Developing a creative development platform “Creative West” June 16 th Ian Brannigan ( Regional Development Manager WDC)

Western Region of Ireland

 7 counties – Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway, Clare  Pop – 762,000 (68% in rural areas)  1 city (Galway); 5 towns >10,000  Employment – Public sector; industry; wholesale & retail ; construction; agri  GVA <75% state average  Workforce with 3 rd level rose 19%- 28% ( )

New Global Competition for Talent *  Economic success depends on new terms of competition –A nation’s ability to mobilize, attract and retain creative human talent (Richard Florida, Flight of the Creative Class)  But REGIONS * compete for talent, not nations –Creative people don’t choose countries, they think of cities or regions Silicon Valley, Cambridge, Stockholm, Vancouver, Sydney  Equally where people followed jobs – in CE jobs follow creative people ** - David A Wolfe – Centre for international studies University of Toronto ** Robert Huggins University of Cardiff

Why the Creative Sector?  Significant, indigenous sector  Strong growth potential  High quality employment  Stimulates innovation in wider economy – strong linkages  Important social role/attractiveness of area  Promotes rural and regional development

Clare creative word cloud

Sligo creative word cloud

Creative West: Selected findings  Avg productivity of creative sector in WR - €25,000 per employee  39% self-employed/ 12% over 10 employees  Low export activity, 2/3 do not export  Crafts & music/visual/performing arts highest value of exports

Next Steps  Regionally Using the “creative west” findings to design and develop a significant regional growth program for the sector Vision Global perception of region as a creative hotbed. Fulfilling endogenous potential and attracting global talent.  Value - To create a platform for sector growth through international market and product opportunities  People – Functioning networks of practice spreading within and outside of the region to invigorate ideas and develop skills and opportunities  Ecosystem – Evolve the built and support infrastructure into a sustainable creative ecosystem, which is capable of internal growth and seeding the wider economies innovation  Key action – unlock the growth potential of the region through the creative west platform program

Creative West NPP

 A pan regional platform developed and implemented for Export growth of creative goods and services. Need: Research has shown that in peripheral regions many creative businesses are not active in global markets. E.g. In the West of Ireland 66% of Creative businesses do not actively participate in the global market, and receive less than 5% of their total turnover from exports. This is believed similar in many rural creative economies.

Creative West NPP  A pan regional model for CE Market and Product growth through developing and implementing functioning networks of practice (NOPs) for Creative businesses (targeted within the CE and outside to the general industrial base) Need: Studies have shown that in rural peripheral creative regions there is often minimal interaction between similar businesses especially in the micro SME case. Similarly the level of interaction between these creative businesses and “mainstream” industry remains weak. This diminishes opportunities for product and market development.

Creative West NPP  Model for regional Built environment development - a cursory assessment of benefits and viability of local authorities offering temporary creative launch pads in towns and villages through "creative caretaker" programme for empty shops and offices in public thoroughfares.

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