Our Artistic Director Liara Barussi was a finalist in the 2021 Black British Business Awards in the category of Arts & Media (Senior Leaders) alongside Taponeswa Mavunga, Director of Africa, Sony Music UK and Miya Knights, Global Content Strategist, poq commerce.
BBA Awards asked Liara, What do people get wrong about being an entrepreneur?
“I’m not sure it’s about what people get wrong as there isn’t a one size fits all model for being an entrepreneur. However, I always envisioned ‘Jukebox Collective’ as a collective of people with a shared vision. I feel there can be an emphasis placed on ‘I’ and ultimately the best results occur when you have multiple voices, in my opinion. It takes a village to realise and execute creative projects. It’s incredibly refreshing being surrounded by younger people who lead the way and still teach me so much!”
When asked what tips Liara would give to aspiring entrepreneurs, she said;
“For me personally it’s a balance between making work that is commercially viable whilst serving and uplifting my community. I think there is power in finding your niche, honing craft and seeing how this can connect with people and move towards a collective thriving. Don’t wait for validation, you have to start from somewhere. It’s really easy to think things aren’t possible when you aren’t based in a major City but if anything, you can flourish when you create something that isn’t necessarily on your doorstep but connects universally.”
When asked how the business adapted in the pandemic, Liara said;
“The pandemic gave us space to hone in and go deeper with our work. We curated and directed a selection of short films featuring emerging Welsh talent for Festival of Voice ‘Gwyl 2021’ which premiered on BBC. A particular highlight was a community-led investigation called, ‘Future Creatives’, running sessions with local communities and creatives re-imagining the future of Welsh culture and turning challenges into cultural ambitions. This comprehensive report highlights the cultural vision of emerging black and diverse Welsh creatives, their experiences and ambitions. This report will inform the development of relevant opportunities nurturing the next generation of leaders.”
THE BBA AWARDS
Founded in 2014, the Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards) celebrates the exceptional performance and outstanding achievements of black professionals and business owners in the UK and empowers organisations with the necessary tools to attract, retain and progress their internal Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic talent.
Throughout our history, the BBBAwards has focused on research-led, impact-oriented initiatives which drive change in the talent agenda. We are proud to be a collaborative community for organisations to exchange ideas, share advice and empower each other to create working environments for all talent to thrive and succeed.
