Welcome to December's Issue of the Newsletter for members of "The Creative Networks"

'Creative Networks' at UCE Birmingham's Technology Innovation Centre (tic) is about bringing together all parties involved in sound and screen-based media in the West Midlands. 'Creative Networks' seeks to promote both successful business development and collaboration. It also seeks to contribute to the establishment of a strong, long-term, sound and screen-based Creative Industry in the West Midlands. The tic achieves this through increasing both knowledge and use of innovative technologies, creative practice and business processes.

Regular monthly networking events are held at tic. They offer opportunities for individuals and companies to network, make pitches, identify the resources they are seeking or support for the projects they are planning.

Visit our online portal www.creativenetworksonline.com for up-to-date news, funding, business support, training and tender opportunities.

Thursday 15th December - From 6.00pm til LATE at tic, Millennium Point
The Collaborative Networking Event for Creative Industry Professionals

Music West Midlands - Special Event & CHRISTMAS PARTY
The next event is on Thursday 15th December 2005, at 6pm. Creative Networks are teaming up with Music West Midlands for a special Christmas event. So put on your party clothes, raise your glass and join Anthony Wilson - UK Music entrepreneur and founder of the 'In The City' International Music Convention - as he tells us about his career from launching New Order and the Happy Mondays, to seeing himself played by Steve Coogan in the movie of his life. Then we'll be moving on to the i-bar for drinks, Christmas presents and karaoke. So join us for some festive drinks and let your hair down!

The Creative Networks event is FREE. If you would like to join us, please contact Mandeep Chana on email mandeep.chana@tic.ac.uk, or call Ha Vu on phone 07967 706 445. You'll be very welcome.

Register on the Creative Networks portal www.creativenetworksonline.com and select the 'Business Profile' section. Take the opportunity to showcase your media services and projects on the Digital Asset Management (DAM) System.

Business Link Contact: Anthony Andrews - Enterprise Manager phone 0121 607 1829 web www.birmingham-chamber.com

Anthony highlighted how the business need for design and other creative/digital support begins with effective branding. He examined how the business then portrays itself in the marketplace through a strong web-presence which every modern business should have. It was emphasised that future success relies on the effective use of technology, from SMS messaging to 3D design for use in PDA's. In short, the message from Business Link was, 'don't tell me, show me'.

Advantage Creative Fund Contact: Rex Bird - Investment Manager phone 0121 449 1237 web www.advantagecreativefund.co.uk

Rex advised the network that The Advantage Creative Fund invests in creative businesses in the West Midlands region by taking an equity stake in small enterprises. The Fund invests from £25,000 up to £150,000 in ambitious companies who want to grow rapidly. There are no application forms, but a well developed, realistic business plan is needed to start the ball rolling. Existing businesses, as well as new start-ups can apply. The fund usually looks for partnership investment, working with banks or other funders to ensure that promising businesses have sufficient finance to develop.

Big Screen Birmingham Contact: Geraldine McCullagh - Screen Manager email geraldine.mccullagh@bbc.co.uk web www.bbc.co.uk

The BBC Big Screen Manager for Birmingham, Geraldine McCullagh, discussed how SME’s can get involved with the Big Screen. The project is a partnership between the BBC, Birmingham City Council, Philips and screen sponsors, the Royal Bank of Scotland Group.  Standing tall in Chamberlain Square in the heart of the city centre, the screen is 25 square metres, broadcasts 24 hours a day and features terrestrial and freeview BBC channels. As well as showcasing up to 8 half hour segments of work by local film makers daily, the screen uses a ticker and text box to run local information. It also hosts and supports local events such as Artsfest and Discovery Day.

RAJ TV Worldwide Contact: Raja Khan - Managing Director email khalid.ditta@raj.tv web www.raj.tv

Raj TV’s representatives described their exciting new satellite TV channel. The channel obtained an Ofcom Licence and went live in September. This will be the first ever British, English-speaking satellite television channel, targeting Asian market audiences in the UK, Asia and worldwide. It will broadcast concurrently to an international audience via the Internet. Based in Birmingham, Raj TV is developing its own production units and is looking to work with other content producers to fill its 24/7 output. So if you have any content ideas for Raj TV 's audience, now is the opportunity to get involved from the start.

Big Fish Recruitment Contact: Carl Freelove

Big fish are a recruitment company specialising in recruiting personnel within the marketing, sales and creative industries. Based in the heart of England, servicing national agencies and blue chip companies, they have an established client base that includes some of the top consultancies in the UK. With a select group of consultants who have all worked in the sectors they recruit for, their professional, hands-on approach is backed up with unrivalled industry knowledge. Big fish –‘making unique people easier to find’.

