Creative Industries Federation launch at University of the Arts London. Pic: Creative Industries Federation
Goldsmiths College and Trinity Laban Conservatoire Of Music & Dance are part of a new group which aims to give the media industry greater influence in lobbying the government.
Creative Industries Federation, created by Sir John Sorrell, Chair of the University of the Arts London, aims to present a united front to the government for the first time.
The launch included speakers such as the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, Lastminute.com co-founder Martha Lane Fox and UK president of Warner Bros, Josh Berger.
Sorrell said: “It is time for the UK’s Creative Industries to have a strong, independent membership body with a powerful voice. For too long they have found themselves under-represented in spite of their huge contribution. The Creative Industries Federation aims to put that right.”
Goldsmiths University of London and the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, both based in Lewisham, are two of the 220 Founder Supporters who have given financial endorsements.
Carolyn Miner, Director of Research at the Federation, told ELL: “Hackney, Lewisham, Tower Hamlets and Croydon [have] a rich local culture and a vibrant community of tech innovators.”
“To support and encourage this the Creative Industries Federation will be a fearless advocate for everyone to have equal opportunity to fulfil his or her creative potential and for creativity to be at the core of the education system.”
Global supporting groups include Burberry and Penguin Random House while national groups include English National Ballet and the British Library.
John Kampfner, Director of the Federation, said: “The UK’s public arts and creative companies have far more in common than they realise. Both share a need to ensure vibrant communities and successful cultural education. We will encourage them to join forces in these endeavours.”
The Federation will work with universities, business schools and others to produce a definitive annual report on the impact of public arts and creative industries at home and abroad.
Among the Federation’s aims for its first year are: developing a digital platform for members, running seminars around the country for students and individual artists and beginning a series of UK-wide road shows. Events, conferences and meetings will be held throughout the UK.
Registration for membership will begin in early December and will be open to all who work in any of the cultural sectors, from music to visual arts, architecture, publishing and computer games.
There will also be separate membership open for not-for-profit arts organisations, for-profit commercial companies, associate members, academia, trade associations and for individuals.
