Creative Futures 2013 - Day 1

 Opening Address

Creative Futures week kicked off this year with an opening address from Dr Stuart Cunningham - and what an entrance he made !

The William Aston Hall went dark, the screen brightened, and suddenly loud music and images started to appear - interspersed with the words 'DR STUART CUNNINGHAM', we were treated to a fast pace showreel, featuring footage and clips of Stuart, which put me in the mind of a hyped up entrance that would be perhaps more suited to an international celebrity - it got everyone in the room immediately sitting up, smiling, engaged and paying attention - and that, I think was the point of it.  Because the over-riding and very true message was 'Sell yourself' - and you do that by being innovative, being different - and by grabbing attention.

Stuart talked about the aim of Creative Futures was to do several things.
1. To give us an insight into the realities of working in the Crative Industries.
2. To improve our employability.
3. To give us the opportunity to develop contacts
4. To allow us the opportunity to network.
5. To enable us to meet the academic requirements of our studies.


He stressed that professional development is incredibly important to us all - and pointed out that for a lot of us, the END of our studies is beginning .  Half way through my 3rd and final year, and that rang particularly true.

He then introduced Sarah Maire Gates, who is the Manager for Creative and Cultural Skills, with the Sector Skills Council.  I turned to the internet to find a concise definition of what exactly The Sector Skills council is, and does.



Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are state-sponsored, employer-led organisations that cover specific economic sectors in the UK. They have four key goals:

• to reduce skills gaps and shortages
• to improve Productivity
• to boost the skills of their sector workforces
• to improve learning supply.

SSCs achieve these aims by, amongst other things, contributing to the development of the National Occupational Standards

Sarah's section is predominately involved with Cultural arts ,and covers visual arts, performance, live events and literature. The Skills council is involved with research, apprenticeships, The National Occupational Standards, career information and events,  The National Skills Academy, and Industry related Training.

She delivered a series of statistics relating to this sector in Wales.

* 27,990 in total employment
* 1,745 businesses
* 28.6% of workers are part time
*45% are freelance
* 92% of the total businesses have less than 10 staff
* the largest sectors are those involved in performing arts, design and music.

She told us that there are 59 apprenticeships up and running in Wales, through the Creative Apprenticeships programme that the SSC has developed.

She  went on to talk  about a new delivery models being implemented for Wales, including Carousels  and Hub Employer Model.  The idea of the Hub Employer Model is new to me, but an approach that makes sense.  Its about drawing together all the information necessary to create  recruitment and training service that matches the requirements, and the supply and demand of the Labour market in this sector, in Wales.

She advised we look at www.creative-choices.co.uk  where information on workshops, case studies, job opportunities, career development, and discussions and debate are available to help develop your carrer and improve your employability.

She finished by saying  that the SSC not only gives advice and help with the perhaps most obvious job choices that our education and training may point to, and reminded us all to consider that though we may have perhaps trained as a photographer, we may discover that our personal strongest skills lie in perhaps in organising photographic jobs, or specialising in lighting or post production.  In terms of employability, I found this sound advice - although its photography I have and am studying, the work that has developed as a result of my negotiated studies has shown me that I have organisational skills relating to photography and production that I hadn't previously considered, and I am now actively seeking information and advice to help me develop skills in that area.

Unfortunately, the next speaker had been unable to make the lecture, so Stuart Cunningham stepped in to deliver information on the subject instead.

He said that there are 2 main sector skills council, the second of which he was going to talk to us about - Creative Skillset Cymru .  This 'arm' of the SSC sets to work with employers, educators and the industry in Wales to ensure that the needs of the Industry in Wales is matched by the skills and training of the available workforce, and also devises National Standards in the Industry.

He listed the key Sector  Skills Issues.
*Global level performance - the skills and training available need to match the level and standards available and  expected throughout the global industry.
*Leadership and management skills are needed.
*Business acumen and entrepreneurial skills are needed.
* Transferable and multi skills are needed within the workforce
* There is a need to develop and exploit multi platform skills.

The key message here was the value and importance of the workforce having breadth and depth to their skills - again, its going back to the information that we have often been given throughout our course, relating to the 'T Shaped Design Model' - there is not only value in having a depth of knowledge about your own specialism, but you are a better designer, and therefore, more employable if you have a working knowledge of the specialisms of others designers and the creative skills and Industries that you may come into contact with.

Stuart went on to talk about the need to provide flexible support for freelance workers, to examine the barriers that exist where freelance training needs are concerned, to ensure that the skills of  those who's work lies in the Freelance market are not left behind.

And he said Skillset was also working to improve the employability of new entrants into the Industry.

