarities in experience
and barriers that men and women face overall. While differences exist in individual cases, overall this lines up with broader industry data that indicates that there is a robust pipeline for female creatives.
CREATIVES OF COLOR START AT AN UNEVEN PLAYING FIELD*
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
1. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & KEY FINDINGS 6

Survey: Key findings
Bias and exclusion stall women and people
of color in their career progression.
• Creatives of color are more likely to report experiencing
career barriers and are less likely to say that people they
work with value their contributions. Pages 22 & 23
• Women are less likely than men to report seeing people
like themselves in their industry and at work. Page 24
• Women are also more likely to say their gender will
hamper their future success. Page 26
A STEEP CLIMB
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
1. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & KEY FINDINGS 7

Making the case
for diversity
Diversity drives success and better
work, yet progress lags.
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT, PART TWO
“As designers, we are at the forefront of
what people see and how they sell their
products. If the design is not inclusive,
we are manifesting a world where
people will not have a meritocracy.”
ASH HUANG, UX DESIGNER, ADOBE
8

I could tell right away that there was
no one who looked like me in the
room when they were making creative
decisions. So now that I’m able to
bring in different viewpoints, it just
makes our story better.”
RIC EDWARDS, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, NA COLLECTIVE
“
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
2. MAKING THE CASE FOR DIVERSITY 9

My most successful group
projects or initiatives were
produced by a diverse team
Without a more diverse
workforce, the creative
industry won’t advance
at the speed it could
STATEMENT AGREEMENT
(Top 2 box)
“When you’re in environments where people
from all over the world, different cultures,
and walks of life are working on a problem
together, that’s pretty inspiring. It’s like the
super-hero team-ups.”
IAN SPALTER, HEAD OF DESIGN, INSTAGRAM
Q20: How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
Base size: Total = 750
82% 78%
Creatives see diversity as core
to industry success and advancement
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
2. MAKING THE CASE FOR DIVERSITY 10

of creative professionals
report they will avoid working
for/with a company that
they believe does not take
diversity seriously
STATEMENT AGREEMENT
(Top 2 box)
Q20: How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
Base size: Total = 750
76%
Creatives make diversity a factor
in career and project decisions
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
2. MAKING THE CASE FOR DIVERSITY 11

agree a more
diverse workforce
is only effective
if everyone feels
included
say a diverse
workforce should
be a priority for
the creative
industry
Q20: How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
Base size: Total = 750
Q19: How much of a priority do you think a diverse workforce
should be for the creative industry?
Base size: Total = 750
90%87%
A vast majority agrees diversity is a
priority and only effective with inclusion
STATEMENT AGREEMENT
(Top 2 box selected)
STATEMENT AGREEMENT
(Top 2 box selected)
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
2. MAKING THE CASE FOR DIVERSITY 12

COMPARED TO FIVE YEARS AGO, DIVERSITY IN THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY WORKFORCE IS…
(% selecting)
Q23: Compared to five years ago, do you think the diversity in the creative industry workforce is…?
Base size: Total = 750
7%
39%54%
Getting better About the same
Getting worse
Yet, only half of respondents think
the creative industry is more diverse
than it was five years ago
“Diversity is very important, but I
don’t think we’re there yet. The
industry is changing but it’s not
changing fast enough.”
RICK ALBANO, EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR, SWIFT
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
2. MAKING THE CASE FOR DIVERSITY 13

Creatives of color
start at an uneven
playing field
Creative careers are out of reach
for many people of color
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT, PART THREE
“My high school did not have any facilities
or experts for creative. I didn’t know
there were careers like art directors or
that advertising was a major.”
KATHLEEN DIAMANTAKIS, CHIEF STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT
OFFICER, KBS & CO-FOUNDER, ON BEHALF ORGANIZATION
This section focuses mainly on perceptions among people of color around their awareness and exposure to the creative profession. We also analyzed responses
by gender and found many similarities in experience and barriers that men and women face overall. While differences exist in individual cases, overall this lines
up with broader industry data that indicates that there is a robust pipeline for female creatives.
14

We are actively trying to pursue younger people
at different stages of their creative life. We
are trying to talk to people well before middle
school and high school to start educating
people about what design means.”
LIZ DANZICO, CHAIR, MFA INTERACTION DESIGN, SVA
“
“
Opportunities for young people in visual arts in their
public schools were fairly non-existent when we
started SAY Sí. Fast-forward 23 years later, and it’s
even worse. One reason is budgetary confinements
and restrictions; the other piece is not understanding
the value and the importance of the arts.”
JON HINOJOSA, ARTISTIC/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAY Sí
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
3. PEOPLE OF COLOR START AT A DISADVANTAGE 15

