LOS ANGELES — FanCentro has formally launched its first "university" educational courses, titled Centro University, with an "innovative online curriculum" developed by sex workers for sex workers.
A FanCentro rep said "CentroU" currently has over 700 registered "students" with nearly a dozen available courses, available on-demand, covering adult film production, branding and marketing for adult businesses, contracts and the law, online sales and distribution, privacy and censorship for sex workers and taxes and accounting, among other topics.
The first live webinar, dubbed "a new student orientation," is scheduled for October 7.
CentroU is free to adult performers, influencers and content creators and is available in English, German, Spanish and Russian.
"FanCentro has been working to develop the program for the past two years, but the COVID-19 shutdown fast-tracked the process as tens of thousands of new creators entered the adult marketplace," a rep explained.
"CentroU has also partnered with Free Speech Coalition (FSC), the adult industry trade organization, to expand its educational resources for new performers. CentroU instructor Melrose Michaels helped host an FSC webinar in April for performers struggling with the global shutdown, and is working toward creating more partnered content in the coming months," the rep continued.
CentroU is also "building out a coaching and mentorship program connecting students with experienced performers, as well as a library of readings, research and resources for online sex workers," said the rep.
When travel and gathering restrictions are lifted, FanCentro will begin holding limited enrollment in-person training for those already enrolled at CentroU.
"Sex work is real work, and benefits from education and training just like any other,” said Kat Revenga, VP of FanCentro. “With the shift to premium fan sites, sex workers need to be versed in online marketing and film production, as well as actual sex. They need to manage distribution, draft contracts, guard against censorship and protect their brand. CentroU brings together experts and leaders in the sector to help both established performers and industry newcomers grow their businesses."
“The more support we can give to performers, the more our industry will thrive,” Revenga continued. “Our industry is changing rapidly, and we believe that by providing adult performers a free education and career support, we’re investing in the future of our community."