Networks

Creative City Networks: their role supporting creative talent in Scotland

Creative City

#CreativeCities14

Reaching markets

Professional development Demonstrating

value

Enterprise / leadership

skills

Cross-sector collaborating

Showcasing work

Having voice heard

Finding local opportunities

+ studio spaceLinking to strategy +

policy

Reducing budgets

R+D investment

Open data

Reducing budgets

Economic/ innovation-led

growth

High street regeneration

Citizen engagement

Local, national + international reach

More ‘open’, more ‘digital’,

more ‘connected’

Cultural offer

Job creation

Skills development

Urban planning, infrastructure

Creative

Tourism

Retaining + attracting

talent

City

Challenges

Reaching markets

Professional development Demonstrating

value

Enterprise / leadership

skills

Cross-sector collaborating

Showcasing work

Having voice heard

Finding local opportunities

+ studio spaceLinking to strategy +

policy

Reducing budgets

R+D investment

Open data

Reducing budgets

Economic/ innovation-led

growth

High street regeneration

Citizen engagement

Tourism

Local, national + international reach

More ‘open’, more ‘digital’,

more ‘connected’

Cultural offer

Job creation

Retaining + attracting

talent

Skills development

Urban planning, infrastructure

Networks

Creative City

!No one acting as a city-wide platform to connect, support and amplify creative talent.

p: 147,000 p: 495,000

M Lp: 41,000

S

Network strength:!!

PHYSICAL

Network strength:!!

DIGITAL

Network strength:!!

MOBILE

Est: 2012 Est: 2013 Est: 2011

Gillian Easson, Director, www.creativedundee.com@gillianeasson + @creative_dundee

Creating opportunities for creatives to base, grow and sustain their practice, in and around the city

Creative Dundee connects creative talent with opportunities and amplifies the city’s creative pulse by: !Encouraging collaboration and networking to develop the local creative and cultural sectors.!Increasing awareness of the creative and cultural scene, within and outwith the sectors and city.!Acting as a partner and broker to impact positively on communities, the city and the local economy.

2008 Blog

launch

2011 PKN 1

xmas party

2012 PKN 2,3,4

IncorpoRated xmas party

2013 Const i tuted

PKN 5,6,7 City of Culture

We Dundee Mid Week Meet

TMWK Partnerships

Stop, Col lab + Celeb.

2014 PKN 8, 9

Eurocit ies CityLogo

Metro.co.uk EKOS report

CS review event

Screen in Square

Online platform Key activity: curating, promoting and providing information on local creatives/opps/events. Top audience locations - Dundee, London, Edinburgh, Glasgow. Active social media usage.

Pecha Kucha Night Dundee Quarterly events - showcase local scene, low barrier to entry. 200 - 300 people attend from all backgrounds. In 2 years: 2,250 attendees, over 100 speakers, videos presentations have reached an extra 10,000 people. Grab the mic slot.

Professional opportunities for local creatives

Managed the call for the designer of V&A Dundee’s first public engagement campaign - Living Room for the City.

History of securing paid opportunities for local creatives through partnership projects and events.

A small but important way of spotting, commissioning and highlighting new, local talent.

Online platform which crowded together views and ideas for the city’s future, from over 3,800 people. The aim? To co-curate future cultural projects and share citizen pride.

Strategic partnerships: City: Part of the cultural strategy group; Cultural Agencies Network; UK City of Culture bid group. Nationally: Orgs keen to work locally.Broker between public sector and creative sector.

•Screen in the Square Open call for films, animations, music videos, short documentaries to be screened in City Square, during Commonwealth Games on eve of 24 July.

What next for Creative Dundee? - Digital shopfront for city’s creativity - Supporting and growing creative practice- Choreographed collisions - innov/collab- Missing link between strategy and action !

!

The challenge? Sustainability. Limited short term funding, uncertain business model during city’s transition.