Creatives cite lack of awareness
as a barrier
BARRIERS TO PURSUING
CREATIVE EDUCATION
(Top 2 box)
Q8: To what extent do you consider each of the following to have been a barrier to pursuing your creative education?
Base sizes: Total creatives who pursued a creative major after high school = 361, People of Color who pursued a creative major after high school = 101
51%say “lack of awareness
of creative professions”
is a barrier to a creative
education
Fifty-five
percent of
creatives of
color cite lack
of awareness
as a barrier
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
3. PEOPLE OF COLOR START AT A DISADVANTAGE 16

[ ]
Lack of tools and training is also
considered a barrier
Q8: To what extent do you consider each of the following to have been a barrier to pursuing your creative education? (Top 2 box selected)
Base sizes: White who pursued a creative major after high school = 260, People of Color who pursued a creative major after high school = 101
2xCreatives of color
are two times
more likely than
white creatives
to cite lack of
access to tools
and training as a
significant barrier.
White
People of color
13%
27%
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
3. PEOPLE OF COLOR START AT A DISADVANTAGE 17

Students of color are less likely
to have a strong support network
*Note: difference between audiences is statistically significant at the 90% confidence level
Q5: Thinking about the people in your life, how supportive were they during your pursuit of your creative profession?
Base sizes: White = 494, People of Color = 254
Parents* Mentor(s)
LEVEL OF SUPPORT
(% selecting “Very supportive”)
“There was a perception that you had to get
a real job and that a real job never included
being something creative. Being happy at a
career was not something that was a priority,
being black and coming from a large family
of working class people.”
JACINDA WALKER, AIGA DIVERSITY TASK FORCE CHAIR
71% 65% 63%
54%
White
People of color
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
3. PEOPLE OF COLOR START AT A DISADVANTAGE 18

Fewer respondents of color
graduated with a creative major
Q3: Did you graduate with a creative major after your education post-high school? Note that this includes your primary major or a double major. Base sizes: White who attended education beyond high school= 454, People of Color who attended education beyond high school= 227
Q8: To what extent do you consider each of the following to have been a barrier to pursuing your creative education? Base sizes: White who pursued creative major after high school= 260, People of Color who pursued creative major after high school = 101
White WhitePeople of color People of color
57%
44%
37%
54%
GRADUATED WITH A CREATIVE MAJOR
(% selecting “Yes”)
BARRIERS TO PURSUING A CREATIVE EDUCATION
“Difficulty getting accepted into the program
or classes I wanted” (Top 2 box)
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
3. PEOPLE OF COLOR START AT A DISADVANTAGE 19

A steeper climb
Bias and exclusion stall women
and people of color in their
career progression
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT, PART FOUR
“The sink-or-swim nature of the business is what’s
maddening to me, because no amount of training as
an intern can really even prepare you for what you’re
walking into. And if you add in race, gender, sexuality,
religion, the climb just becomes even steeper.”
SHAMEKA BROWN BARBOSA, CREATIVE DIRECTOR/WRITER
AND ENTREPRENEUR, THE BROWN SCRIBE
20

I heard it as a kid and definitely
heard from my mom that as a
minority, especially as a minority
woman, I would have to work
twice as hard to get noticed. For
me, that was just how life is. So I
always tried to work really hard,
and figured hard work would
compensate for everything.”
ASH HUANG, UX DESIGNER, ADOBE
“
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
4. A STEEPER CLIMB 21

Creatives of color are more likely
to report experiencing career barriers
than white creatives
BARRIERS TO ACHIEVING CAREER GOALS
(Top 2 Box)
Q13: To what extent would you consider each of the following to be a barrier to achieving your career goals over the next two years?
Base sizes: White = 494, People of Color = 254
66%
75%
53%
65%
White
People of color
51%
63%
49%
62%
Finding new
opportunities
Lack of sponsorship
from a senior-level
advocate
Lack of support from
my management
Pressure to speak up or
behave in ways that are
uncomfortable
ACROSS ALL
RESPONDENTS
Women and men perceive
similar career barriers.
Those who did not graduate
with a creative major are more
likely to experience career
barriers than those who did
graduate with a creative major.
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
4. A STEEPER CLIMB 22

