Overview
Cardiff University’s Creative Economy Unit are currently seeking quotes from freelance project coordinators to support us in delivering the Creative Industries Cluster Hubs Pilot Project. This is an exciting new project across the Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) funded by Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
This project will work in partnership with Local Authorities to establish and evaluate three pilot creative industries cluster hubs outside of Cardiff to help drive investment and opportunity across the region and extend the benefits of the city’s thriving creative cluster.
The pilot phase will be delivered June – December 2023.
Background and context
Cardiff University’s Creative Economy Unit (CEU) creates a space for much-needed research and engagement projects focused on the creative industries in Wales.
Established in 2014, the CEU’s initial focus was on network building, launching the Creative Cardiff network in 2015 to engage with industry and encourage cross-sector collaboration and innovation.
Creative Cardiff’s growing visibility put the CEU in a position to lead a successful bid to the AHRC’s Creative Industries Clusters Programme. From this, Clwstwr launched in 2019 to curate research, development, and innovation projects with creative industries partners.
In 2019, the CEU team led another successful bid to the UKRI Strength in Places Fund, securing £22m funding for Media Cymru a CEU-lead consortium of 23 industry and civic partners, with £28m in industry match. The award is the largest of its kind ever made to a creative industry initiative in the UK, placing Wales as a leader in European media innovation.
While we have seen vibrant growth in the Welsh media and creative sectors in recent years, much of this activity is concentrated in Cardiff. Data from 2019 shows that 15% of all Cardiff-based businesses belong to the creative sector, above the UK average of 11% and almost double the average for the rest of Wales. Nearly 40% of Wales’s creative economy is based in the capital city, with a 30% growth in the three years between 2016-2019.
For the next stage of creative sector development in Wales we are now seeking to find ways to encourage more investment across the region, alongside the growth of the sector in the capital city.
Clwstwr:
Clwstwr (2018-2023) has been an ambitious five-year programme to create new products, services and experiences for screen. The project built on South Wales’ success in making creative content by embedding research, development and innovation (R,D&I) at the core of production.
Through Clwstwr, 85 film and television companies, technology businesses and creative organisations working on 118 projects have been awarded a share of £3.4m in funding to research and develop new ideas for screen and news. Clwstwr has also developed networks and fostered collaboration, facilitated knowledge exchange and amplified the screen sector’s growth across Cardiff and the region, supporting sector supply chains and putting the city on the map as a global site for creative innovation.
This new Creative Industries Cluster Hubs Pilot Project now aims to embed and expand the legacy of the Clwstwr project by dispersing the creative sector growth opportunity more equitably across the Cardiff Capital Region. It will achieve this by developing new partnerships with local authorities and consortia to explore and pilot new delivery models and establish three prototype creative cluster hubs.
It is hoped that this work will serve as a pilot to support a more inclusive and democratic approach to sector growth. It will convene grassroots creative activity, provide a focal point for local connection and collaboration, connect pipelines of new talent with exciting opportunities and help shape and define local creative narratives and identities.
Clwstwr benefitted from the strong foundations built by Creative Cardiff, which established a connected creative sector network in the city and provided a focal point for growth opportunities. The impact of this is clear in the concentration of Clwstwr beneficiaries and impact within the city (currently c.80%). The Creative Industries Cluster Hubs Pilot Project comprises a similar network-building stage for the regional legacy of Clwstwr, which will translate into more equitable and distributed take-up of opportunities available through Media Cymru, the CEU’s next programme of innovation activity.
Current Position
Funding has been allocated to establish and pilot three creative industries cluster hubs in three local authorities outside of Cardiff.
The clusters will be convened and led by the local authority in each case, in partnership with local stakeholder consortia.
Local authorities across the Cardiff Capital Region (with the exception of Cardiff itself) are eligible to apply to host a local hub. Eligible local authorities are therefore: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Torfaen and Vale of Glamorgan.
In March 2023 to CEU invited these local authorities to submit an application outlining how they could meet the project criteria, what a creative industries cluster hub might look like in their local area, and the sorts of activities it might deliver.
Applications are being scored by sector-based assessment panel at the end of April 2023, at which point the three partner local authorities – and the pilot hub locations – will be determined.
Opportunity
The CEU team are now seeking to engage a Freelance Project Coordinator to work across the three partner local authorities and help ensure the successful delivery of the pilot in line with the project timelines.
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This work will commence in June 2023, and will be completed end of December 2023. The Freelance Project Coordinator will support the delivery of this project throughout.
A total maximum budget of £15,000 is available for this work, inclusive of VAT.
The brief
The Creative Industries Cluster Hubs Pilot Project is an exciting opportunity to extend the benefits of Cardiff’s creative sector cluster more equitably across the South East Wales region. It is hoped that the pilot project will deliver proof of concept for the model, and its potential to deliver on key economic and social objectives including (but not limited to):
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Cultivating nascent local creative sector networks and providing a focal point for community-led growth.
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Creating a pipeline for future creative industries investment in the Cardiff Capital Region.
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Sharing best practice, supporting fledgling clusters and initiatives and raising confidence and self-determination.
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Democratising and diversifying engagement in the creative industries from within traditionally under-served communities.
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Further embedding R,D&I and commercialisation activity across the region at a grassroots level.
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Ensuring that creative industries growth in the region happens in a way that is sustainable and inclusive.
The Project Coordinator will be integral to the success of the pilot phase of this project, helping to establish relationships between the CEU team, local delivery teams and stakeholder consortia and supporting in ensuring that the project achieves its objectives within an ambitious timeframe.