Janine Matheson, Director www.creative-edinburgh.com @janinematheson @CreativeEdin #creativecities14

We connect, inspire and promote the creative & cultural community of Edinburgh.

the catalyst CEC Economic Development: People, Place & Pound Strategy Stakeholder workshop and further consultation 2010 Launched November 2011

Students & graduates

Freelancers & businesses

Practitioners, employees & organisations

visual art

architecture

games product design

Fashion & textiles

advertising

storytelling

performance

dance

film & tv

heritageliterature

digital

music

CGI, motion graphics

illustration

craft

PR

Software & tech

photography

marketing

social media

community & membership Our culture: inclusive, supportive and collaborative Online & Annual subscriptions, currently 1,176 members [sector data and industry insights] Everything we do is driven by what our members tell us is important to them

education

what we do Developing your skills [through events, surgeries, reviews, mentoring & signposting] Growing your business [through networking, industry partnerships & matchmaking] Promoting your business [website, awards, pitch videos & members interviews] Making your voice heard [steering group, EBF, Cultural Partnership, CEC]

our digital voice CE website is a platform to signpost, highlight opportunities and other Edinburgh happenings Tailored content on each social platform to reflect differences in engagement Monthly newsletter highlighting jobs, opps, member interview

trade missions In March 2013 with CEC Economic Development, Napier and CE w/ 8 creative and digital companies.

Creative Capital Gains strategy, Study visits, Interactive Ontario, Pinewood / Sheridan College Knowledge transfer, international connections and business opportunities.

partnerships & collaboration we can achieve more by working with others - public, private, academic.

key priorities • Visibility & communication • Model sustainability • Implementation of our [new dialogues] pilot • New web presence (September 2014) • International opportunities: China Trade

Mission, Nov 2014 • Creative Exchange collaboration (2014-15)

Creative City Network Review (Apr 2014)!!Creative Scotland commissioned EKOS to study the impact of Creative Dundee, Creative Edinburgh and Creative Stirling. Each is independent, but offers similar services.!!EKOS’s review involved:!• Online surveys with each network !• Stakeholder interviews!• Focus group sessions!• Attendance at city events!• Review of our background info

Meet Likeminded People

Gain Industry Contacts

Engage in Cross Discipline Networking

Develop Collaborations

Promote / Advertise Business or Practice

Gain Industry Knowledge

Access Peer Support

Access/Signposted to Sources of Support

Develop Skills Capacity

Access Business Start Up Information

Other

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%3%

23%

23%

32%

42%

58%

61%

65%

65%

81%

84%

4%

5%

25%

23%

34%

43%

38%

45%

60%

46%

85%

22%

16%

47%

19%

22%

47%

50%

59%

44%

47%

91%

Creative Stirling Creative Dundee Creative Edinburgh

Reasons for engaging with the networks:

Improved local knowledge of creative activityIncreased willingness to be located within the city

Greater confidence to develop/ grow practice in cityIncreased number of industry contacts

Greater understanding of support available to youGreater exposure to wider audiences

Enhanced levels of innovationDeveloped collaboration activity

Enhanced market knowledgeImproved business brand or improved marketing

Enhanced business skillsEntered or grew in Scottish markets

Brought new products to marketEntered or grew in international markets

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%19%

13%

13%

23%

16%

13%

39%

19%

32%

32%

29%

32%

29%

3%

10%

13%

6%

19%

26%

9%

16%

23%

16%

52%

16%

29%

55%

15%

28%

34%

30%

25%

25%

48%

29%

43%

24%

36%

29%

16%

24%

14%

6%

9%

16%

18%

26%

30%

33%

41%

48%

53%

55%

63%

76%

26%

14%

21%

21%

14%

17%

45%

43%

43%

31%

38%

26%

21%

38%

7%

19%

21%

29%

19%

36%

31%

24%

36%

36%

36%

36%

43%

57%

Creative Stirling Now Creative Stirling FutureCreative Dundee Now Creative Dundee FutureCreative Edinburgh Now Creative Edinburgh Future

Impacts - now and in the future:

Creative Stirling !Business impacts: !33% reported experiencing a positive impact on their

business, of these:43% reported increased profitability 43% predicted future increased profitability 50% predicted increased turnover. !Satisfaction with support was high with all aspects of support receiving a rating of 50% or greater i.e. very good/good. !Social impacts: !• Attendees believed Creative Stirling has helped to break down barriers

within Stirling, allowing more people to access the creative industries. !• Personal benefits were also reported, such as increased skills and

capacity, increased motivation, and gained self-confidence.