…and are less likely
to feel valued at work
STATEMENT AGREEMENT
(% selecting “Strongly agree”)
*Note: difference between audiences is statistically significant at the 90% confidence level
Q10: How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
Base sizes: White = 494, People of Color = 254
I can be myself at work* People I work with value my contributions
70% 63%
White
People of color
63%
55%
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
4. A STEEPER CLIMB 23

Women notice a lack of female
creatives at work and in leadership
*Both genders are equally likely to seek more senior roles. - Q12: What are your career ambitions over the next two years? % selecting yes: 42% men vs. 43% women
Q18: How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Base sizes: Men = 362, Women = 385
There are many other people
like me in my industry
There are many other people
like me at my company / the
companies I freelance for
There are many people like me in
leadership roles at my company / the
companies I do freelance work for*
83%
74% 74%
65%
Men
Women
73%
62%
STATEMENT AGREEMENT
(Top 2 box)
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
4. A STEEPER CLIMB 24

Even in my first job, there was one black man in
the creative department of about 120 people.
Soon after I arrived, he was promoted to the
digital side and moved to another floor. I was
like, ‘My god, I’m literally by myself.’ There was
no one in front of me to model or watch.”
SHAMEKA BROWN BARBOSA, CREATIVE DIRECTOR/WRITER
AND ENTREPRENEUR, THE BROWN SCRIBE
“
If you’re in an organization and you don’t
see people like you at the top, it’s
intimidating, it’s very hard to navigate that.”
“ GINA GRILLO, CEO, PRESIDENT, THE ADVERTISING CLUB OF NEW YORKCREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
4. A STEEPER CLIMB 25

Women are more likely to feel gender
will negatively impact future success
Q25: When you think about your future career success, how do you view the role of your gender?
Base sizes: Men = 362, Women = 385
I believe my gender will help
my future success
I believe my gender will
hamper my future success
29%
20%
14%
23%
Men
Women
ROLE OF GENDER IN FUTURE CAREER SUCCESS
(% selecting)
“As a black woman, I am
very confident that I do not
have an equal opportunity
to reach my goals.”
JACINDA WALKER, AIGA DIVERSITY TASK
FORCE CHAIR“I think it is an advantage to
be a man in this industry.
There are certain cases
where you’re like, ‘Wow, he’s
listening harder to the guy.’”
RICK ALBANO, EXECUTIVE CREATIVE
DIRECTOR, SWIFT
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
4. A STEEPER CLIMB 26

Time for action
Recommendations from our experts
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT, PART FIVE
“ “The future is about creativity.
It starts with valuing creativity in
education, building the creativity
of young people and harnessing
that from the youngest age all
the way through.”
IAN SPALTER, HEAD OF DESIGN, INSTAGRAM
Teaching people ways that they
can look at the world as an
opportunity for change, and
for design to be a method or
a force for that change—it’s a
better way to change the world.”
LIZ DANZICO, CHAIR, MFA INTERACTION DESIGN,
SVA
VALUE CREATIVE EDUCATION FOR DIVERSE STUDENTS RETHINK HOW STUDENTS LEARN
AND APPLY CREATIVE SKILLS
I’d like the public
education system to
rethink their approach
to the different ways
that students learn.”
JON HINOJOSA, ARTISTIC/EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR, SAY Sí
Exposure is great but if
you can’t follow it with
access to creative classes,
what do you have?
Nothing. And vice versa.”
JACINDA WALKER, AIGA DIVERSITY
TASK FORCE CHAIR
“
“
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
5. TIME FOR ACTION 27

“
We have something called a passive
candidate pipeline. Even if the roles
aren’t open, we try to have diverse
people coming in because we believe
in unexpected destinations.”
RICK ALBANO, EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR, SWIFT
BROADEN RECRUITMENT BEYOND “CREATIVE HUBS”
SEEK OUT DIVERSE CANDIDATES
INVEST IN DIVERSE EMPLOYEES
Companies need to go to those places that are forgotten
because not all students can afford to come to them.”
RIC EDWARDS, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, NA COLLECTIVE
It can’t just be that you hire somebody and think you’ve done
enough. You have people in your company who represent
different groups and backgrounds. Invest in those people.”
GINA GRILLO, CEO, PRESIDENT OF THE ADVERTISING CLUB OF NEW YORK
“
“
Women need to see
more examples of
people who look like
them. That’s something
that women and people
of color can help with,
especially if they’re in
a position of power.”
ASH HUANG, UX DESIGNER, ADOBE
Homogeneity is
the death knell,
because you need
a counterpoint.”
SHAMEKA BROWN BARBOSA,
CREATIVE DIRECTOR/WRITER
AND ENTREPRENEUR,
THE BROWN SCRIBE
GROW ROLE MODELS AT WORK
MAKE EVERYONE A DIVERSITY CHAMPION
“
“It’s hard to be ‘that diversity person.’
We need more people to speak out.”
KATHLEEN DIAMANTAKIS, CHIEF STRATEGY
DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, KBS & CO-FOUNDER,
ON BEHALF ORGANIZATION
“CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
5. TIME FOR ACTION 28

