The Value of Creative Growth: making growth work for creative enterprise
Lead Research Organisation:
Glasgow School of Art
Department Name: The Innovation School
Abstract
This early-career leadership fellowship intends to advance the support and evaluation of the creative economy through exploring and testing more holistic measures of economic growth that are more resonant with the wider interests and values of creative enterprise and the communities they engage. By modelling a more qualitative conception of growth, and supporting that growth trajectory, it is argued that creative enterprise can be more effectively levered towards creating traceable value across social, cultural, economic and practice-based agendas. This will be tested each at an individual, organisational and collective or regional level.
As such, this proposal will apply a Creative Growth Model, developed through learning and testing from previous AHRC-funded research in the creative economy, to frame growth for creative practice in four keys areas: network growth, through new and enriched communities of practice; knowledge growth, through new learning and enriched forms of practice; value growth, through new and enriched products, services and experiences; and market growth, through new and enriched audiences and ways to reach them.
This fellowship will be based at The Innovation School at The Glasgow School of Art and build on existing relationships with industry and academic partners established across a trajectory of creative economy projects. This includes delivering projects in four case contexts, including working across the H&I to develop a network of creative micro clusters supporting creative enterprise across the region; working in Dundee to develop a leadership group for the creative and entrepreneurial development of digital makers; working in Bristol and creative hub partners across a support network for creative enterprise; as well as working with academic and industry partners and programmes across the Creative Economies Hub, to lead knowledge sharing and critical debate on the role of academic institutes in the creative economy.
This aims to produce evidence of more qualitative ways to evaluate creative growth, new approaches for supporting creative growth, a series of case studies on understanding the value of creative enterprise, and legacy projects in each context where leadership groups, collaborations and clusters have developed the capacity and resource to sustain themselves going forward.
As such, this proposal will apply a Creative Growth Model, developed through learning and testing from previous AHRC-funded research in the creative economy, to frame growth for creative practice in four keys areas: network growth, through new and enriched communities of practice; knowledge growth, through new learning and enriched forms of practice; value growth, through new and enriched products, services and experiences; and market growth, through new and enriched audiences and ways to reach them.
This fellowship will be based at The Innovation School at The Glasgow School of Art and build on existing relationships with industry and academic partners established across a trajectory of creative economy projects. This includes delivering projects in four case contexts, including working across the H&I to develop a network of creative micro clusters supporting creative enterprise across the region; working in Dundee to develop a leadership group for the creative and entrepreneurial development of digital makers; working in Bristol and creative hub partners across a support network for creative enterprise; as well as working with academic and industry partners and programmes across the Creative Economies Hub, to lead knowledge sharing and critical debate on the role of academic institutes in the creative economy.
This aims to produce evidence of more qualitative ways to evaluate creative growth, new approaches for supporting creative growth, a series of case studies on understanding the value of creative enterprise, and legacy projects in each context where leadership groups, collaborations and clusters have developed the capacity and resource to sustain themselves going forward.
Planned Impact
This leadership fellowship has the potential to provide an extensive, demonstrable body of research and approaches applying a consistent qualitative framework for growth across real world contexts of creative economic development for start ups, sole practitioners, micro businesses and SMEs.
For the project partners, they are being given collaborative space to explore new ways of engaging, support and evaluate creative enterprise in their respective networks. They will also gain access to wider perspectives and broader networks that are being actively levered to compliment their existing support services and structures.
For the project participants, identified as creative entrepreneurs across the four case projects, they will be engaged in tailored packages of tools, techniques and activities towards framing creative growth for their business, project, practice or other collective development challenges. They will also gain time with peers in learning on these programmes, as well as gaining greater awareness and relationships with relevant networks around them. Finally, they will receive the possibility of showcasing their work and development with an international network of academic and industry stakeholders, maximising their opportunities for growth.
The programmes of support packages, tools and techniques for business growth, approaches to evaluating creative growth, as well as project case studies, will be published online and publicly accessible. Within these materials the project will be an example of: how growth can be framed in more qualitative ways, how qualitative data can be systematically collected, analysed and visualised, how strategic discussion can be facilitated using visualised qualitative data, how programmes of support activities can be designed and delivered in tailored approaches, how creative engagement can translate programmes of support for multiple audiences, and, most importantly, how the value of creative growth can be measured along relational exchanges as well as transactional exchanges. The approach to realising this is described in the Pathways to Impact document.
For non-participating creative entrepreneurs, sole traders, micro-businesses:
- In addition to the above mentioned materials to be published online and publicly accessible, creative practitioners and entrepreneurs will be able to adapt materials for their own purposes
- In each local project network, creative enterprises will gain from any adopted practices, support programmes and network growth in their local networks and services for developmental support.
For support organisations for business development:
- In addition to the above mentioned materials to be published online and publicly accessible, business support organisations will be able to engage with Creative Economies Hub activities provided through case project D on the role of academic institutions in the creative economy
For creative industries and associated bodies:
- In addition to the above mentioned materials to be published online and publicly accessible, creative industries and associated bodies will be able to adapt materials for their own purposes
- They will also be able to engage with Creative Economies Hub activities provided through case project D on the role of academic institutions in the creative economy
For regional development policymakers:
- In addition to the above mentioned materials to be published online and publicly accessible, policymakers will be able to access more granular, empirical insights on the situations and growth trajectories of small-scale creative enterprises in both rural and urban contexts, as well as their relationships to larger scale support programmes and networks
- They will also be able to engage with Creative Economies Hub activities provided through case project D on the role of academic institutions in the creative economy
For the project partners, they are being given collaborative space to explore new ways of engaging, support and evaluate creative enterprise in their respective networks. They will also gain access to wider perspectives and broader networks that are being actively levered to compliment their existing support services and structures.
