CREATIVE LABOUR

A Panel Discussion with Q&A

What Motherhood Teaches Us About Making (and Sustaining) Great Work.

The creative industries run on invisible labour - long hours, emotional energy, and unpaid sacrifices that too often go unrecognised. From motherhood to neurodiversity to systemic childcare costs, the true weight of making art is falling hardest on those already underrepresented.

This conversation asks: who really pays the price of creativity, and how do we change the system so that labour is valued, not exploited?

Join:

Emma Butterworth - Bristol-based composer and cellist, whose award-winning scores span wildlife documentaries (The Firefox Guardian, Seeking Sanctuary), narrative dramas, and her first opera Orchard Street. After becoming a mother in 2020, Emma published The Unheard Symphony, a groundbreaking report into how composer mothers are reshaping the music industry.

Jessica Sansom - Acclaimed Unit Stills Photographer (BBC, Sky, Film4, BFI) with nearly 20 years’ experience capturing stories behind the lens. A proud neurodivergent creative, mum of three, and founder of The Stills Sisters Collective, Jessica is a leading advocate for DDN (Disabled, D/deaf and Neurodivergent) representation in film and TV.

Jo Knowler - People & Talent leader with 15+ years shaping teams across global media and digital companies. After becoming a mother, Jo has become a public voice in the fight against the unaffordable cost of childcare, speaking out in national media about how broken systems push parents - especially women - out of the industry.

Carla Bentele - Designer, illustrator, and the chaotic creative behind All About Me - a brand making playful art prints and eco-conscious clothing for babes, kids, and adults who love bold design and real talk. What began as therapy through life’s madness, redundancy, and mum life has become Carla’s mission to sprinkle fun and positivity into the everyday chaos. Her work tells stories of self-belief, mindset, and finding beauty in messy, magical moments.

Evie Wright - Panel Host and Executive Producer with Media Trust Films Evie has worked across the TV documentary and campaign film sectors for over 20 years, spanning landmark natural history series to viral shorts. As a sole parent to two young daughters (6 and 2), she is passionate about exploring how women navigate creativity, care, and identity in an industry that often demands it all.