University News Last updated 14 June 2016
Creative, cultural and digital organisations across the Midlands are being invited to take part in a conference this week that hopes to boost the region’s entrepreneurial output.
Birmingham City University is hosting New Thinking, Essential Change in the Creative Industries on Thursday 16 June, which has been organised in conjunction with Birmingham Creative City Partnership (BCCP), part of Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBS LEP).
The event will propose new ideas on how to overcome barriers in business with practical steps to success, as well as offering advice on how to access current funding initiatives to encourage growth.
Creative industry, education and government leaders from organisations such as Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham Open Media (BOM) and Creative England will be on hand throughout to offer top tips on how like-minded enterprises can adapt and reinvent themselves to succeed.
Anita Bhalla, BCCP Chair and Birmingham City University alumna and Honorary Graduate will also be addressing the conference. She said:
"We are the home to one of Europe’s largest digital and creative clusters. Greater Birmingham has been recognised as the most entrepreneurial city outside London, with over 32,000 new start-ups registered within the past two years – and our creative industries will contribute to further development over the next 20 years.
“Birmingham has an integrated partnership across the public, private and education sector which is allowing an ambitious strategy to fuel the creative ecosystem of our area and to work with key partners in facilitating growth. The creative economy has the capability to add billions to this growth using the innovation strengths of our creative industries to drive new solutions, inspire new opportunities and deliver new efficiencies.”
The conference will also explore how the Midlands Engine will unlock effective sector funding, impact and real value to creative in the region.
Joanna Birch, Director of Enterprise Innovation and Business Engagement at Birmingham City University said:
“With the West Midlands Combined Authority recently established and Birmingham City University’s STEAMHouse initiative gathering pace, there is a wealth of emerging support and growth opportunities for local creative industries.
“New Thinking, Essential Change in the Creative Industries will give creative, cultural and digital organisations insight on how best they can utilise these new opportunities for their benefit, from refreshing their existing business plans to encouraging more collaboration, and exploring new markets to learning from the success of others within their sector.
“We are also keen to find out more about what is important to creative industries in our locality and what they may feel is holding them back, so we counter those fears.”
The event will conclude with a networking reception to give delegates the opportunity to connect with experts and their peers.
Those unable to attend can follow the conference on Twitter using the hashtag #CreativeMidlands.