Light House Contact: Peter McLuskie email peter@light-house.co.uk web www.light-house.co.uk

PLOT is a Light House led initiative designed to support the development and growth of the creative media industries in Wolverhampton and the West Midlands region as a whole. Peter came to the tic this evening to let the network know all about the support that is available to them. The project is delivered by Light House and its partners, Black Country Business Link and Enable. PLOT supports freelancers and enterprises working in the creative media industries and provides a range of services, including: mentoring, business advice, office space, access to production resources, technical support, professional marketing, networking and showcasing opportunities.

Aston Reinvestment Trust (ART) Contact: Andy King phone 0121 359 2444 email reinvest@gn.apc.org

Established in 1997, ART (Aston Reinvestment Trust) provides loans between £2k and £50k to businesses and social enterprises based in Birmingham and North Solihull, which need funds to survive or grow but have been unable to secure them from conventional sources. The loan could be for cash flow or to support a capital investment project and can be part of a financial package with other financiers, or stand alone. Repayment terms vary from six months through to ten years. ART’s portfolio of borrowers includes limited companies, partnerships, sole traders and registered charities. They have supported both innovative start ups and established enterprises in a range of sectors.

Vivid Contact: Helen Street - Communications Officer phone 0121 766 1301 email info@vivid.org.uk web www.vivid.org.uk

Vivid is dedicated to the development of contemporary media art and interdisciplinary practice; supporting and commissioning research, new works, artists' residencies, events and publications. VIVID's project space accommodates the production and exhibition of media arts, bringing together technical resources, support services and presentation facilities in a unique environment. Helen presented their new Interdisciplinary Support Programme (ISP), a new scheme offering a bursary and mentoring in support of R&D activity with the West Midlands Region.

Creative Launchpad Contact: Paula Tew

phone 0121 224 7375
email p.tew@creativelaunchpad.co.uk
web www.creativelaunchpad.co.uk

Creative Launchpad is a business development service for the Creative Industries in the West Midlands. A large number of creatives chatted to Paula throughout the night, discovering that a huge range of support is available right across the industry. If you’ve got a great idea, they can point you in the right direction to get the support and help you need to make it work. The business of being creative just got easier.

BBC/Urban Fusion Contact: Sophia Tarr & Rachel Brown phone 0121 303 1301

Sophia and Rachel discussed Birmingham’s thriving arts scene and described how creative industry professionals can get involved. Currently on their schedule, running from 2-4 December at mac is Lost in Adaptation, three days of master classes, panel discussions and film screenings by Swish Productions focusing on the relationship between film and literature. Also taking place this month and next are the Three Cities project by Birmingham Conservatoire (8 Dec) and Punch Records' DJ's for Life Conference (9 & 10 Dec), along with the Brilliantly Birmingham (17 Nov -24 Dec) and New Art Birmingham (9 & 10 Dec) festivals in the Jewellery Quarter.

Herbert Media Contact: Anne Forgan phone 024 7683 3312 email Anne.Forgan@coventry.gov.uk

Herbert Media is a unique resource in Coventry, and were represented at the tic this evening by Anne Forgan. The organisation offers opportunities to learn, make and show media works. As well as a range of flexible and diverse courses suited for all budgets and levels, they also offer facilities hire, projects, exhibitions and events. The facilities include digital video, sound recording, web and animation equipment available for hire to all sectors of the community at subsidised rates. Herbert Media initiates and supports community-led arts and media projects; giving participants the chance to generate their own ideas and develop them into high quality products.

Media Content Lab Contact: Mandy Brookes phone 0121 204 9882 email info@mediaskills.org.uk web www.mediaskills.org.uk

Media Skills Bank is a new kind of flexible training for anyone who has to deal with the media in their day-to-day work, and their message was delivered to the network at the tic through Sara Harris. Whether you're a secretary preparing brochure material, or an administrator writing the in-house newsletter, Media Skills Bank can provide you with new skills to tackle a wide range of media tasks. The modules, a combination of online learning and in-house workshops, cover a variety of areas including writing press releases, using a digital camera and improving communication skills. As well as gaining insight and skills into different areas of media, you can also receive a Certificate in Professional Studies with Media, accredited by UCE Birmingham.

Music West Midlands Contact: Geoff Saffa phone 0121 248 6006 email geoff@saffa.co.uk

Music West Midlands (MWM) is a new organisation dedicated to the development, production and marketing of the region's music. As writers, performers, producers, managers, record company operatives and publishers the current board of MWM have helped to sell over a billion recorded song units between them and have facilitated further significant sales. Based in Edgbaston, the organisation exists to get the region’s massive musical talent out to the rest of the UK and the world.

UnLtd Contact: Laura Lawson phone 0121 766 4570 email lauralawson@unltd.org.uk web www.unltd.org.uk

Laura presented The Big Boost, an awards programme which has been created to encourage more young people in England to set up projects that will make a real difference. Through the Big Boost awards, they help young people start up projects that will make a lasting difference to them as well as to their communities. The programme will support more than 12,000 young people over two years. The organisation are particularly keen to reach young people from less well-off backgrounds.