For the project participants, identified as creative entrepreneurs across the four case projects, they will be engaged in tailored packages of tools, techniques and activities towards framing creative growth for their business, project, practice or other collective development challenges. They will also gain time with peers in learning on these programmes, as well as gaining greater awareness and relationships with relevant networks around them. Finally, they will receive the possibility of showcasing their work and development with an international network of academic and industry stakeholders, maximising their opportunities for growth.
The programmes of support packages, tools and techniques for business growth, approaches to evaluating creative growth, as well as project case studies, will be published online and publicly accessible. Within these materials the project will be an example of: how growth can be framed in more qualitative ways, how qualitative data can be systematically collected, analysed and visualised, how strategic discussion can be facilitated using visualised qualitative data, how programmes of support activities can be designed and delivered in tailored approaches, how creative engagement can translate programmes of support for multiple audiences, and, most importantly, how the value of creative growth can be measured along relational exchanges as well as transactional exchanges. The approach to realising this is described in the Pathways to Impact document.
For non-participating creative entrepreneurs, sole traders, micro-businesses:
- In addition to the above mentioned materials to be published online and publicly accessible, creative practitioners and entrepreneurs will be able to adapt materials for their own purposes
- In each local project network, creative enterprises will gain from any adopted practices, support programmes and network growth in their local networks and services for developmental support.
For support organisations for business development:
- In addition to the above mentioned materials to be published online and publicly accessible, business support organisations will be able to engage with Creative Economies Hub activities provided through case project D on the role of academic institutions in the creative economy
For creative industries and associated bodies:
- In addition to the above mentioned materials to be published online and publicly accessible, creative industries and associated bodies will be able to adapt materials for their own purposes
- They will also be able to engage with Creative Economies Hub activities provided through case project D on the role of academic institutions in the creative economy
For regional development policymakers:
- In addition to the above mentioned materials to be published online and publicly accessible, policymakers will be able to access more granular, empirical insights on the situations and growth trajectories of small-scale creative enterprises in both rural and urban contexts, as well as their relationships to larger scale support programmes and networks
- They will also be able to engage with Creative Economies Hub activities provided through case project D on the role of academic institutions in the creative economy
Organisations
- Glasgow School of Art (Fellow, Lead Research Organisation)
- KNOWLE WEST MEDIA CENTRE (Collaboration)
- Watershed Media Centre (Collaboration)
- The Guild, Bath (Collaboration)
- University of the West of England (Collaboration)
- Spike Island Artspace Ltd (Collaboration)
- Neon (Collaboration)
- Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities (Project Partner)
- Orkney Islands Council (Project Partner)
- Ice Cream Architecture (Project Partner)
- NEoN (North East of North) (Project Partner)
- Creative Scotland (Project Partner)
- Watershed (Project Partner)
- Abertay University (Project Partner)
| Description | The first project partnership, Network for Creative Enterprise, included an evaluation of how creative enterprises grew and developed within a programme of support offered by a collaboration between four existing cultural hubs in South West England and UWE Bristol. This evaluation provided insight on the difference in outcomes, difference in process and contextual factors that affected the development of the creative enterprises supported and for the cultural hubs models of support. Key differences in outcome for creative enterprises included: how they developed their core offerings (e.g. skills or products); how they invested in key assets for their enterprise (e.g. equipment, time or portfolios); how they develop formal interactions (e.g. contracts or agreements); and some would take on leading roles in their contexts of practice or to engage markets. Key differences in process for creative enterprises included: the benefits of gaining new experiences in practice; how they would learn new knowledge and skills beyond their practice for their enterprise; the challenge of capturing and understanding the value or impact they created; and how they built capacity to frame an enterprise strategy. The key contextual factors for creative enterprises included how support needed to be person-centred, rather than business-centred; the importance and ways of building confidence in an entrepreneurial narrative; the essential value of hubs providing persistent opportunities through exposure to an active network; and the challenge of balancing growth and capital, in order to retain meaningful control and freedom in their creative practice. Regarding the enhancement of methods applied, the Creative Growth Model was successfully applied as a framework for capturing the new relationships, knowledge, outputs and audiences of creative enterprises engaged within the Network for Creative Enterprise evaluation, as well as then being used to communicate the journeys of development undertaken by each creative enterprise as part of disseminating and engaging a public audience and creative economic stakeholders in the region. Regarding the second project partnership, Culture Heritage Arts Argyll and Isles (CHARTS), included three phases of project work that contributed to key findings from this award: a first phase of scoping and co-designed network engagement with CHARTS' steering group; a second phase of one-to-one mapping sessions with various creative practitioners and enterprises across CHARTS network of members; and a third (still live) phase of three creative micro-cluster proposals being supported and evaluated through Creative Scotland's Create:Networks fund. The findings from these three phases are shared here in relation to key questions identifying the difference in outcomes, difference in process and contextual factors that affected individual and collective creative enterprise development in the region, and in relation to the collaborative application of a Creative Growth Model through design practices. Key differences in outcome for individual enterprise development came from deep reflections provided through the mapping sessions on the rationale, value and potential impacts of their practice/offering, and how this could develop in relation to their networks. The final report identified 12 categories for creative growth across the 32 mapping sessions that provide an overview of what is driving creative practice and enterprise in Argyll and Bute and have been used to build arguments for collaborative development and investment in these areas. 