Get the most out of your trade show – FREE event for the creative sector

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/event/2838807951

Sally Taylor, Executive Director of The Culture Capital Exchange (TCCE),  asks the questions, “can creativity save the business world?” Here is her article that appeared in the Professional section of The Guardian on 20th February 2012.

According to IBM’s most recent global CEO study, the majority of CEOs believe the key to navigating today’s volatile, uncertain and increasingly complex business environment is creativity. Is this just business leaders talking the talk or are 21st-century businesses really committed to being creative?

Next month, The Culture Capital Exchange, a new membership organisation of 11 London universities, will bring together business leaders, cultural and creative entrepreneurs, academics and artists for a conference on the value, connections and interventions between creativity and business. They will debate whether these sectors could become more fertile by working together – and how.

Dynamics between creativity, business and research are changing in response to a hostile economic climate and delegates will be challenged to think about their place within this triangular relationship in new ways. The key questions: is creativity really more sought after now than ever, and if so, why? How does the corporate sector value creativity and vice versa? What are the pros and cons of government intervention in cultivating creativity?

Academics such as professor Clive Holtham from Cass Business School argue that although CEOs might respond positively to the IBM survey, whether and how creativity is central to their business is quite another matter. It might be encouraged in the middle, or indeed recruited for in the lower echelons of a company, but when push comes to shove, the driver for decision making at board level is all about the bottom line. Thefinance men rule. If graduates have been recruited on criteria that require creative input how long they will last in a company which does not nurture it?

The creative industries know that it takes fresh thinking and innovation to stay ahead of the game in an international market place and increasingly, the government seems to be looking to the creative industries to drive the UK economy out of recession. How then is creativity best managed, and what does creativity in leadership look like?

Does it for example look like global firm Arup, whose success (according to Arup fellow Tristram Carfrae) is predicated on employing creative people throughout the company and learning how to manage them. Or is creativity confined for the most part to the margins of a business, for example its branding and marketing?

Professor Giovanni Schiuma’s recent book, The Value of Arts for Business, argues that the innovation, thinking patterns and emotional intelligence which the arts can offer to business equip organisations with new tools to challenge old and possibly ingrained ways of thinking. If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got.

There is no doubt that lessons can be learnt from the arts (and the artistic process) that could nurture creativity in business. Some inspirational case studies will be presented at the conference, such asSamsung’s Digital Arts prize and how the arts can contribute to the development of business, including digital businesses.

But to what extent is intervention, in particular government intervention, necessary or sufficient? One view is that it’s usually too little too late. As in the arts world, by the time the government is on board with support, which is also likely to include several layers of bureaucracy, either the bandwagon has moved on or the businesses that will thrive have already done so, and those failing are failing for the right reasons.

Katie Greenyer from the Pentland group argues that globalisation is great as an ambition, but that businesses need to be supported quickly and easily at a local level. Ultimately then, we will ask whether the penny has finally dropped – that it is people we must invest in rather than buildings.

Creativity and Business: Connectivity, Values and Interventions is at the British Library on 12 March. Book your tickets here.

This article was originally published by The Guardian on

IBM’s 2010 Global CEO Study found that of 1500 CEOs surveyed, the majority believe the key to navigating today’s volatile, uncertain and increasingly complex business environment is creativity.  The ability to instil creativity throughout an organisation was rated as more crucial than rigor, management, discipline, integrity or even vision as a means to future success.

This one day conference at The British Library will explore whether this is actually the case.

Furthermore, it will consider how the dynamics between creativity, business and research is changing and delegates will be challenged to think about their place within this triangular relationship in new ways and will be provided with a real opportunity to make professional contacts in and beyond their sectors and fields.

It will present a diverse and provocative range of keynotes, panel discussions, case studies and interventions that will explore questions such as:

- Is creativity really being more sought after now than ever and if so, why?
- How does the corporate sector value creativity and vice versa?
- What are the pros and cons of government intervention in cultivating creativity?

