How Creative is Yorkshire?

This month's Creative Networks was a little different than usual and was in the form of a debate chaired by Yorkshire Forward, about the "state of the regions’ Creative, Cultural and Digital economies." We were both curious to hear what everyone had to say about this and apparently the debate would help inform a response to Central Government so we went along. The panel of experts (made up of people from Screen Yorkshire, Yorkshire Forward, Creative Industries Development Agency (CIDA), The Arts Council and the Leeds Initiative) each in turn made a presentation, then the discussion was opened up to the audience.

(image taken from http://www.creativenetworkswestyorkshire.co.uk/newsletters/cn_sep08_high.pdf)

The most notable points raised were that there needs to be more 'specialist' advice made available to creative businesses in yorkshire, that many excellent graduates are produced in this region but that there is a difficulty in retaining them, and that the cost of office space in Leeds City Centre is particularly high for those who have both creative and entrepreneurial tendancies.

The last point was made by an academic from Leeds College of Art and Design. He made several valuable comments such as difficulties posed to start-ups, their reluctance in using incubator space (and prefering to strike out on their own), but the lack of affordable office space in Leeds causing problems. Unfortunately one of the organisers interrupted and told him to let someone else speak!

Chris Bailey, the Dean of the Arts and Society Faculty at Leeds Met, made a good suggestion whilst the subject of apprenticeships was raised: course fees being 50% subsidised to reduce barriers to entry. This ties in with the pitch made by Rebekka Kill, Senior Lecturer from Leeds Met, earlier for the Creative Enterprise degree.

One member of the audience asked the panel if they could give three incentives why students should stay in Leeds after graduating. Emma Cheshire Head of Industry Development from Screen Yorkshire gave her suggestions: (1) The Art galleries in the city centre (e.g. Henry Moore Institute), Leeds Art Gallery) (2) Numerous creative companies to approach for employment (3) Many events held throughout the year. However, she also made a point about people being tempted to hop on the GNER and travel to London, earlier in the discussion so it could said theres a case for both?

The debate ran over time by 30 minutes and not surprisingly people began leaving (to be honest several people got up and walked out throughout the whole talk) but we hung on until the very end in the hopes that someone would shed some light on the topic, or provide some insightful information. We did gleem some useful tidbits in the form of these two weblinks from Emma's presentation:

Melt provides Research and Development funding to South Yorkshire based creative or digital companies or individual practitioners. Check it out: http://www.lovemelt.com/

"Creative Choices° is the first online service to provide the tools, knowledge and networks to support every individual and business to get in, and get on, in the creative industries and cultural sector...It’s for everyone who already is, and wants develop their career or business further."
http://www.creative-choices.co.uk/

Overall it was an interesting debate, but we had expected less presentations and more interaction with those who attended.