8 years of Creative Cardiff
Creative Cardiff has done and been lots of different things over the last eight years. Our network of sector-based members has grown to over 4,000 touchpoints across the city, meanwhile there have been countless events, projects, commissions, activities, research publications, partnerships and so much more. Creative Cardiff has helped to shape, and to tell, the city’s creative story. It has also laid the foundations for the very important work that has been delivered through Clwstwr, and now Media Cymru.
But what has been consistently at the heart of all of this activity is a commitment to ensuring that Cardiff is the most connected, collaborative and creative it can be, and to finding ways to make that happen.
There have been many and various brilliant custodians of Creative Cardiff’s work since 2015. But over the past eleven months I have had the very great honour and privilege of working with the wonderful team at Cardiff University’s Centre for the Creative Economy to think about what the next phase of Creative Cardiff’s journey might look like.
An expanded ‘Cardiff’
The establishment of the City Deal and the development of the Cardiff Capital Region in the time since Creative Cardiff was founded has enhanced our understanding of Cardiff’s role at the heart of a diverse and economically significant region. Meanwhile the expansion of the city’s thriving creative cluster, particularly in the media sector, has driven new jobs and opportunities that will need to be fuelled by a skilled, creative and innovative future local workforce drawn from across the wider region.
In this context, the need for Creative Cardiff to grow its impact across the beyond the traditional boundaries of the city centre, has been crystal clear.
Exciting new partnerships
That’s why we were thrilled to announce last week that we have entered new partnerships with local authorities in Monmouthshire, Newport and Rhondda Cynon Taf to deliver Creative Industries Cluster Hubs – a pilot initiative that builds on the legacy of the Clwstwr project.
Find out more about this exciting project by reading our press release or watching the video below:
Our hope is that Creative Industries Cluster Hubs can be a first step towards establishing a framework for a more inclusive and democratic approach to sector growth. Do stay tuned over the coming weeks and months to find out more about who are working with us to make this project happen.
Celebrating grassroots culture
At the heart of its success, the creative sector in this part of the world is powered by a dynamic grassroots arts and culture scene. It drives new ideas, services and innovations, it initiates new businesses and places, and it ensures sustainable growth through attracting and retaining fresh new talent.
And of course, none of this would happen were it not for the army of inspirational individuals in our communities who work tirelessly and passionately to amplify our cultural life. These are the makers, the do-ers, the thinkers and the dreamers behind the ‘scenes’, who do so much to bring people together. The people with the passion and drive to turn ideas into realities, and who consistently go above and beyond to add value to the sector and ensure that everyone can access high quality cultural experiences.
Do you know a Local Hero?
We call these people our Local Heroes, and we’re launching a new Creative Cardiff campaign to celebrate them, and the hugely valuable contribution they make to cultural life in South East Wales.
As we approach our 10th year in 2025, we wanted to find a way to spotlight and give a platform to these amazing individuals living and working in and around the city who do so much hard work – often under the radar, and for not very much reward or recognition – to put this place on the map as a capital of creativity that continues to punch above its weight.
