The success of our first event in 2021, “Lessons Learnt from C-19 and Looking towards the Future”.
18th February, 2021. 09:30-11:00
This event, our first since joining with M-SParc to lead on the events and marketing of the Creative North Wales group, took place as a panel event. Discussions and talks were held around the impact of the pandemic, with a focus on how industry has responded quickly and effectively to the ‘new normal’! There was also the opportunity to learn more about developments of the future skills need, with future skills becoming a clear topic of discussion throughout the event. The Zoom chat was full of lively discussion, and we saw new connections growing out of conversations.
An overview of the range of speakers:
Masterclasses:
Geraint Evans, News and Current Affairs Commissioner, S4C, gave us some feedback on the impact the pandemic has had on broadcasting, and shared further details about the development of S4C’s new digital news service which is set to transform S4C beyond the traditional television screen. We had a sneak peak of the new digital provision, ahead of the news app’s launch in the coming weeks, which was very exciting!
From the traditional to Tik Tok;
Siân Eirian, Director of Urdd Eisteddfod and the Arts, shared the experiences of quickly responding to the challenge of the pandemic, and how the well-established physical festival was successfully reinvented online as Eisteddfod T; no small feat to achieve! Siân explained how one of Europe’s biggest youth festivals was successfully moved online in just six weeks, and attracted over six thousand competitors! Eisteddfod T will be online again this year, with yet more innovation and exciting new elements.
Panel talks:
Siân Gale, Skills and Development Manager, Bectu / CULT Cymru. Siân addressed the skills needed in the industry, as well as the need for resilience for freelancers. Siân detailed the array of courses and support available to those working in the creative sector, which is especially important to freelance workers that do not have access to training in the same way as those that receive training through their employers.
Colin Heron, Associate Dean for the Faculty of Art Science and Technology, Wrexham Glyndŵr University. This talk presented an overview of the offer in Higher Education and the role of universities in developing the next generation of industry talent. Despite the challenges of online teaching, digital provision has been successful, and industry partnerships have grown.
Kev Tame, AM. Launched in March 2020, AM is a new platform developed to highlight the best of Wales’s creative output. This lightning talk gave an overview of what AM is and how it encompasses what is going on creatively in Wales and builds a new audience. It was great to hear how this digital audience has grown so rapidly; AM already hosts over two hundred channels and has amassed over 100 thousand viewers.
The event was a timely one, and was well received by the audience. If you missed it, you can catch up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMFvqH5uNfE
Our next event takes place in April, with a focus on the video games industry. From the skills required, to success stories, there’s something for everyone in digital creative. Book your ticket *here* and we hope to see you there.
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