Belfast creative industries showcase talent in United States

Some of Belfast’s most creative companies are being given an invaluable opportunity to showcase their talents in the heart of the world’s most lucrative marketplace.
The ‘Belfast Creative Showcase’, led by Belfast City Council will see a number of the city’s leading edge companies – working primarily in the fields of film, television and digital media, as well as fashion design – exploring new leads and potential new markets in New York and Boston.
During the four day mission, the companies are looking to team up with some of the top broadcasters, video production companies, internet providers, in the showcase, alongside representatives from the Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission (NIFTC) and Momentum, the Software Industry Federation. They will meet representatives from some of the world’s leading businesses and creative development organisations, including Microsoft, Steiner Studios, the Mayor’s Office for Film And Television in New York, the New England Business and Technology Association and Silicon Alley Venture Partners.
Speaking in advance of the showcase, Councillor Michael Browne, Chairman of Belfast City Council’s Economic Development Sub-Committee, said it was an exciting opportunity to showcase local talent in the creative sector at an international level.
“Belfast City Council recognises that the creative industries are a major growth sector and contributor to wealth in the economy. Initiatives such as this will provide a unique platform for local companies to sell into the international marketplace and develop partnerships to assist with product development and access to new forms of finance such as venture capital,” commented Councillor Browne.
Julieanne Crothers-Gibson, Director of Policy Development with the NIFTC, pointed out that the film, television and new media industry was a key driver of the creative industries, celebrating ingenuity and encouraging innovation and excellence.
“The NIFTC is continually looking at ways in which it can showcase the wealth of creative and experienced talent in Northern Ireland and highlight the economic value and inward investment opportunities available. Working with the Creative Showcase affords us exactly the right kind of strategic alliance that allows us to push ahead with our aim of boosting the development of a dynamic and sustainable film and television industry in Northern Ireland,” she said.
The ‘Belfast Creative Showcase’ is supported by the Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission and Momentum, and by Belfast City Council and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment’s ‘Building Sustainability’ programme.
(GB)