Broadcast News

Bookmark and Share
06/12/2010

South West 'A Hotbed Of Creativity', Report Shows

Two of the UK's major hotspots for creative activity are in the South West, a report published last week has shown.
Bristol and Bath are listed in the creative top ten by the NESTA report, Creative Clusters And Innovation, which provides a detailed look at the geographical distribution of creative activities across the regions and also zooms in to so-called 'micro-geographies' to determine the hotspots. Bristol and Bath emerge has having between them particular strength in film & video, music & the performing arts, publishing, software and radio & TV.
The report, which includes the first ever online map of British creativity, describes how creative firms tend to cluster close together in each region and says that their presence in a city "impacts directly on the innovative potential of the places where they are located," suggesting Bath and Bristol are also two of Britain's most innovative cities.
The news comes after the Government announced on Monday changes to the support structure for the creative industries. The regional screen agency network, which includes South West Screen based in Bristol, is currently responsible for delivering sector support to the creative industries at a local level. Under new plans, the regional screen agencies will be reshaped into three new regions, Creative North, Creative Central and Creative South under the umbrella of Creative England.
Bristol has been suggested as the possible location for the Creative South hub, with Manchester and Birmingham suggested as potential centres for the north and Central regions respectively, although further analysis is to be undertaken via an industry consultation before the final decisions are made.
Manchester is also one of the top ten creative hotspots, according to the NESTA report. The full list of hotspots is as follows: London, Bath, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Guildford, Edinburgh, Manchester, Oxford and Wycombe-Slough.
Caroline Norbury, Chief Executive of South West Screen, said: "This report gives a timely confirmation of the South West's success as a UK creative centre and provides an excellent illustration of our reputation as a leading creative hub outside of London. Here at South West Screen we've been working hard with the other screen agencies to develop the new Creative England model announced by Government this week, and we will now continue to ensure that the South West is best served by Creative South as we restructure."
Bristol is known for its thriving film, television and animation industry, being home to a critical mass of production companies including Endemol West, Icon Films, Tigress, Quickfire Media, Testimony Films and RDF Television West, in addition to the internationally renowned BBC Natural History Unit and Aardman Animation.
Meanwhile, Bath can claim Future Publishing, one of Britain's largest media companies, as one of its biggest employers, and both cities feature a growing digital sector.
(KMcA)
Solidmate Ltd Memory Card Hire London

Top Related Stories
Click here for the latest broadcast news stories.

04/10/2011
South West Screen Welcomes Creative England
South West Screen has welcomed the beginning of a new era for the creative industries in the South West, as new English regions-wide agency Creative E
16/12/2011
Creative England Takes On South West Screen Contracts
Bristol-based regional screen agency South West Screen has announced the full transfer of all of its projects and activities into the new agency Creat
08/09/2003
South West agencies join forces with Channel 4
Channel 4, the South West Regional Development Agency and South West Screen are joining forces to help bring new creative talent in the area to the sm
11/08/2023
Narrative Entertainment Acquires Exclusive UK Rights To Wild West Chronicles
UK broadcaster Narrative Entertainment has acquired exclusive UK rights to Wild West Chronicles seasons 2 and 3 for its GREAT! action channel. Narrati
06/07/2009
Screen South Appoints Interim CEOs
The Regional Screen Agency for the South East, Screen South, has announced the appointment of joint new interim chief executive officers (CEO) Sarah D
09/12/2010
Singapore And UK Team Up On Multiplatform Developments
The Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) and South West Screen, the development agency for film, television and digital media in the South W
14/07/2006
Trio of talented students from the South West sought for £3k industry bursary
Help is at hand for creative people from the South West to take up post graduate study before entering the film and TV industry. South West Screen's i
26/07/2005
South West Screen announces £1.1m funding boost
South West Screen has announced a £1.1 million project to grow the film, television and interactive media sectors in the South West of England and dev
13/05/2005
South West locations showcased at Cannes
The South West of England is reportedly taking the internationally renowned Cannes Film Festival by storm. Caroline Norbury, Chief Executive of South
23/05/2005
South West film locations to be showcased
South West film locations are being shown off next week as South West Screen, Bristol and Bath Film Offices and Cornwall Film join forces to promote t
01/09/2006
South West Screen Launches Media Placement Scheme
South West Screen has announced the launch of a placement scheme for people aged 18 - 35 to take up traineeships with top media production companies i
14/10/2002
South West Screen launch education strategy
South West Screen have launched the South West Moving Image Education Strategy, at the Watershed Media Centre in Bristol. As the regional screen agenc
04/09/2023
MLA Still The Best Solution For Meeting South Facing Festival's Challenges
Enjoying their third year of providing top quality sound at the South Facing Festival, Solotech UK found themselves working with a new production team
26/06/2009
New Big Screen For Glastonbury
Up to 50 filmmakers from the South West are to get a unique opportunity to show their work to a brand new audience at Glastonbury this weekend. That's
17/05/2005
Aardman Animations, Twofour and Endemol West share skills
Three top production companies from the South West are teaming up with staff from South West Screen and Skillset for a skills day later this month. Th