17 of the participants can be argued to have been mostly 'enterprise-driven', 11 can be argued to have been 'enquiry-driven', while only 4 can be argued to substantially balance both. This articulates the challenge of how CHARTS can meaningfully engage and support both mindsets, and how the microcluster approach can bring such mindsets together as part of 'placemaking'. Key differences in process for creative enterprise development came from expanding their practice and/or business model into a more holistic 'model of practice'. For many participants this meant developing their capacity to incorporate methods of 'impact modelling', which often incorporated aspects of reflective practice, documentation and evaluation in collaboration with their contexts and communities of interest. For more commercial operations, this particularly meant enhancing their capacity of digital media use, documentation and archiving that would make their 'entrepreneurial narrative' more tangible, accessible and a stronger basis for evidence and engagement. For contextual learning, across the majority of contributors accounts, there was a strong belief in the role of creativity and creative practices in contributing to the people and places where they reside. On islands and mainland regions with less developed tourism, creative roles could be diverse to account for local communities, schools, organisations and events. This arose as an important factor in developing a sense of belonging and connection to place for both the members and communities they'd engage. In regions where tourism was a more developed, there were still examples of community-engaged practices and partnerships, but often more formalised networks and trails established to sustain seasonal patterns of work. These learnings do not intend to focus judgement on how creative practice and enterprise is positioned in the region, as each contributor gained bespoke forms of validity once mapped into a wider eco-system. There are a broad set of variables to be considered when framing development for culture, heritage and arts. For the first time in Argyll and Bute, the Value of Creative Growth has generated an accessible process through which practitioners can reflect upon the values, aims, approach, efficacy and potential of their work in any range of contexts they choose. The Creative Growth Model can be applied by all practitioners, whether working independently, collaboratively, or as part of an institution, and provides a new set of criteria for the culture sector which modernise categories such as heritage, contemporary etc. This pioneering work occurs at a time of world-wide reconsideration and redefinition of the role of cul¬ture in society, evident in emerging national cultural policies, the rise of institutional interdisciplinarity and in response to the global phenomena of climate-change and the Covid pandemic. By exploring a microcluster model, we eschew the traditional, hierarchical model of using existing institutions to lead the way, instead fostering constituent-owned 'arenas' for critical exchange which increase the probability of new ideas taking root and growing into action and value . The question for CHARTS is how it positions its stewardship role towards its members and constituents, and the extent to which it will act as a provider of opportunities to enable predetermined outcomes, or as a grounded collaborator and co-producer, operating in fluent dialogue with its constituents' strategic selves as they broker new initiatives in their respective places. The Place Makers case studies, evaluative themes and recommendations provide early-stage insights of how 'microclusters' can contribute to the sustainability and resilience of culture, heritage and arts in Argyll and the Isles. Recommendations include: Co-develop opportunities for leadership with members across regions and sectors; Microclusters can provide a model for developing 'arenas' of purposeful peer dialogues; The organisation, production and curation of cultural knowledge is a shared responsibility; Celebrate and integrate the regions diversity of actors in a broad range of situations; and Placemaking is emerging as a process and prac¬tices to develop situated notions of value. For the third partnership with NEoN digital arts, three exciting commissions aim to help NEoN shape the future of digital arts. We summarise each of the commissions and their insightful arguments, which responded to important challenges in digital arts that NEoN sought wider experience and expertise to inform. The Manifesto for Digital Arts Work Placements aims to articulate best practices for internships, volunteering, and research collaborations in a way that can help set up and support the best access, the best experience and the best development opportunities with NEoN and any higher education institutions (HEIs), cultural organisations and individuals across the digital arts community. It recommends: 1 Paid and unpaid work should not bleed into each other. 2 Volunteers are valuable and an integral part of creative arts. 3 For many people, volunteering is an important path to paid work. 4 Pay people wherever possible. 5 Digital arts work placements should not be exclusive. 6 Reach out everywhere: people need digital arts everywhere. 7 We are all gaining new skills as we go. 8 Support is key to comfort and success in a placement. 9 Tailor internships and other placements to Graduate Attributes. 10 Digital arts work can be fun and fulfilling, but it is still labour. 11 Rest is a human right. The Guide for Best Practice in Commissioning Digital Art proposes a collaborative modular curatorial tool for formulating commissions. Firstly, the tool consists of core elements, reflecting fundamental values for the commissioning institution. These are Accessibility, Sustainability, Documentation and Preservation. Beyond the core values, the tool suggests formulating a commissioning brief further by considering a series of modular, open elements, to be discussed between the commissioned artist and the institution as part of the project. These reflect some of the common qualities of digital art and were formulated as a result of desk research. They are Interdisciplinarity & Location, Hybridity, Commons & Open Source, Collaboration, Participation & Interactivity. The proposal draws on scholarship in the field of digital art, as well as contemporary art and curatorial practice more broadly. The expectations and outcomes of the guide are that, in a further stage, it could be designed as an interactive digital tool used in the process of collaboratively formulating a commissioning brief with invited artists. In such a form, the tool will serve as a timeline to explore various elements of the commissioned project, a type of collaborative conversation prompt to facilitate discussions about the production and delivery of the project, and a recording device to document the commissioning process itself. Rethinking Symposia as Systems is a provocation to think holistically about the energies and information and forms of collectivity that constitute arts symposia. Nathan Jones devised a three-stage process for rethinking symposia, each based different kinds of systems diagrams. 1 Mapping the Situation: Distributed and decentralised network diagrams articulate the crisis of hierarchy faced by art symposia systems today. 2 Showing the principle: Permaculture and other ecosystem diagrams are good for diagraming the relation between the forces, energies, stores and flows in a given system. Energy grid diagrams are good models for showing how to combine production, storage, use, recycling, in holistic ways. These echo the permaculture approach of trying to achieve close-loop systems. 3 The Practical Dimension: The distributed computing model can be used to illustrate the potential for small variously tasked, diversely constituted groups to work independently while receiving and processing energy and informatic tasks from a central hub. NEoN wants to build mutual learning on best practices in work placements, arts commissions and symposia, to ensure everyone who supports digital arts can help shape what comes next. |
