Creative Industries and Creative Researchers

The South East Hub held a one-day workshop at the American Express Community Stadium (home of Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club). It brought together people from small and medium-sized businesses working in the creative sector, researchers with an interest in that sector and staff who support those researchers.

The event was opened by Naomi Norman from Epic – the award winning e-learning company – who addressed the question of ways that academics can contribute to business and ways that businesses can contribute to academia. The audience then split into two session – researchers attended a session run by Sam Smith of Transition Tradition (Online community, magazine and resource directory for creative students and graduates experiencing the transition between university and work) on working in or with the creative industries; attendees from industry heard from Nick Rodgers and Jennifer Wells of University of Brighton’s Business Development Team on how to develop links with their local Universities. The day ended with a structured networking session.

The day was well received  - with our speakers and facilitators receiving particular praise -  with feedback such as:

“Really enjoyable and worthwhile. Good range of delegates.”

“This was so utterly useful and inspirational – thank you!”

The impact of the day will be investigated when we carry out follow-up evaluation, however one positive result has been that the people from the company DabApps Ltd who attended the event have now set up a website – brightonbrains.org – to try and bring the academic and business communities in Brighton and Hove with interest in creative and digital matters closer together. We wish them the best of luck and will look to support this goal – for the whole South East – in 2012.