Skillset have introduced a variety of ways to try and deal with these issues.

For People wanting to train, improve skills and entering the market -

The Welsh Baccalaureate
Skillset Apprentiships
Skillset Informed Provisions
Careers advice

And support for Companies and professionals, skillset have introduced -

Bursaries to attend courses
Financing and delivering courses in Skill Priority area's
Collaboration with Welsh Government Workforce Departments

Stuart then went on to talk about the growth in Creative Industries, and how to maintain and support it.

There is a need to examine how the Industry can keep people in Wales, and the UK, after training - we are creating, but not retaining talent.

In order to support the Industry, we all have to consider what we can give back - we need to think about how we can inspire.

A skills audit in Wales revealed two priorities - the need for management and transferable skills.

The Government launched, in the week prior to Stuarts address, a policy document that includes a commitment to Creative Industries.  It talks about

* Tax breaks for TV, Film, Animation and Games Industries
*Funding and promoting Sector advocacy
*Establishment of Creative Industries Council
*Supporting local TV and enhancing digital radio
*Addressing online copyright issues
*Entertainment licensing changes.


Stuart ended by saying 'Don't just sell yourself - Sell the Industry' .

He cited a recent DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport ) publication  - CASE Programme - underlying the drives, impacts and value of engagement in culture and sport.

This highlighted that  there is a wealth and minority gap that is affecting peoples involvement with the creative Industries, and asks how to address this.  One of the suggestions is to perhaps find ways to give people just a taste of what the creative Industries is, and to also discover what are the barriers that need to be addressed in order to facilitate greater involvement.  There are many benefits to encouraging and developing greater engagement with the Creative Industries - as an example, this is taken  from a report on the CASE programme

"Creative Industries not only have the potential to generate jobs, innovation and productivity, but also the enhance the quality of Life within an area, and stimulate new ideas and thinking within a community"

(The WorkFoundation.com - Investing in Creative Industries.)

Stuarts last point was then further emphasized by the Keynote address that followed .



Keynote Address - Painting Over The Cracks - Professor Paul Haywood  

 Professor Haywood is Vice Chancellor of Salford University, and Vice Chancellor for The National Association of Fine Art. He has a background in a broad range of Art and Design practise, especially in Social and Community Art and Design.

Dr Haywood's address solidified and gave 'real life' support to some of the issues covered by both Stuart and Sarah, in the preceding talks.  Although some was a little hard to follow, as the enthusiastic and someone erratic delivery made it a little hard to join the points together at times, he talked initially about his early experiences and expectations of being involved in Art, about how he went to college expecting to - as he put it - 'learn to draw', and that as his studies and career had progressed, he  found his expectations changed.

After college, he 'ended up' in Germany, where he set up a networking group, that involved collaboration all over the world, and which focused on performance art.

He jumped forward 30 years, to a world recession, and how he was trying to make sense out of the idea that art is pointless - which he felt had been 'proved to him' during a lecture he attended on Plato in his youth, He presented us with a list of statistics, which indicated how much in terms of real cash, is lost from the economy - for example, the estimated tax evasion is £3.1 trillion annually - which has led to the current situation of 'soaring prosperity for a tiny minority at the top'.


He then 'jumped back' 15 years, he cited a project experience, where he was supposed to be creating 'signage' over a large site.  He found that there was a wealth of cultural activities taking place over this vast area, and ended up- working with a team - to draw together and unify what was going on. Working with the different groups, and in the different area's, Paul and the team identified colours that were prevalent over the area, in the landscape, and used these colours to develop a range of creative projects (like the development of a range of fashion) that could help unify the different communities and bridge any cultural gaps.  Issues with communication had presented some barriers to this happening in the past - for example, fences had been erected in different area's, that were constantly being 'vandalised' by local kids.  Talking to the children revealed that the fences were 'getting in the way' of a long established game the local children played, hence the perceived distruction .  Making this information available between the the parties involved, a way could be found to resolve the issues.

Paul explained that very slowly, he began to realise that art could build cooperation and connection.  That  although he started off as an 'artist', he now aspires to being part of groups and collaborations where creative tools are a form of social enterprise stimulation. 

He then listed a series of projects he has been involved with, that demonstrate the value of creative practitioners within the community.

GUNSTOGOODS  -

This involved a community in Mosside, Manchester, where there were major problems within the community, dealing with the issue of the prevalence of guns being used, and there was obviously a desire to see gun crimes reduced.  In dealing with this problem, the police force had amassed a vast number of confiscated and surrendered guns, and the disposal was costly - so Paul and the team looked at ways of utilising the melted down gun metal to create art objects which could then be sold, which would benefit the economy in the local area.  This is an example of using art and design to create a commodity from a 'problem', that involves cultural engagement and brings benefit to the local community.