Key Activities
- The Project Coordinator will use their expertise and previous experience to design and implement a project management plan that will enable the Creative Industries Cluster Hubs pilot project to be delivered successfully.
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A skilled relationship-builder and stakeholder manager, they will work across the three live creative industries cluster hubs pilot projects based in local authorities within the region, supporting local teams to deliver their activities to time and budget in line with their funding agreements.
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Using their local networks, sector connectivity and community engagement expertise, the Project Coordinator will act as the lynchpin between the partner local authorities and the central CEU team.
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They will gather ‘on the ground’ intelligence and information, feeding this information back to the central team at regular catch-ups. This might include on e.g., local success stories, case studies and projects.
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Monitoring project delivery to plan, they will also flag and support mitigation of any potential issues or under-delivery and work with the CEU team to resolve.
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The Project Coordinator will work with our partners to support the implementation of project monitoring and evaluation activities across the three pilot hubs, ensuring that adequate recording / reporting of activity and data-capture takes place during the pilot phase.
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In addition, the Project Coordinator will lead on establishing and activating a regional creative sector forum, designed to share best practice across the partners, facilitate opportunities for collaboration and build project legacy.
Experience and expertise
We are keen to receive quotes for delivery of this work from freelance individuals with the following experience and expertise:
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Previous delivery of publicly funded projects within a public sector and / or Higher Education context, at scale and to deadline.
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Ability to creatively interpret project proposals into a clear, actionable plan underpinned by shared strategic vision.
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An understanding of the Cardiff Capital Region and the specific challenges and opportunities of delivering work within this context.
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Evidence of having built successful, mutually beneficial relationships with diverse stakeholders and across varying levels of seniority.
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Collaborative and adaptable to fast-paced work.
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Previous experience of working with creative sector businesses and organisations and creative freelancers.
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Experience of working with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders on a shared aim.
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The ability to drive and access to own transport are also desirable.
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The ability to speak Welsh is desirable.
Working arrangements
The specific working arrangements for delivery of this activity are to be determined by the individual in consultation with local delivery teams, subject to meeting the needs of the project delivery plans, and in agreement with the CEU team.
However, it is the expectation that this work will take an active, community-led approach This will include working physically in-situ across the three partner boroughs on a flexible basis for the duration of the project. The partner borough locations will be within the Cardiff Capital Region. Exact locations have not yet been confirmed, but will be known by mid-May 2023.
The CEU team have a blended approach which includes office-based and digital working.
The Project Coordinator will also be expected to occasionally attend in-person meetings and events at the CEU’s centrally located office spaces and partner venues in Cardiff. This includes at spark | sbarc (Maindy Road, Cardiff CF24 4HQ) and Tramshed Tech (Pendyris Street, Cardiff CF11 6BH), amongst other locations.
Project and reporting structure
Overseeing the activity on behalf of Cardiff University’s Creative Economy Unit are the Creative Cardiff Team, comprising two full time team members who will be the key contacts for this work: Jess Mahoney (Head of Creative Cardiff) and Carys Bradley-Roberts (Communications and Engagement Manager).
Project timeline
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Market warming and pre-engagement |
February 2023 |
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Applications process for partner boroughs opened |
March 2023 |
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Assessment of applications |
April 2023 |
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Partner boroughs / hub locations confirmed |
May 2023 |
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Contracting of partner boroughs |
May 2023 |
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Project delivery commences |
June 2023 |
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Announcement of partner boroughs |
June 2023 |
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Project delivery phase |
June – December 2023 |
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Completion of delivery |
December 2023 |
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Project impact evaluation and dissemination |
January / February 2023 |
Budget
Responses should not exceed a maximum of £15,000 (inclusive of VAT)
Timescales
The exact timeframe for this engagement will be determined by the delivery plan in agreement with the CEU.
However, the Project Coordinator is expected to be available to deliver this work throughout the entirety of the pilot phase of the project, which commences early June 2023.
All local project delivery needs to be completed by end of December 2023.
The deadline for Expressions of Interest is Friday 26 May at 17:00.
Applicants should also be available for in-person follow-up discussions on their Expressions of Interest on 06/06/23 and/or 08/06/23.
Expressions of interest
If you are interested in responding to this brief, please provide a written response outlining the following:
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A summary of your experience (for example a CV or link to projects portfolio etc)
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Evidence of having successfully managed and delivered projects in a publicly funded and/or Higher Education context, to time and budget.
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An outline of the proposed approach that will be taken for the delivery of this work including e.g., timescales, suggested milestones, outputs, activities, working pattern etc.
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Contact details of two previous clients who we may approach for references.
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A budget with a clear breakdown of costs.
Please provide a maximum of 1 page on each section listed above.
Expressions of Interest must be received by the closing date of 26/05/23.
Appointment criteria
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Criteria |
Weight |
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Quality (criteria 1 and 2) |
40% |
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Experience (criteria 3 and 4) |
40% |
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Cost (criteria 5) |
20% |
We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability.
If you have any specific requirements that would make this application more accessible to you or would like to discuss this application in an alternative format, please email bradley-robertsc1@cardiff.ac.uk
Applications are welcome in English or Welsh.
Please email your applications to creativecardiff@cardiff.ac.uk
Should you wish to discuss the brief with us prior to submitting, please email Jess Mahoney directly at: mahoneyj4@cardiff.ac.uk or on 07961438660