| Exploitation Route | The findings on the growth and development of creative enterprises within the Network for Creative Enterprise (NfCE) programme, alongside the findings presented in the final NfCE report, provide recommendations for how cultural hubs can better support and evaluate creative enterprises in various contexts. The work in Argyll and Isles has built on these recommendations and findings by developing a strategic framing of creative enterprise development as 'impact modelling' towards developing more network-based 'models of practice', which have the potential to change support and development strategies for creative enterprise by conceiving them through micro-clusters. The mapping approaches based on the Creative Growth Model have been developed as an online showcase and packaged output so that they may be used to support and evaluate creative enterprises separately from such a research project. In time, this would also enable the wider production of case studies using a consistent, qualitative framework of growth, based on the Creative Growth Model, to support translatable and comparable body of evidence across regional contexts and development organisations and funders. The work with NEoN Digital Arts has been published on their website and supported ongoing engagement with the digital arts and wider creative and cultural sector on such key topics of work placements, arts commissions and symposia. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| URL | https://linktr.ee/MPJohnson |
| Description | The key impact overall from the original ECLF came through using, refining and testing the model individually with creative entrepreneurs, which was evidenced as beneficial in helping to evaluate their current offering and networks to then build strategic plans for future, and collectively with network-based organisations to identify and strategically respond to challenges and needs of creative enterprises. Following the co-evaluation of the NfCE programme in Bristol and Bath, monthly one-to-one mapping sessions were designed based on the findings and performed with 10 creative enterprises. Individually, this supported their growth and development, including employing additional staff based on adapted strategic planning, new products and services being developed and delivered, funding applications in leadership skills development and successful transitions to freelance employment based on adapting their entrepreneurial models, audiences and communications. Importantly, across nearly all the participants was an improved and clearer 'entrepreneurial narrative' being expressed, captured through posters as 'asset maps', and positive impacts both for their confidence and, in some cases, their mental wellbeing in mapping sessions helping to manage stressful situations. Collectively, the evaluation of NfCE with hub producers acknowledged the role of Mapping Your Business Growth workshops (based on the Model) as becoming a key milestone for the network's training and development programme, for which the producers would carefully recommend residents attend when their creative ideas was mature enough. Producers attended these workshops as co-facilitators (due to their contextual knowledge of local networks and resources) and reported the workshops influencing how they made sense of each resident's progression. The Model was reported as providing a valuable structure for them to frame mentoring conversations, while the visual mapping provided detailed references to ground and iterate their advice. This led to them collaborating with the ECLF to map and showcase select residents' development at the 'Ways of Working' exhibition, as mentioned above. Around 100-200 people had attended the launch event, with up to 500 attending over the next two months it was on display. The key comments from the exhibition on the use of the model were how effectively it presented the non-linear development of each resident, including key successes, challenges or barriers. The three roundtable workshops delivered in the exhibition space captured further impacts from the mapping approaches and research. Particularly, the producers were identified as embodying significant knowledge on the support of creative enterprises and thus critiqued how the programme had limited scope for how this knowledge could further enhance the hub models of practice. This has informed positioning of continued research through the second period Fellowship, enhancing the production and dissemination of case studies to consider creative cluster support organisations and policy makers as users of the case studies. Impact has been achieved with CHARTS Argyll and Isles working closely with their member representative Steering Group to strengthen capacity for the region's cultural sector. One-to-one, creative mapping workshops were provided for CHARTS members (32 delivered in total) using online digital software Miro and Zoom. This has built trust and greater awareness of cultural assets and creative capability within the region, developed the capacity of the Steering Group and CHARTS to engage and coordinate collaborative development, and has also offered responsive and strategic resilience to individuals and organisations at a time of major disruption due to Covid-19. The partnership was successfully awarded £30,000 from Creative Scotland's Create:Networks fund to deliver creative engagement with CHARTS network members and fund three cultural collaborations (framed as micro-clusters), with shared aims to profile creative work in place-situ. These were recognised as innovative proposals of creative collaborations with local heritage, industry, cultural and community organisations in ways that enabled local places to survive and thrive. The proposals developed partnerships and impacts to last beyond the funding period, with funded collaborations also accessing additional expert support when delivering their projects. These new microcluster networks were strategically positioned within the development infrastructure of the membership-network (CHARTS), as examples of good practice and points of reference for other developing organisations. Following the success of this approach, Creative Scotland awarded CHARTS a further £32,400 targeted funding to repeat the microcluster approach again to develop further impacts and learning, which this time looks to develop micro-networks that develop international partnerships and saleable products for national and international markets. This will be delivered between April and October 2023. The awarded placemaking projects included: Eco Creatives Cluster, establishing an international creative textile artist network around a plant dye garden set up on the grounds of the The Rockfield Centre, a refurbished culture and heritage venue based in Oban; Take Flight, an arts programme led by SO:AR artist collective, delivered collaborations and workshops across several artforms to introduce a regular selection of arts experience and participation for both community and visitors on Jura, and gained additional funding from Screen Scotland with Screen Argyll to deliver Tte Tailwind weekend film festival on Jura, producing a short film and engagement activities with the community and young people; Dunoon Goes Pop, built on The People of Place: Shop Keepers of Dunoon project to develop drink products, associated maps, marketing material and an exhibition on Dunoon High St from local heritage narratives and archive material to create new experiences relating to the town's cultural history, which helped lead to the set up of a new CIC called POP shop enterprises in early 2022. The whole partnership between Dr Johnson and CHARTs has informed a successful sustaining development application by CHARTS to Creative Scotland to adapt their model of operation to create collaborative regional arts events/exhibitions; link new creative