creative london and creative hubs
September 30, 2005 – 12:56 pm
Yes creative hubs are the new big thing. why is this happening all of a sudden you may ask.
Launched in 2004 by the London Development Agency (LDA) [ which is mayor ken’s economic development agency]- “Creative London exists to promote and grow the amazing diversity, depth, quality and energy of the creative industries in London”.
One of their aims is to - “Build the infrastructure and support needed to help the sector grow at grass roots levels”
now part of this new ten year plan is the establishment of ten “Creative Hubs” - centres to be set up across London providing flexible workspace, training, mentoring, exhibition, showcasing, marketing and networking facilities.
They’ve planned hubs so far across East London, Deptford/Greenwich, Islington/Hackney/Tower Hamlets, Haringey/Wood Green, Camden/Kings Cross, Notting Hill/North Kensington, Ealing/Acton/White City, Brixton/Elephant and Castle, Croydon and the Lower Lea Valley.
Creative London also has the backing of the CBI, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and several high profile industry figures including Terence Conran, John Sorrell, the London Design Festival Chairman and Christopher Frayling, the Arts Council Chairman.
There’s also ” £50million of seed capital to help new businesses establish themselves” and for these Hubs. I guess the question for us lot is to figure out how to tap into this - either through money ( which is unlikely- no doubt its earmarked for ‘their hubs’) or just through the wider recognition this stuff generates. which is always useful.
the city fringe partnership has been commissioned to do some research on the creative hub concept for the city fringe area. for those of you who may be interested you can read the consultants report here.
Creative Spaces Project - what’s this? –apparently this is a three-year joint initiative between London and Toronto to:
(i). identify international best practice in establishing creative spaces and stimulating the creative industries; (ii). improve the delivery of creative industries’ strategies; and (iii). maximise the role of the sector in the competitiveness of both cities.
well it all sounds interesting - we’ll have to keep our eyes open.
One Response to “creative london and creative hubs”
Not much on my mind lately, but that’s how it is. My life’s been dull these days, but such is life. I haven’t been up to much recently.
By oxpass on Jan 11, 2007