Creative Cities Convention for the UK Media Industry Announced for Spring 2018

A brand new meeting place for creative media people across the UK will hold its inaugural event at the College of Music in Leeds on April 25/26th.

The Creative Cities Convention will be hosted by broadcaster and journalist Kirsty Wark and will provide a platform for anyone interested in the business of content creation and growth across the nations and regions.

And in a unique twist on most media get-togethers, each year the event will feature an Olympic-style pitch from several other big cities seeking to hold the event the following year.

‘There is vibrant content production across the UK and this new convention will ensure we have a platform to engage with broadcasters and producers who are creating great content wherever they happen to be based’, says Pact CEO John McVay, who is fully backing the CCC, along with Channel 4, the BBC, ITV and Channel 5.

A top line-up of creatives, industry leaders and commentators will celebrate the richness and diversity of talent and the growth of global production across the UK. They will also examine how the Government’s new industrial strategy can benefit the creative industries outside London and reflect on the discussions about Channel 4 increasing its contribution to the nations and regions.

The convention comes at a time when the media has a bigger role than ever to play in improving how diverse audiences across the UK are reached and represented.

‘This is the moment when the UK digital media industry comes of age and the Creative Cities Convention is the new platform for that 21st century debate,’ says new convention chair Ruth Pitt, who was behind the successful N&RM Conference hosted by the University of Salford in Spring 2017. The university’s offering this year is restricted to radio so the big broadcasters and UK producers are joining forces to surf the wave of interest in N&R right across the UK with this completely new event.

‘Our conference will consider how to seize the opportunities that are right there to be grasped by the industry outside London,’ says Pitt. ‘How do we ensure there’s enough experienced top talent as production grows? How can we keep and encourage the brilliant young people from all over the UK who are finishing their studies or training courses and looking for work? Where do super-indies fit in? And how can broadcasters embrace the creative content revolution and remain relevant in a world of YouTube and Apple? The Creative Cities Convention will air these issues and a whole lot more.’

For further information contact Anys Williams or Olivia Rhodes at Anita Morris Associates on 01943 603311. [email protected] / [email protected]