business engagement opportunities in Argyll and Isles through new curatorial roles; and build on the ECLF partnership to collate best practice for knowledge-share, inform a sustainable partnership action plan, and develop sustainable use of digital assets, such as e-commerce. For the third project partnership, NEoN Digital Arts, impacts were achieved despite the difficulties of the last year, and the reduced programme of digitals arts activities. Pre-pandemic, the original plan was to for Dr Johnson to work with NEoN to develop evidence-based approaches to evaluating outreach in making digital skills, arts and creative careers accessible to everyone. Since the Covid-19 disruption, the opportunity was seen to use the collaboration to support and evaluate NEoN's adaptation and re-emergence going forward. Having collected and reviewed reflections and insights from interns, volunteers, artists and staff, a development programme for NEoN has been co-designed based on key goals for their future growth with digital arts in Dundee and beyond. From this work, NEoN has commissioned Beatrix Livesey-Stephens to develop the Manifesto for Digital Arts Work Placements, which articulates best practices for internships, volunteering, and research collaborations in a way that can help set up and support the best access, the best experience, and the best development opportunities with NEoN and any higher education institutions (HEIs), cultural organisations and individuals across the digital arts community, which was reported as being widely shared across Creative Scotland staff. NEoN has also commissioned Bilyana Palankasova, to develop a Guide to Best Practice in Digital Arts Commissions, which she has written as part of her collaborative doctoral award research partnership with NEoN and aims to provide a tool to negotiate greater autonomy and developmental support for commissioned artists. NEoN also commissioned Nathan Jones to develop his provocation essay, ReThinking Symposia as Systems, which conceptually responds to the various crises faced by a new model for thinking, inspired by the kinds of technology and artistic intervention NEoN has historically championed. Each commission actively worked with anonymised data from Dr Johnson's mapping interviews and co-analysis to inform their own commissions. The partnership has since directly influenced NEoN's model of practices for work placements, digital arts commissions and symposia, including methods of developmental evaluation for their most recent NEoN Festival, Wired Women, in 2021. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
| Sector | Creative Economy,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Economic |
| Description | Create:Networks |
| Amount | £28,800 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Creative Scotland |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2020 |
| End | 06/2021 |
| Description | Creative Scotland Targeted Funding Approach |
| Amount | £32,430 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Creative Scotland |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2023 |
| End | 10/2023 |
| Description | Open Fund for Organisations: Sustaining Creative Development 2020/21 |
| Amount | £50,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | LJ16637 |
| Organisation | Creative Scotland |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2021 |
| End | 03/2022 |
| Title | The Creative Growth Model |
| Description | The Creative Growth Model applies learning from previous methodological research and design innovation approaches (e.g. DING - AH/P013325/1) engaging sole traders and creative micro-enterprises to re-frame the value of creative work in relation to their contexts. This method is based on elements of actor-network theory applied through visual mapping to frame and capture a more qualitative conception of growth based on situated examples of relational exchange, to work in addition to the transactional exchanges that dominate economic models of support and evaluation. A progressive dimension for creative enterprise is represented through mapping both live or current actors, assets and organisations around an innovation challenge at its center, and potential actors towards the outer edge. A relational dimension is represented through a circularity of interests and influences, which can be drawn as distinct relations between any actors mapped. These relations are framed through four distinct perspectives proposed to orientate diverse interests around creative enterprise - economic, cultural, social and practice. Economic interest is positioned opposite social interest to separate transactional exchanges from more relational exchanges, the transitions between which are argued to constitute a major gap in skills and support for creative enterprise. Cultural interest is positioned opposite interests in developing practice to separate the identification of shared practices, identities or more systemic exchange from individual skills, know-how or unit value creation (e.g. products). Each axis is given an inward direction in order to emphasise the transition from potential actors or action towards being live actors in the growth and development of creative enterprise activity being supported. In this way, trajectories for growth are framed and explored across relationships and exchanges identified within each quadrant: Network Growth - new and enhanced communities of practice Knowledge Growth - new and enhanced forms of practice Value Growth - new and enhanced products, services and experiences Market Growth - new and enhanced audiences and communication The Model has been developed in practice by translating it into a programme of engagement activities and methods using mapping tools, workshop activities and evaluation criteria to engage and support development for creative enterprise in both urban and non-urban creative economy contexts. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | The Model was applied as part of the evaluation of Network for Creative Enterprise, including data and analysis for the programme's final report, referenced in the Collaborations and Partnerships section, and elements within the Ways of Working: Creative Business Journeys exhibition to both capture and disseminate stories of non-linear growth for creative entrepreneurs supported through the programme, referenced in the Engagement Activities section. The impacts from this were new conversations and ways of thinking about creative work across creative entrepreneurs, cultural organisations, business mentors, support organisations and wider stakeholders that have engaged in the NfCE network. The Model has also been developed as a two-day workshop programme, 'Mapping Your Creative Growth', which breaks the Model down into a toolkit of mapping methods to explore different aspects of creative enterprise, such as audience mapping, knowledge mapping, narrative mapping and process mapping, which have been used with over 100 creative enterprises within the NfCE, some of which have actively engaged in using the methods repeatedly as part of their ongoing business and creative development. This workshop has also been delivered in other programmes supporting cultural and creative industries, such as for the 4H-CREAT project with creative entrepreneurs in Glasgow, and for The Glasgow School of Art summer school programme, SHIFT, which supports students and recent graduates in developing the creative entrepreneurial skills and ideas. |
| URL | http://radar.gsa.ac.uk/6920/ |
| Description | Evaluating a Network for Creative Enterprise |