Chairs: Rene Caryol and Hilary Carty. Speakers include: Dame Lynne Brindley (Chief Executive, British Library), Dame Helen Alexander (Deputy President, CBI), Professor Clive Holtham (Cass Business School), Professor Giovanni Schiuma (University of Basilicata and author of ‘The Value of Arts for Business’), Katie Greenyer (Creative Director, Pentland Brands Plc.), Mark Waugh (Art: Gwangju and SUUM Project), Maurice Biriotti (Chief Executive, SHM Ltd), Julianne Pierce (Blast Theory), Professor Ian King (LCF), Sarah Rowles (Director, Q-Art London), Sarah Taylor (Head of Learning and Development, Starcom Media Vest Group), Alistair Creamer (Director, Creamer and Lloyd), Geoff Colman (Head of Acting, Central School of Speech & Drama), Laura Garbini Beukes (The One-off), Mark Stevenson (Honda Dream Factory Project and author of ‘An Optimist’s Tour of the Future’), Clare Reddington (Director, i-Shed), Dr Kristian Jensen (Head of Arts and Humanities, British Library), Professor Andy Pratt (Professor of Culture, Media and Economy, King’s College London), Chris Moore (Technology Specialist,Tech City), Tristram Carfrae (Chair, Global Buildings Practice, Arup) and Dani Salvadori (University of the Arts).

The post-conference networking drinks will take place at Central St Martins brilliant new landmark building at King’s Cross.

Pricing: £130 for non-TCCE members. Book here.

The Culture Capital Exchange is delighted to present its inaugural conference in partnership with The British Library.

Business Bootcamp Meet-up – 21^stFebruary- 6-9pm @02 Centre Tottenham Court Road.

The next Business Bootcamp Alumni meet-up will feature short presentations and a Q&A session with a number of London entrepreneurs who have recently raised investment funding from Angels and VC’s. If you have not been before and enjoyed the drinks, nibbles and good company then please check up out here. http://www.meetup.com/BB-Lounge/

Next Generation of Finance Launch Event 17th Feb 10am – 12pm @ UCL

Capital Enterprise, Angel Capital, Crowd Cube, People Fund it, CDFA and North London Community Finance have all come together to launch a series of events that will give you the insider know-how and fast track routes to finding non- traditional bank finance to fund your entrepreneurial venture. Not to be missed so to get your invite please email  carly@capitalenterprise.org or keep an eye on our website.

Angel Funding:  13^th Feb        4pm-7pm            @ The British Library Conference Centre

The British Business Angel Association in partnership with Capital Enterprise will be running through why now more than ever is a good time to look at Angel Finance to fund growth-http://www.bl.uk/bipc/workevents/angelfun.html

We will look at the how the Government’s new Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) initiative will work in real life When launched in April this year SEIS will offer angel investors up to 50% tax breaks for a total of £100k invested in start-ups and each start-up that meets the criteria can receive up £150k equity investment under this scheme. There will be also an opportunity to question Angels on what they look for, how best to approach them and how they value an early stage business.

There were 464 companies in the UK that received early stage investment from Angel and VC organisations in 2011 and courtesy of UK Funders we know exactly who they are. We only have unlimited access to the wonderful UK Funders database for another month. So we intend to use it (along with our own sources) to put together a definitive guide to growth and start-up finance in London that we can offer to all members to co-brand and distribute.

If anyone is interested in a copy of the guide please let me know or would like us to prepare a customized version for their organisations client group, then please let me know.

Our CF Partner Portobello Business Centre (PBC) has found a new home. Please make note:

Canalside House

Office 6 & 7

383 Ladbroke Grove

London

W10 5AA

Tel: 020 7460 5050

Fax: 020 7460 5054

 www.pbc.co.uk

Date: 22 February 2012
Time: 1 – 2pm
Location: RHS Centre, LCF, John Princes Street. W1G 0BJ

An interactive workshop preparing you to present and pitch to a variety of contacts, including employers, potential customers, freelancers and collaborators. You will look at different styles and ways of adapting your presentation or pitch to suit the situation. This will enable you to understand your audience more effectively and therefore communicate your ideas successfully.

Book now

Image by Maggie Li, Zombie Collective

Have you got a great idea? Do you want to help it grow with up to £5,000 from SEE?

We have set up the SEED Fund for UAL students, graduates and staff to give you the opportunity to develop your creative idea into a sustainable business or practice.

On top of the financial grant, successful applicants will also get access to a special business and intellectual property support programme. You don’t have to have a track-record in developing projects – we just want to find people with some good ideas and help them flourish. If you want to find out more or want help applying, book a place on one of our regular workshops.

The first deadline for applications is on 14 March 2012, with further deadlines every 6-8 weeks.

Read more

Image from design studio VAL