From catastrophe to opportunity | Bristol+Bath Creative R+D | Watershed
Channel: Watershed
Date: 03/03/2021

From catastrophe to opportunity: unpacking the impact of COVID 19 on the creative and cultural industries in South West England | Bristol+Bath Creative R+D | Watershed
 
Recorded: Wednesday 24 February, 2021
Speakers: Tarek Virani / Melanie Rodrigues / Jack Gibbon / Alex Duarte-Davies 
 
The creative and cultural sector as a whole faces an uncertain future as a result of Covid 19 and subsequent policies, with long-term unemployment and business closures a reality for many. 

During 2020, UWE Bristol’s Creative Economies Lab carried out a detailed survey aimed at understanding how Covid-19 had impacted the creative and cultural sector in South West England.

Led by Dr. Tarek Virani, Associate Professor of Creative Industries at UWE Bristol, the survey aimed to learn how the sector was being affected by the pandemic, how it was adapting and planning for the future. 

In this talk, chaired by Dr. Virani, we will learn about the key findings of the survey and hear from a panel on how they have successfully adapted their ways of working during the pandemic, the changes it has made to their business models, and gain insight to what a possible post-pandemic future holds for the creative industries in the South West. 
 
Tarek Virani is Associate Professor of Creative Industries at the Faculty of Arts, Creative Industries and Education at UWE Bristol. He is working on a number of large research projects examining creative industries clusters in the south-west of England and beyond. He has been deeply involved in a number of areas within the creative and cultural industries in the UK and internationally. For example: in east London, Tarek led the research component of a bid to designate Hackney Wick and Fish Island a Creative Enterprise Zone under the Mayor of London's Creative Enterprise Zone scheme; in Thailand, Malaysia, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Chile and the Philippines he has been involved with the development of Creative Hubs policy with the British Council and other stakeholders; he has been involved with mapping the contribution of festival economies in West Bengal, India; he has examined how the creative sector and Dementia care connect, and he is involved with examining the contribution and impact of the Live Art sector in the UK.  His research interests span a number of areas within the creative and cultural economy including the role of intermediaries and social enterprises in the creative and cultural economy, cultural policy, artistic knowledge within locally bounded artistic communities, new workspaces in the creative and cultural economy, the role of micro-community engagement in culture-led regeneration, the link between the creative industries and local development, creative economy policy and Dementia care, creative and cultural hubs, and the changing nature of creative and cultural labour internationally.  
 
Mel Rodrigues is Founder and Creative Director of Gritty Talent – a Bristol based company designing inclusive technology for the TV and Film sector to help bridge its talent gap. With 20 years experience in network TV and digital production, she’s worked across a slate of live, current affairs and popular factual titles in editorial and managerial roles. Over the last five years she led the reinvention of TEDxBristol, creating a highly successful talent pipeline scheme - engaging with over 200 entry level / career changers interested in storytelling and production. Mel was born and raised in the West Midlands, and is a passionate advocate for creativity, technology, inclusion, collaboration and culture.
 
Jack Gibbon is a producer working with artists and communities in Bristol, and the founding director of Bricks, a non profit organisation that works to address challenges faced by artists and local communities in Bristol and the West of England. Current projects include the Bricks Artist Programme, St Annes Creative Community Hub and the development of a Public Art Consultancy with programmes in St Pauls, Lockleaze, Easton and Stoke Gifford. He was previously the Director of Antlers gallery. 
 
Alex Duarte-Davies is Executive Director of Theatre Royal Bath’s Theatre School, as well as running The Egg Theatre’s outreach work, where young people can collaborate with artists and technology creators to discover new and exciting ways of mixing technology, performance and art. 

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