Appendix
Socioeconomic background and age
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT, PART SIX
29

65%
vs. 1 in 6 from an upper
socio-economic background
CREATIVE NETWORK
(% selecting)
respondents from a lower
socio-economic background
has no one in their personal
life who works or has worked
in the creative industry
among those from an upper
socio-economic background
among those from a lower
socio-economic background
AVERAGE LEVEL OF SUPPORT FROM PEOPLE IN THEIR LIVES
DURING PURSUIT OF CREATIVE PROFESSION
(Average ‘Very supportive’ scores across all response options)
[ ]
Socio-economic background impacts
exposure to creative industry
Q4: Which of the following people in your life, if any, work in the creative industry (or previously worked in the creative industry)?
Q5: Thinking about the people in your life, how supportive were they during your pursuit of your creative profession?
Base sizes: Upper socio-economic background = 422, Lower socio-economic background = 328
56%
1 in 4
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
6. APPENDIX 30

PERSONAL STRENGTHS
(Top 2 box)
Q15: And how much of a strength would you say each of these are for you personally at this point in your creative career?
Base sizes: Upper socio-economic background = 346, Lower socio-economic background = 263
Those with upper socio-economic
backgrounds feel they have stronger
networks and visibility
93%
77%
88%
74%
Upper socio-economic background
Lower socio-economic background
Network of colleagues / co-workers Industry visibility
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
6. APPENDIX 31

79%
73%
Millenials (18-36)
Gen X (37-50)
Baby Boomers (51+)
46%
79%
75%
55%
77%
67%
36%
76%
70%
51%
74%
70%
50%
72%
67%
40%
72%
69%
36%
70%
63%
31%
TYPES OF PEOPLE UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY
(Top 2 box)
Younger generations are more likely
to perceive diversity gaps...
People from
different cultures
People from
different gender
expressions
People of
different races/
ethnicities
People of
different genders
People of
different religions
People of
different sexual
orientations
People with
different
perspectives /
viewpoints
People from different
socio-economic
background
Q21: How much do you agree or disagree that each of the following types of people is underrepresented in the creative industry today?
Base sizes: Millennials (18-36) = 436, Gen X (37-50) = 195, Baby Boomers (51+) = 119
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
6. APPENDIX 32

PRIORITY OF A DIVERSE WORKFORCE
(% selecting)
...and consider diversity a top priority
10% 46% 44%
9% 53% 38%
29% 39% 32%
Not a priority
Somewhat of a priority
A significant priority
Millennials (18–36)
Gen X (37–50)
Baby Boomers (51+)
Q19: How much of a priority do you think a diverse workforce should be for the creative industry?
Base sizes: Millennials (18-36) = 436, Gen X (37-50) = 195, Baby Boomers (51+) = 119
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
6. APPENDIX 33

CATEGORY SUBCATEGORY %
White only 66%
Net: People of color* 34%
White 74%
African or African descent 11%
Hispanic 11%
Asian American/Asian 10%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 3%
Middle Eastern 1%
Other 2%
Wealthy 15%
Upper middle class 41%
Lower middle class 37%
Lower income 7%
Demographics
CATEGORY SUBCATEGORY %
Gender Male 48%
Female 51%
Non-binary/third gender 0%
Other 0%
Age 18-24 13%
25-34 36%
35-49 34%
50-64 14%
65 or older 3%
Education Less than high school 0%
High school graduate 9%
Vocational/technical 4%
Some college 11%
College graduate 46%
Some graduate education 11%
Postgraduate degree 19%
*Note: People of Color respondents are defined as anyone who is not white only.
Some total values may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding
Family income level
while growing up
Race/ethnicity
(audiences reported)
Race/ethnicity
(natural fallout; multiple
answers allowed)
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
6. APPENDIX 34

A big thanks to Adobe’s creative
teams for sharing their pictures
as part of our cover design.
CREATIVITY’S DIVERSITY DISCONNECT
6. APPENDIX 35