Paul cited other examples of projects he had been involved in, that encompassed the idea that community and cultural collaborations within a community, bring a vast number of benefits - and perhaps go some way to addressing the massive economic loss that he cited of earlier in his address.

His talk, in essence, was all  about art and creativity operating within a community, to benefit those communites in a variety of ways -
*Finacial and investment
*drawing groups within a community together
*creating cultural links
*Creating opportunities
*Contributing to people communicating and joining together, irrespective of cultural/economic backgrounds.


Echoing Sarah's point about how you don't have to follow the obvious route, Paul said that though he trained as an artist - he ended up mainly talking.

Although I did have some trouble following Paul's delivery at times, on reflection, I actually agree and see the value in a lot of what Paul was trying to convey to us. The impact of Creative industries in the community is massive, and it does play a beneficial role . Collaboration, Communication, not always following the obvious route, promotion of the Industry as well as promotion of yourself, networking, engaging with others, working to break down cultural and economic barriers - all these aspects are ones that need to be taken on board and adopted as part of what being a part of the creative Industries means, to all involved, in order to promote the growth and economic contribution of Creative Industries as a whole .




 Business Start Up Support
Liz Wallens and Judith Alexander.
(unfortunately, Judith Alexander was unable to make this talk, so it was delivered by Liz Wallens only)


This was the final lecture I attended today, and it focused on the support available, particularly in the Wrexham Area, to assist individuals and groups in starting up new businesses.

Liz works for Wrexham Council Business advisor's, based at Red Withers, Marchweil Industrial Estate.

The aim of this part of counsel services is the development of business within the Wrexham Area.  To this end, it offers a wealth of services designed to promote the growth of business.  For example

Workshops - it offers free courses for those that intend to set up a business in Wales

Bursary's and Grant information, and help with applying

It also offers one-to-one business advice and support.

Liz began by talking about the bursaries and grants on offer.

Graduate Bursary - this is for £6,000 and can be applied for by students at any time during the first 6 years after they graduate.  However, Liz admitted that the qualification requirements actually prevent the vast majority of graduates from taking advantage of it, as one of the  pre-requisites is that an applicant has to provide cash flow projections that show an expected turnover of £80,000 in the 12 months following application ! In the current economic climate in particular, this is not an attainable goal for the majority of new businesses, and its hard to see exactly what use this bursary is.  However, should anyone be in the fortunate position of being able to prove that they will generate this turnover, the bursary can be used for running costs, such as payment of salary, marketing, advertising.

However, there are other grants available, including the Rural Development Programme Grant - up to £3,000 if under 30 years of age, up to £5,000 if over .  Again, a cash flow forecast would be needed to apply, and the grant can be used for such things as equipment purchase. However, in order to qualify, you must have the sum you are applying for already demonstrably in your bank account, and once approved, you then have to purchase the equipment and will then be refunded.  Should you move your business base out of Wales, during the following 5 years, the grant has to be repaid.

There is also a bi-lingual grant available, up to the value of £1,800, to cover marketing costs, if you produce all your advertising/ marketing material and publications in Welsh as well as English.

Liz went on to talk about the workshops that they run.  These run both in the day time, and in the evenings, and include a basic 'taster', two marketing workshops, one on costing and pricing, and one one Finacial forecasts, including cash flows and profit and loss.  Amongst other things, these workshops will advise on setting up of business accounts and developing and writing up business plans.

There is also funding available around training, through the Welsh Government.  The courses are run at Yale, and once a one off fee of £50 is paid, you can attend all the courses on offer.

The one to one advice is funded, for up to 6 hours worth, by the Welsh Government, however Wrexham Council have undertaken to provide this service for as long as an individual needs it.

Liz went on to explain the definitions of the different types of business models - sole trader (where an individual is responsible for his/her own debts), a Partnership (where two or more are responsible) and a Limited Company, where the business has its own separate legal status from the individuals involved.

Liz also covered the VAT regulations, and tax self assessment.

This lecture was choked full of practical advice, and more than that, pointed the way forward to where to go to obtain more .  I spoke to Lauren (Liz's associate, who is involved with the one to one advice) after the lecture, and explained that an idea that had started as just being 'part' of my studies, had now 'grown legs', so to speak, and how it had happened so quickly that myself and the others involved were now urgently in need of discovering what options there are for the somewhat 'different' type of business models, and she was also incredibly informative and helpful, talking briefly to us about the  help available to idea's that are considered 'innovative', and we are now in the process of making arrangements to meet with her at a later date.