Creative City Networks Review: their role supporting creative talent in Scotland’s cities. An event focused on the Ekos review findings of the 3 city networks: Creative Dundee, Creative Edinburgh and Creative Stirling at Creative Scotland's office. Find out more about the work of the networks and read the Review report: http://www.creativescotland.com/explore/read/stories/creative-city-networks/2014/creative-city-networks-review

1. Creative City Networks:
their role supporting creative talent in Scotland
Creative City
Networks
#CreativeCities14

2. Reaching
markets
Cross-sector
collaborating
Finding local
opportunities
+ studio space
Reducing
budgets
R+D
investment
Professional
development Demonstrating
value
Enterprise /
leadership
skills
Showcasing
work
Challenges
Having voice
heard
Linking to
strategy +
policy
Open
data
Cultural
offer
Job
creation
Skills
development
Reducing
budgets
Economic/
innovation-led
growth
High street
regeneration
Citizen
engagement
Local, national
+ international reach
More ‘open’,
more ‘digital’,
more ‘connected’
City
Retaining +
attracting
talent
Urban planning,
infrastructure
Creative
Tourism

3. Reaching
markets
Cross-sector
collaborating
Creative City
Finding local
opportunities
+ studio space
Reducing
budgets
R+D
investment
Professional
development Demonstrating
value
Enterprise /
leadership
skills
Showcasing
work
Networks
Having voice
heard
Linking to
strategy +
policy
Open
data
Cultural
offer
Job
creation
Reducing
budgets
Economic/
innovation-led
growth
High street
regeneration
Citizen
engagement
Tourism
Local, national
+ international reach
More ‘open’,
more ‘digital’,
more ‘connected’
Retaining +
attracting
talent
Skills
development
Urban planning,
infrastructure

4. !
No one acting as a city-wide platform
to connect, support and amplify creative talent.

5. M L
p: 147,000 p: 495,000
S
p: 41,000
Est: 2012 Est: 2013 Est: 2011
Network strength:!
!
PHYSICAL
Network strength:!
!
DIGITAL
Network strength:!
!
MOBILE

15. Gillian Easson, Director, www.creativedundee.com
@gillianeasson + @creative_dundee
Creating opportunities for creatives to base, grow and
sustain their practice, in and around the city

16. Creative Dundee connects creative talent with
opportunities and amplifies the city’s creative pulse by:
!
Encouraging collaboration and networking to develop the
local creative and cultural sectors.
!
Increasing awareness of the creative and cultural scene,
within and outwith the sectors and city.
!
Acting as a partner and broker to impact positively on
communities, the city and the local economy.

17. 2008
Blog
launch
2011
PKN 1
xmas party
2012
PKN 2,3,4
IncorpoRated
xmas party
2013
Constituted
PKN 5,6,7
City of Culture
We Dundee
Mid Week Meet
TMWK
Partnerships
2014
PKN 8, 9
Eurocities
CityLogo
Metro.co.uk
EKOS report
CS review
Stop, Collab + Celeb.
event
Screen in
Square

18. Online platform
Key activity: curating, promoting and providing information on local creatives/
opps/events. Top audience locations - Dundee, London, Edinburgh, Glasgow.
Active social media usage.

19. Pecha Kucha Night Dundee
Quarterly events - showcase local scene, low barrier to entry. 200 - 300 people
attend from all backgrounds. In 2 years: 2,250 attendees, over 100 speakers,
videos presentations have reached an extra 10,000 people. Grab the mic slot.

20. Professional opportunities for
local creatives
Managed the call for the designer
of V&A Dundee’s first public
engagement campaign - Living
Room for the City.
History of securing paid
opportunities for local creatives
through partnership projects and
events.
A small but important way of
spotting, commissioning and
highlighting new, local talent.

21. Online platform which crowded together views and ideas
for the city’s future, from over 3,800 people. The aim?
To co-curate future cultural projects and share citizen pride.
Strategic partnerships:
City: Part of the cultural strategy group; Cultural Agencies Network; UK City of
Culture bid group. Nationally: Orgs keen to work locally.
Broker between public sector and creative sector.

22. Screen in the Square
Open call for films, animations, music videos, short documentaries to be
screened in City Square, during Commonwealth Games on eve of 24 July.

23. What next for Creative Dundee?
- Digital shopfront for city’s creativity
- Supporting and growing creative practice
- Choreographed collisions - innov/collab
- Missing link between strategy and action
!
!
The challenge?
Sustainability. Limited short
term funding, uncertain
business model during city’s
transition.

24. Janine Matheson, Director
www.creative-edinburgh.com
@janinematheson @CreativeEdin #creativecities14
We connect, inspire and promote the
creative & cultural community of Edinburgh.