| Organisation | Knowle West Media Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | I collaborated in evaluating the Network for Creative Enterprise programme (NfCE), a collaboration between four existing cultural hubs and UWE Bristol, which was established in October 2017 until Sept 2019 to help freelancers, artists, creative practitioners, start-up microbusinesses, and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the West of England LEP area make a sustainable living from their creative ideas. I delivered a series of mapping workshops (based on the Creative Growth Model being explored in my Fellowship) with twelve residents (creative entrepreneurs) supported through the programme to capture the non-linear growth and development they had experienced, alongside interviews with each of the cultural hub producers from The Guild, Watershed, Spike Island and KWMC: The Factory. This went towards producing visual content for an exhibition of the programme at Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC) between July-August 2019, as well as authoring a section on the 'difference made' for the residents as part of the programmes final report. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The cultural hubs as partners supported the recruitment of residents to the mapping workshops and hub producers' engagement through interviews. The Watershed, as lead hub, supported co-curation of the showcase workshop (with a curator hired specially for the event). UWE Bristol and the programme producer (based at Watershed) co-authored the final report containing most of the details about the programme in terms of what they delivered, the statistics of engagement and outcomes, and the key learnings and recommendations. As such, they led the report writing focused on the macro-level details and Hub reporting, while incorporating the more granular level experiences of residents from my research. |
| Impact | Network for Creative Enterprise Final Report Ways of Working: Creative Business Journeys - showcase exhibition at Knowle West Media Centre from June 7th - September 2019. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Evaluating a Network for Creative Enterprise |
| Organisation | Spike Island Artspace Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | I collaborated in evaluating the Network for Creative Enterprise programme (NfCE), a collaboration between four existing cultural hubs and UWE Bristol, which was established in October 2017 until Sept 2019 to help freelancers, artists, creative practitioners, start-up microbusinesses, and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the West of England LEP area make a sustainable living from their creative ideas. I delivered a series of mapping workshops (based on the Creative Growth Model being explored in my Fellowship) with twelve residents (creative entrepreneurs) supported through the programme to capture the non-linear growth and development they had experienced, alongside interviews with each of the cultural hub producers from The Guild, Watershed, Spike Island and KWMC: The Factory. This went towards producing visual content for an exhibition of the programme at Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC) between July-August 2019, as well as authoring a section on the 'difference made' for the residents as part of the programmes final report. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The cultural hubs as partners supported the recruitment of residents to the mapping workshops and hub producers' engagement through interviews. The Watershed, as lead hub, supported co-curation of the showcase workshop (with a curator hired specially for the event). UWE Bristol and the programme producer (based at Watershed) co-authored the final report containing most of the details about the programme in terms of what they delivered, the statistics of engagement and outcomes, and the key learnings and recommendations. As such, they led the report writing focused on the macro-level details and Hub reporting, while incorporating the more granular level experiences of residents from my research. |
| Impact | Network for Creative Enterprise Final Report Ways of Working: Creative Business Journeys - showcase exhibition at Knowle West Media Centre from June 7th - September 2019. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Evaluating a Network for Creative Enterprise |
| Organisation | The Guild, Bath |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | I collaborated in evaluating the Network for Creative Enterprise programme (NfCE), a collaboration between four existing cultural hubs and UWE Bristol, which was established in October 2017 until Sept 2019 to help freelancers, artists, creative practitioners, start-up microbusinesses, and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the West of England LEP area make a sustainable living from their creative ideas. I delivered a series of mapping workshops (based on the Creative Growth Model being explored in my Fellowship) with twelve residents (creative entrepreneurs) supported through the programme to capture the non-linear growth and development they had experienced, alongside interviews with each of the cultural hub producers from The Guild, Watershed, Spike Island and KWMC: The Factory. This went towards producing visual content for an exhibition of the programme at Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC) between July-August 2019, as well as authoring a section on the 'difference made' for the residents as part of the programmes final report. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The cultural hubs as partners supported the recruitment of residents to the mapping workshops and hub producers' engagement through interviews. The Watershed, as lead hub, supported co-curation of the showcase workshop (with a curator hired specially for the event). UWE Bristol and the programme producer (based at Watershed) co-authored the final report containing most of the details about the programme in terms of what they delivered, the statistics of engagement and outcomes, and the key learnings and recommendations. As such, they led the report writing focused on the macro-level details and Hub reporting, while incorporating the more granular level experiences of residents from my research. |
| Impact | Network for Creative Enterprise Final Report Ways of Working: Creative Business Journeys - showcase exhibition at Knowle West Media Centre from June 7th - September 2019. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Evaluating a Network for Creative Enterprise |
| Organisation | University of the West of England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I collaborated in evaluating the Network for Creative Enterprise programme (NfCE), a collaboration between four existing cultural hubs and UWE Bristol, which was established in October 2017 until Sept 2019 to help freelancers, artists, creative practitioners, start-up microbusinesses, and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the West of England LEP area make a sustainable living from their creative ideas. I delivered a series of mapping workshops (based on the Creative Growth Model being explored in my Fellowship) with twelve residents (creative entrepreneurs) supported through the programme to capture the non-linear growth and development they had experienced, alongside interviews with each of the cultural hub producers from The Guild, Watershed, Spike Island and KWMC: The Factory. This went towards producing visual content for an exhibition of the programme at Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC) between July-August 2019, as well as authoring a section on the 'difference made' for the residents as part of the programmes final report. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The cultural hubs as partners supported the recruitment of residents to the mapping workshops and hub producers' engagement through interviews. The Watershed, as lead hub, supported co-curation of the showcase workshop (with a curator hired specially for the event). UWE Bristol and the programme producer (based at Watershed) co-authored the final report containing most of the details about the programme in terms of what they delivered, the statistics of engagement and outcomes, and the key learnings and recommendations. As such, they led the report writing focused on the macro-level details and Hub reporting, while incorporating the more granular level experiences of residents from my research. |
