Author Archives: Carola Boehm

Launching the C3 Centre

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We recently have launched the C3 Centre as the newest of Staffordshire University’s Research Centres, focussing on the Creative Industries and Creative Communities.

The centre provides a single overarching structure for all staff working together with our creative partners through the medium of arts and culture, working within the creative and cultural economy, society and sectors.

In short, it is not ‘about the arts’ but rather ‘through the arts’.

It provides a structural framework for activities that reflect the search for new conceptual and critical insights into practices used by individual artists, collectives and creative thinkers who are passionate about engaging, interacting and co-creating with their surrounding communities. If your practice focusses on areas, such as Ceramics, Creative Industries and/or Creative Communities than this centre might be of interest to you. We would suggest that our collective creative talent in our city and surrounding communities is what makes our region so impactful through its creative engagements.

So if you are interested in the cutting edge of creative practice, keep an eye out for our projects and events. We regularly hold exhibition, research talks, networking events, so stay in touch by being part of our community. Browse our projects and feel invited to come to our events, and get in touch with our individual staff if you have ideas for collaborative innovation and research projects. 

And if you want to just say ‘hi’, leave us a comment here. We would love to hear from you.

Applications are now open for CREATE PLACE

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CREATE PLACE: The Placemaking and Co-Creation Leadership Programme in North Staffordshire and Cheshire East

Applications are open!

£150k has been secured for a new project to develop creative leaders across North Staffordshire and Cheshire East. A total of £6m is being invested by Arts Council England in museums, libraries and arts across the country to help tackle skills gaps, a lack of diversity, and to support the continued growth and long-term sustainability of the sector.

Applications are now open for CREATE PLACE, focussing on place-making for both heritage & arts organisations in North Staffordshire and Cheshire East.  Important terms in our cultural approach are co-creation, co-production and co-curation. The programme will pay attention to the socio-economic contexts of second-order cities, including their usually rurally dispersed communities, and their need to attend to locality-specific, narrative-rich partnership work to engage hard-to-reach communities.

This programme is free for successful applicants, thanks to Arts Council’s Transforming Leadership Fund.

Drawing upon the region’s rich creative heritage, the Placemaking and Co-Creation Leadership Programme intends to develop leaders who will play a transformative role in the future of the arts in the region. Focussing on placemaking and co-creation, the programme will work with existing consortium networks, local authorities, higher education institutions and regional cultural organisations to address the needs of its rurally dispersed communities.

Download the application pack and more details from  here.

 

Staffordshire University / Factory Programme for the Creative Sector in Stoke-on-Trent

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As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the Creative Sector, Staffordshire University in partnership with Factory has developed a series of diverse talks, sessions and practical workshops that support the exploration of small and big challenges facing the creative sector. This unique series of events will be of interest to micro-cultural producers and artists, small and medium creative businesses, social enterprises and individuals interested in the potential of creative placemaking in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. Research informed events by national and international experts will have a local focus, a local relevance and hopefully a local impact

Event Flyer

Events are focused on the Creative Sector but are open to any businesses or interested parties operating in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.

Booking is advised for all events.  All events take place from 6:00 – 7:30pm.

Parking is free for the evening. (Press intercom and let them know you are coming to the Factory event)

Date Expert Event Title and Location
25/04/2018 Sandy Kirkham Putting the muse into business: the importance of the creative perspective in organisational change

 

Venue: Staffordshire University, College Road, The Digital Kiln Breakout Space, 5th floor Mellor Building.
02/05/2018 Carola Boehm  The creative industries are dead. Long live the creative industries.

 

Venue: Staffordshire University, College Road, The Digital Kiln Breakout Space, 5th floor Mellor Building.
16/05/2018 Keith Smy Mentoring and Coaching for SMEs  

 

Venue: Staffordshire University, College Road, The Digital Kiln Breakout Space, 5th floor Mellor Building.
30/05/2018 Paul Williams Making our mark in the world? You can bet your arts we are

 

Venue: Staffordshire University, College Road, The Digital Kiln Breakout Space, 5th floor Mellor Building.
06/06/2018 Si Waite, Marc Estibeiro Hands-on workshop on what it takes to create a podcast for your business. A podcast will be created while we learn.