25. the catalyst
CEC Economic Development: People, Place & Pound Strategy
Stakeholder workshop and further consultation 2010
Launched November 2011

26. community & membership
Our culture: inclusive, supportive and collaborative
Online & Annual subscriptions, currently 1,176 members [sector data and industry insights]
Everything we do is driven by what our members tell us is important to them
Students &
graduates
Freelancers
& businesses
Practitioners,
employees &
organisations
visual art
architecture
Fashion &
textiles
storytelling
music
marketing
games product design
performance
advertising
dance
film & tv
heritage
literature
digital
CGI, motion
graphics
illustration
craft
PR
social media
photography
Software & tech
education

27. what we do
Developing your skills [through events, surgeries, reviews, mentoring & signposting]
Growing your business [through networking, industry partnerships & matchmaking]
Promoting your business [website, awards, pitch videos & members interviews]
Making your voice heard [steering group, EBF, Cultural Partnership, CEC]

28. our digital voice
CE website is a platform to signpost, highlight opportunities and other Edinburgh happenings
Tailored content on each social platform to reflect differences in engagement
Monthly newsletter highlighting jobs, opps, member interview

29. trade missions
In March 2013 with CEC Economic Development, Napier and CE w/ 8 creative and digital companies.
Creative Capital Gains strategy, Study visits, Interactive Ontario, Pinewood / Sheridan College
Knowledge transfer, international connections and business opportunities.

30. partnerships & collaboration
we can achieve more by working with others - public, private, academic.

31. key priorities
• Visibility & communication
• Model sustainability
• Implementation of our [new dialogues] pilot
• New web presence (September 2014)
• International opportunities: China Trade
Mission, Nov 2014
• Creative Exchange collaboration (2014-15)

32. Creative City Network Review (Apr 2014)!
!
Creative Scotland commissioned EKOS to study the impact of
Creative Dundee, Creative Edinburgh and Creative Stirling. Each
is independent, but offers similar services.!
!
EKOS’s review involved:!
• Online surveys with each network !
• Stakeholder interviews!
• Focus group sessions!
• Attendance at city events!
• Review of our background info

33. Reasons for engaging with the networks:
Meet Likeminded People
Gain Industry Contacts
Engage in Cross Discipline Networking
Develop Collaborations
Promote / Advertise Business or Practice
Gain Industry Knowledge
Access Peer Support
Access/Signposted to Sources of Support
Develop Skills Capacity
Access Business Start Up Information
Other
5%
4%
3%
22%
19%
23%
25%
23%
23%
38%
34%
32%
47%
46%
44%
45%
50%
47%
43%
42%
65%
65%
60%
59%
61%
58%
85%
84%
81%
22%
16%
47%
91%
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Creative Stirling Creative Dundee Creative Edinburgh

34. Impacts - now and in the future:
Improved local knowledge of creative activity
Increased willingness to be located within the city
Greater confidence to develop/ grow practice in city
Increased number of industry contacts
Greater understanding of support available to you
Greater exposure to wider audiences
Enhanced levels of innovation
Developed collaboration activity
Enhanced market knowledge
Improved business brand or improved marketing
Enhanced business skills
Entered or grew in Scottish markets
Brought new products to market
Entered or grew in international markets
23%
29%
36%
36%
36%
36%
33%
31%
30%
24%
26%
26%
36%
14%
29%
23%
19%
21%
13%
16%
16%
16%
18%
19%
19%
13%
19%
19%
43%
41%
13%
16%
32%
57%
55%
55%
53%
52%
48%
32%
39%
32%
29%
76%
16%
29%
29%
9%
9%
16%
13%
6%
6%
10%
7%
3%
14%
28%
26%
15%
25%
17%
25%
21%
30%
21%
34%
38%
43%
45%
48%
21%
63%
26%
31%
43%
29%
36%
43%
24%
38%
24%
14%
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Creative Stirling Now Creative Stirling Future
Creative Dundee Now Creative Dundee Future
Creative Edinburgh Now Creative Edinburgh Future

35. Creative Stirling
!
Business impacts:
!
33% reported experiencing a positive impact on their
business, of these:
43% reported increased profitability
43% predicted future increased profitability
50% predicted increased turnover.
!
Satisfaction with support was high with all aspects of support
receiving a rating of 50% or greater i.e. very good/good.
!
Social impacts:
!
• Attendees believed Creative Stirling has helped to break down barriers
within Stirling, allowing more people to access the creative industries.
!
• Personal benefits were also reported, such as increased skills and
capacity, increased motivation, and gained self-confidence.
Above: Results from 44 completed online surveys and focus group of 17 attendees