| Impact | Network for Creative Enterprise Final Report Ways of Working: Creative Business Journeys - showcase exhibition at Knowle West Media Centre from June 7th - September 2019. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Evaluating a Network for Creative Enterprise |
| Organisation | Watershed Media Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | I collaborated in evaluating the Network for Creative Enterprise programme (NfCE), a collaboration between four existing cultural hubs and UWE Bristol, which was established in October 2017 until Sept 2019 to help freelancers, artists, creative practitioners, start-up microbusinesses, and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the West of England LEP area make a sustainable living from their creative ideas. I delivered a series of mapping workshops (based on the Creative Growth Model being explored in my Fellowship) with twelve residents (creative entrepreneurs) supported through the programme to capture the non-linear growth and development they had experienced, alongside interviews with each of the cultural hub producers from The Guild, Watershed, Spike Island and KWMC: The Factory. This went towards producing visual content for an exhibition of the programme at Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC) between July-August 2019, as well as authoring a section on the 'difference made' for the residents as part of the programmes final report. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The cultural hubs as partners supported the recruitment of residents to the mapping workshops and hub producers' engagement through interviews. The Watershed, as lead hub, supported co-curation of the showcase workshop (with a curator hired specially for the event). UWE Bristol and the programme producer (based at Watershed) co-authored the final report containing most of the details about the programme in terms of what they delivered, the statistics of engagement and outcomes, and the key learnings and recommendations. As such, they led the report writing focused on the macro-level details and Hub reporting, while incorporating the more granular level experiences of residents from my research. |
| Impact | Network for Creative Enterprise Final Report Ways of Working: Creative Business Journeys - showcase exhibition at Knowle West Media Centre from June 7th - September 2019. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | ReGrowing Digital Arts |
| Organisation | NEoN |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Since the Covid-19 disruption, the opportunity was seen to use the collaboration to support and evaluate NEoN's adaptation and re-emergence going forward. We've been doing this by gathering reflections from artists, collaborators and volunteers who contributed to some of NEoN's past projects and successes, using the research project's Creative Growth Model as a framework for evaluation. This evaluative review has focused on three key areas that NEoN believes can shape its model of practice going forward: student and graduate work placements; Pop-Up digital arts with external partners; and the annual festival's provision of public art, symposia and podcasts. Having collected and reviewed reflections and insights from interns, volunteers, artists and staff, a development programme for NEoN was co-designed based on key goals for their future growth with digital arts in Dundee and beyond. Three short digital arts projects weredelivered between March and July 2021 to test the development opportunities identified, including a manifesto for best practice in digital arts work placements, developing an exemplary digital arts commission for international festivals, and reimagining the digital arts symposium. These were published by NEoN in August 2021, along with a webinar showcase of the project and the commissions, with each commissioned practitioner presenting their work. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr Johnson and the NEoN director have been collaborating closely to scope and co-design the evaluative review of NEoN's past projects. This included the identification and coordination of interviewees from across NEoN's network of artists and collaborators. Once the data was collected, it was then co-analysed to inform the co-design of project briefs with which NEoN and Dr Johnson commissioned and collaborated with artists and researchers from its network to deliver. From this work, NEoN has commissioned Beatrix Livesey-Stephens to develop the Manifesto for Digital Arts Work Placements, which aims to articulate best practices for internships, volunteering, and research collaborations in a way that can help set up and support the best access, the best experience, and the best development opportunities with NEoN and any higher education institutions (HEIs), cultural organisations and individuals across the digital arts community. NEoN has also commissioned Bilyana Palankasova, to develop a Guide to Best Practice in Digital Arts Commissions, which she has written as part of her collaborative doctoral award research partnership with NEoN and aims to provide a tool to negotiate greater autonomy and developmental support for commissioned artists. NEoN also commissioned Nathan Jones to develop his provocation essay, ReThinking Symposia as Systems, which conceptually responds to the various crises faced by a new model for thinking, inspired by the kinds of technology and artistic intervention NEoN has historically championed. Each commission actively worked with anonymised data from Dr Johnson's mapping interviews and co-analysis to inform their own commissions. |
| Impact | The co-designed project briefs informing the three commissions for three short digital arts projects were the main outcome, delivered between March and July 2021, to test the development opportunities identified. The Manifesto for Digital Arts Work Placements, Guide to Best Practice in Digital Arts Commissions, and ReThinking Symposia as Systems essay are all available on NEoN's website, along with a recording of the showcase event. NEoN has since taken on some of the findings and learning from this collaboration to inform their ongoing model of practice in relation to work placements, digital arts commissions and curation of symposia. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Company Name | POP SHOP ENTERPRISES CIC |
| Description | POP shop enterprises provides affordable desk, workshop and event space for design and value led enterprises and aims to provide workspace for people working in sustainable design, heritage and placemaking and develop projects that benefit the local community. Dunoon Goes POP will be developed under this new company. The shop, gallery and workshop and the projects in development stem from the research the director did back in 2018 at GSA and developed through the Value of Creative Growth partnership with CHARTS. |
| Year Established | 2022 |
| Impact | Dunoon Area Alliance A new community development trust for Dunoon Dunoon Goes Pop Heritage inspired soft drinks exploring ethical production and consumption Dunoon Green Map Local asset mapping for sustainable community growth We are building a beach hut Heritage, co-design and climate change |
| Website | https://www.popshop.scot |