 

Different Venue! Cadman Recording Studios, Meet at Cadman Studio Gate, College Road
13/06/2018 Peter Twilley Growing your Social Enterprise

 

Different Venue! Staffordshire University, College Road, Ground Floor Mellor Building, room SO11
27/06/2018 Rob Marsden Acting skills for Business Professionals: Voice and Presence Workshop

 

Different Venue! Staffordshire University, College Road, Ground Floor Mellor Building, room SO11

This opportunity is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund’s England Operational Programme 2014 – 20

Summary Descriptions

25/04/2018   Sandy Kirkham

Putting the muse into business: the importance of the creative perspective in organisational change

Leading successful organisational change continues to challenge business and industry leaders, but many recommended approaches focus on functional and operational aspects, or on technological change, with little attention paid to accommodating human creativity. A socio-technical approach may be more appropriate for the creative industries. This talk will demonstrate how one such approach, the soft systems methodology, could be used to align organisational change more closely to business environments which are driven by artistic creativity and innovation.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/putting-the-muse-into-business-the-importance-of-the-creative-perspective-tickets-44252797308

02/05/2018   Carola Boehm

The creative industries are dead. Long live the creative industries

A talk with on how the consumption of culture and arts is affording the creative industries to adapt as users desire personalised, immersive experiences rather than mass produced products or services. This shift in how we consume and participate in cultural and creative activities has wide reaching consequences for the industry, and specifically opportunities for the micro- and SME cultural producers able to take advantage of the underpinning paradigm turn.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-creative-industries-are-dead-long-live-the-creative-industries-tickets-44323999275

16/05/2018   Keith Smy

Mentoring and Coaching for SMEs

Coaching can provide an array of benefits for organizations of all sizes, especially small businesses, when conducted in an efficient and productive manner. Business coaches generally focus on developing the business owner or entrepreneur as a person, and the primary goal of the coaching is usually to achieve a positive and significant revenue increase for the business. In this workshop local business coach Keith Smy will explain what coaching is and what it can do for individuals, teams and businesses. He will give some pointers on how to get the best return from coaches and coaching and what help there is out there if you are thinking of engaging coaching services.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mentoring-and-coaching-for-smes-tickets-44324355340

30/05/2018   Paul Williams

Making our mark in the world? You can bet your arts we are.

This presentation will explore how renewed interest in culture is helping to re-write the city’s story and drive up our creative reputation.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/making-our-mark-in-the-world-you-can-bet-your-arts-we-are-tickets-44324462661

06/06/2018   Si Waite, Marc Estibeiro

Hands-on workshop on what it takes to create a podcast for your business. A podcast will be created while we learn.

The podcasting workshop will be held in the University’s state-of-the-art recording studios. Working with Music & Sound academics and technicians, participants will be shown how to record and edit audio using industry-standard hardware and software as well as source royalty-free music to enhance the finished piece. Content will be generated by recording conversations between participants on themes agreed at the start of the session.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-to-develop-your-own-podcast-for-business-tickets-44365546544

13/06/2018   Peter Twilley

Growing your Social Enterprise

This workshop will look at inspiring examples of where people, or organisations have set up businesses that are about making money to do good. A social enterprise is about making money but is also about responding to a social or environmental issue that people are facing in their neighbourhoods or communities or at a wider global level. The workshop will consider what a social enterprise is and what is isn’t and will also provide an opportunity to share examples and dream dreams about what could be possible. It will also point you in the direction of potential support that is available to support social enterprise in Staffordshire.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/growing-your-social-enterprise-tickets-44365928687

27/06/2018   Rob Marsden

Presence and Communication Skills Workshop

How can we effectively communicate to (and with) an audience? By learning techniques that you can apply to interview, presentation and pitches scenarios, this workshop will equip you with the confidence and skills vocally and physically to communicate. This practical workshop will be led in an informal and non-pressurised environment. Robert Marsden is a freelance theatre director and an Associate Professor at Staffordshire University.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/voice-and-presence-workshop-skills-for-business-professionals-tickets-44366325875