36. Creative Dundee
!
Collaboration and community:
“Creative Dundee has had a positive impact on the creative sector in Dundee”
94% Said ‘Yes’
!
Ability as either ‘good’ or ‘very good’ in:
82% Enabling creative industry connections between individuals.
79% Enabling connections between orgs within/outwith creative industries.
79% Encouraging interdisciplinary collaborations.
!
Creative Dundee is having a positive impact on the perception of Dundee as a
creative city within and outwith Dundee:
89% Within the city 63% Outwith Dundee
!
• Influential catalyst for the increase in the profile and perception of Dundee, the
city as a whole.
!
• Played a role in the retention of talent within the city, more people choosing to
remain, or move to Dundee to access opportunities.
Above: Results from the 80 completed online surveys and stakeholder interviews

37. Creative Edinburgh
!
Network culture and connections:
!
81% Gain industry contacts
65% Engage in cross-discipline networking
65% Develop collaborations
!
• The mobile nature of the network allows flexibility - to use, highlight and
connect in different spaces across the city.
!
• The culture of the network and the events were also reported positively -
inclusive, honest and open. People are not afraid to voice their ideas or
collaborate with others. Passion and dedication of the staff reported as a key
strength, the staff go ‘above and beyond’ and are proactive in their approach.

38. The impacts of the three networks: !
!
The three networks are providing valuable benefits and opportunities for cross-sector
networking and facilitating collaboration across disciplines:!
!
• Networking is an essential means of facilitating collaboration!
!
• Innovation drives growth and development in the creative industries!
!
• The creative industries congregate at regional rather than national levels!
!
Clearly the networks are achieving impacts by creating the opportunities for knowledge
sharing, peer learning, support and collaboration. They are undoubtedly raising the
profile of the sectors within the cities, and with civic authorities. !
!
This has the potential to create wider profile benefits for each city, as well as helping
to boost regeneration efforts through more effective and enlightened use of
culture and creativity in urban renewal.

39. Summary of conclusions:!
!
• all have successfully built a profile and positive reputation within their
communities and have done so through an approach that is closely connected
and inclusive;!
!
• they are delivering key benefits to participating businesses and practitioners by
building the collaborative capacity of the sector in each city;!
!
• they are also supporting stronger relationships between the sector and the
public sector, and are a valuable route into the sector for these partners;!
!
• all are under resourced, and there is a need to stabilise operations and ensure
that staff resources are adequate;!
!
• there is potential for future growth, but this should be managed such that it
retains the core value of the networks, and extends their reach into the areas
identified above; and!
!
• clearer objectives and measures of success are now required to evidence the
value of the projects and provide a robust case for ongoing support.

40. Important network characteristics:!
!
Networks should work closely with their local creative community to identify
their priorities.!
!
Leadership from the sector is essential - networks should be led and owned by
the sector itself and not developed by the public sector on behalf of the creative
community – the bottom-up approach has proved its value.!
!
Networking should appear informal, yet confirm to high quality standards.!
!
Digital engagement is very effective and must be of a high quality.!
!
A broad and inclusive approach is valuable as it brings multiple perspectives
to the network and encourages the kinds of less predictable collaborations from
which innovation often arises.!
!
Strong partnership is essential – both with the civic authorities and with other
support providers.

41. Future development of the networks:!
!
All 3 networks need to consolidate and stabilise their initial set-up time.
Stretched in terms of resources, need to evolve financial models:!
!
• Important that the networks are fully embedded within their cities and
with the civic authorities. The networks provide a voice for the creative
sector in their respective cities, and create benefit for those cities. !
!
• Creative Scotland has a role in helping to enable the embedding of
the networks in each city by voicing the importance of the creative
community at a city level. !
!
• Needs careful balance between ‘hands off’ approach and more target
driven path.

42. Cultural Scenes and Creative Clusters
!
“ Although cultural maps help to locate clusters of artists and cultural
organizations, it is important to also consider what lies behind the map –
the ongoing, day-to-day activities of artists and cultural participants:
creation, expression, criticism, discussion, performance, appreciation and
enjoyment. Places where these occur in sufficient density, depth, and
intensity acquire special qualities.
!
They become scenes. Vibrant scenes bring tremendous social and
economic benefits to Toronto. They need to be preserved and grown. ”
!
Daniel Silver, Department of Sociology, University of Toronto:
Quote from Toronto’s Creative Capital Gains report: http://bit.ly/VThXTA

43. Contacts:!
!
Joe Hall, Creative Stirling!
joe@creativestirling.org !
!
Gillian Easson, Creative Dundee!
gillian@creativedundee.com!
!
Janine Matheson, Creative Edinburgh!
janine@creative-edinburgh.com!