| Description | Creative Economies KE Hub workshop at Beyond Academia: exploring non-academic careers by Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Portfolio development and transitioning to a non-academic career. This session looked at, from the perspectives of those engaged in CE/practice-based research and those on traditional PhD paths switching to non-academic CE careers, what impact and research mean in industry contexts and how to showcase that through portfolios for non-academic careers. Facilitated by Dr Johanna Linsley (Dundee) and Dr Michael Johnson (GSA). Two current industry professionals in literature and art were interviewed and mapped live using Dr Johnson's Creative Growth Model on how their research experience transferred to professional careers in industry, while encouraging questions from attending current arts and humanities PhD students. The PhD students reported valuable insight and increased awareness on both the variety of options and professional qualities their research experience can provide to wider industry, as well as the type so roles or impacts they want to make, as well as insights on how to transition to such careers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-academia-exploring-non-academic-careers-tickets-212529169467# |
| Description | Creative Growth Mapping Workshops for Royal Conservatoire of Scotland's Innovation Studio |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | O1: Mapping Workshops with Innovation Studio Project Leads that includes: 4 separate workshops to produce narrative maps and network maps for each awarded project. O2: Innovation Workshop with RCS Innovation Studio Team and invited stakeholders that includes: the production of an RCS Innovation Ecosystem Network Map and a facilitated discussion to identify emerging forms of impact and gaps in development. O3: Fund Reporting Support Session with RCS Innovation Studio Team and Project Leads that includes: the co-deign of a reporting template with the Creative Growth Model (and/or other frameworks) to enable comparisons between project development and impacts. O4: Innovation Roundtable with project leads and RCS Innovation Studio Team The Innovation Studio have developed an evidence base and clearer understanding of the role of innovation for their performance arts communities of practice, which will position them for growing the activities and funding programme. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| URL | https://rcsinnovationstudio.com/training/ |
| Description | Place Makers: Themed Engagement |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Johnson and the CHARTS working group collaborated to programme online engagement and events including social media questions, webinars and workshops under five themes (Digital Stories, Slow Growth, Creative Production, Island Life and Audience Development) derived from the initial scoping work. Social media question cards were prepared to frame each theme and promote the upcoming webinar and workshop. The webinars would invite CHARTS' members and wider expertise to present on their experience working in Argyll and Bute or participate in panel discussions. The workshops shared innovative projects then asked participants to share their ideas in response to the theme and then develop them with the other participants. In total, there were 28 paid contributors to the webinars, mostly CHARTS members sharing their stories and insights. The webinars attracted 65 people to register with 45 attending, while the workshops attracted 72 people to register with 45 attending, making a total of 137 registrants and 90 attendees across the programme. The workshops also supported 26 ideas for development. Videos of the five webinars are provided on the CHARTS website and Facebook page |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.chartsargyllandisles.org/news/placemakers/ |
| Description | Shoormal - Creative Engagement Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | What challenges can impact effective engagement in cultural and creative projects in the Highlands and Islands (H&I)? What creative approaches could be shared and integrated across the creative economy to innovate such practices? These were questions explored through a half-day session by an inter-disciplinary range of participants across academia, public sector, cultural sector and the creative economy. Participants explored approaches to creative engagement, the role of innovation and the creative economy in such contexts, and then generated ideas for how creative engagement could be innovated in their respective contexts. The session drew on Design Innovation techniques and recent AHRC-funded Creative Economy Engagement Fellowship projects delivered in the H&I: Dr Marianne McAra, on 'Future Heritage' and youth engagement; and Dr Michael Pierre Johnson, on 'Craft and Place' in relation to innovation in the H&I creative economy. Participants reported in feedback an increased interest and awareness in creative, design-based approaches including Dr Johnson's Creative Growth Model and led to the an associate of one participant to commission workshops based on the model as part of a creative enterprise accelerator. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.shetlandarts.org/our-work/past-projects/shoormalconference |
| Description | WORKSHOP: NEW MODELS OF CREATIVE GROWTH at CKC: Rethinking, Resisting and Reimagining the Creative City in Bristol Sept 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The aim of this session was to present and explore what changes in outcomes, process & contextual learning was captured through the Network for Creative Enterprise (NfCE - https://www.watershed.co.uk/studio/projects/network-creative-enterprise) and how these insights could inform support services, research programmes, collaborative models & place-based development strategies for the region's creative economy. This workshop started with a presentation about the Creative Growth Model, how it developed and how it has been applied for NfCE. It then engaged in a network mapping activity that shared key cases from NfCE, a provocation discussion about how these insights relate to developing creative enterprises, before engaging in a panel/roundtable discussion on the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to framing creative growth. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://ckc-conf.co.uk/2019/?session=workshop-new-models-of-creative-growth-part-1-m-johnson |
| Description | Ways of Working: Creative Business Journeys - Exhibition Showcase as part of Network for Creative Enterprise programme |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 100-150 creative practitioners, entrepreneurs and professionals from cultural organisations attended this showcase exhibition of 12 creative enterprises supported through the Network for Creative Enterprise programme. This allowed for conversations between creative entrepreneurs in the milestones and experiences of developing and modelling creative work for a wider market, conversations in how you effectively capture such experiences and the commonalities and differences between creative entrepreneurial journeys and experiences based on their support networks, disciplinary capacity, value creation and ways of reaching key audiences. The exhibition also allowed for three workshops to take place in the space to disseminate the project findings with select audiences, namely a workshop with 12 creative enterprises seeking to learn in more depth from those showcased, a workshop for the hub producers and programme partners to process the findings into hub policies and final report outputs, and a workshop with other cultural organisations seeking to learn and implement policies and practices from the findings to support and engage creative enterprises in their own programmes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://kwmc.org.uk/projects/waysofworking/ |