Picture: by Geke Bosch, www.gekebosch.nl.
FX Agency, Kaliber, Greenberry, Born05, and iO digital opened their doors to young talent for one afternoon, each with their own program. From speed dates to brainstorming sessions, the agencies were ready to connect with the next generation of creatives.
The initiative stemmed from a shared concern: many young creative talents struggle to find their place in the creative sector after their studies or during internships. The mission of The Loop was to unite these worlds in Utrecht and strengthen the creative heart of the city.
One of the initiators, Noortje Braaksma, emphasizes: "Especially in the period following the Covid measures, many networking opportunities for this demographic have dried up. From an educational standpoint, we at Fundamentals recognize the need for closer alignment with the industry, but at the start of this initiative, we quickly noticed that this desire is equally present in many agencies." Romke Janssen, operations director of Born05, adds: "We often discuss renewing ties with creative educational programs, agencies, and talents in Utrecht. However, we often lack the necessary time for this. So when the team of The Loop called us, it was perfect timing! Born05 was more than happy to be one of the agencies for the first edition. Onward to edition 2!"
Picture: by Geke Bosch, www.gekebosch.nl.
In this first edition, The Loop's audience was already quite diverse. Students from various creative disciplines signed up, but also many (recently graduated) junior creatives or professionals looking for a new opportunity or inspiration. After visiting the agencies, there was a joint networking opportunity where another large group of interested individuals gathered. The organization was pleasantly surprised by the turnout for this part of the program: "Our goal was to create a networking opportunity that wasn't just aimed at juniors but was interesting for a broad network. In the end, there were about 150 creatives gathered, and the networking event lasted long. I think we can assume that there was a need for such an opportunity to connect," says Noortje Braaksma. The organization confirms a next edition of The Loop: "We'll take the lessons from this first edition and work with input from stakeholders on the next one. We hope to welcome creative Utrecht again in due time."
By collaborating with five prominent creative agencies in Utrecht, The Loop facilitated direct connections between emerging professionals and potential employers, creating connections for the future. What's next? The date of the next edition will be announced through The Loop's channels, such as LinkedIn. For more information or questions, contact info@creativeloop.nl or visit www.creativeloop.nl.