Above: Results from 44 completed online surveys and focus group of 17 attendees

Creative Dundee !Collaboration and community: “Creative Dundee has had a positive impact on the creative sector in Dundee” 94% Said ‘Yes’ !Ability as either ‘good’ or ‘very good’ in: 82% Enabling creative industry connections between individuals. 79% Enabling connections between orgs within/outwith creative industries. 79% Encouraging interdisciplinary collaborations. !Creative Dundee is having a positive impact on the perception of Dundee as a creative city within and outwith Dundee: 89% Within the city 63% Outwith Dundee!

• Influential catalyst for the increase in the profile and perception of Dundee, the city as a whole.!

• Played a role in the retention of talent within the city, more people choosing to remain, or move to Dundee to access opportunities. 

Above: Results from the 80 completed online surveys and stakeholder interviews

Creative Edinburgh !Network culture and connections: !81% Gain industry contacts 65% Engage in cross-discipline networking 65% Develop collaborations !• The mobile nature of the network allows flexibility - to use, highlight and

connect in different spaces across the city.!• The culture of the network and the events were also reported positively -

inclusive, honest and open. People are not afraid to voice their ideas or collaborate with others. Passion and dedication of the staff reported as a key strength, the staff go ‘above and beyond’ and are proactive in their approach.

The impacts of the three networks: !!The three networks are providing valuable benefits and opportunities for cross-sector networking and facilitating collaboration across disciplines:!!• Networking is an essential means of facilitating collaboration!!

• Innovation drives growth and development in the creative industries!!

• The creative industries congregate at regional rather than national levels!!Clearly the networks are achieving impacts by creating the opportunities for knowledge sharing, peer learning, support and collaboration. They are undoubtedly raising the profile of the sectors within the cities, and with civic authorities. !!This has the potential to create wider profile benefits for each city, as well as helping to boost regeneration efforts through more effective and enlightened use of culture and creativity in urban renewal.

Summary of conclusions:!!• all have successfully built a profile and positive reputation within their

communities and have done so through an approach that is closely connected and inclusive;!!

• they are delivering key benefits to participating businesses and practitioners by building the collaborative capacity of the sector in each city;!!

• they are also supporting stronger relationships between the sector and the public sector, and are a valuable route into the sector for these partners;!!

• all are under resourced, and there is a need to stabilise operations and ensure that staff resources are adequate;!!

• there is potential for future growth, but this should be managed such that it retains the core value of the networks, and extends their reach into the areas identified above; and!!

• clearer objectives and measures of success are now required to evidence the value of the projects and provide a robust case for ongoing support.

Important network characteristics:!!Networks should work closely with their local creative community to identify their priorities.!!Leadership from the sector is essential - networks should be led and owned by the sector itself and not developed by the public sector on behalf of the creative community – the bottom-up approach has proved its value.!!Networking should appear informal, yet confirm to high quality standards.!!Digital engagement is very effective and must be of a high quality.!!A broad and inclusive approach is valuable as it brings multiple perspectives to the network and encourages the kinds of less predictable collaborations from which innovation often arises.!!Strong partnership is essential – both with the civic authorities and with other support providers.

Future development of the networks:!!All 3 networks need to consolidate and stabilise their initial set-up time. Stretched in terms of resources, need to evolve financial models:!!• Important that the networks are fully embedded within their cities and

with the civic authorities. The networks provide a voice for the creative sector in their respective cities, and create benefit for those cities. !!

• Creative Scotland has a role in helping to enable the embedding of the networks in each city by voicing the importance of the creative community at a city level. !!

• Needs careful balance between ‘hands off’ approach and more target driven path.

Cultural Scenes and Creative Clusters !“ Although cultural maps help to locate clusters of artists and cultural organizations, it is important to also consider what lies behind the map – the ongoing, day-to-day activities of artists and cultural participants: creation, expression, criticism, discussion, performance, appreciation and enjoyment. Places where these occur in sufficient density, depth, and intensity acquire special qualities. !They become scenes. Vibrant scenes bring tremendous social and economic benefits to Toronto. They need to be preserved and grown. ” !Daniel Silver, Department of Sociology, University of Toronto:Quote from Toronto’s Creative Capital Gains report: http://bit.ly/VThXTA

Contacts:!!Joe Hall, Creative Stirling!joe@creativestirling.org !!Gillian Easson, Creative Dundee!gillian@creativedundee.com!!Janine Matheson, Creative Edinburgh!janine@creative-edinburgh.com!