Home / Arts and Entertainment / UK Screen Industry Tackles Hair & Makeup Inequity
UK Screen Industry Tackles Hair & Makeup Inequity
27 Apr
Summary
- New initiative provides training for textured hair and dark skin tones.
- 71% of minority ethnic actors reported unmet hair and makeup needs.
- BBC, Sky, Prime Video, and others back the accelerator program.
The UK screen industry is launching a significant new training initiative to elevate standards for textured hair and dark skin tones. This program, named the 'Textured Hair & Make-up for Deep Skin-Tones Accelerator,' is spearheaded by Dandi, a diversity and inclusion service. It directly addresses findings from a survey revealing that 71% of actors from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds still face challenges with hair and makeup departments.
This accelerator will offer hands-on training and direct access to employers, with support from Prime Video Pathway, BBC, Sky, Channel 4, ITV, and Screen Alliance North. Two programs are scheduled for 2026, one in the north and one in the south of the UK, each accepting ten participants and featuring masterclasses. This initiative builds upon the 2025 Hair & Make‑Up Equity Guidelines, aiming to provide a practical solution for inclusive styling, which is deemed essential, not optional, for the industry.
