MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
Welcome to a Special Christmas Issue of the Newsletter for members of "The Creative Networks"

Many thanks to everyone who attended the Creative Networks Christmas Party on 15th December. We welcomed a fantastic guest speaker, UK music industry legend Anthony Wilson. A cold December evening saw over 200 musicians, animators, filmmakers, designers and artists of all persuasions join us for an inspirational evening.

'Creative Networks' at UCE Birmingham's Technology Innovation Centre (tic) brings together all parties involved in the Creative Industries within 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 events are held at tic, Millennium Point, Birmingham. They offer opportunities for individuals and companies to network, make pitches, identify resources they are seeking or support for projects.

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

Thursday 26th January - From 6.00pm til LATE at tic, Millennium Point
The Collaborative Networking Event for Creative Industry Professionals

As we recover from the New Year festivities and look forward to 2006, what better way to start than a fresh opportunity to pitch projects and showcase your skills. This opportunity is open to everyone attending in January, so contact Ha Vu on 07967 706 445 or email ha.vu@tic.ac.uk if you would like the chance to pitch current projects, appeal for collaborators or suppliers, showcase your past work or promote your creative services.

The Creative Networks event is FREE. If you'd like to join us, contact Mandeep Chana on email mandeep.chana@tic.ac.uk, or call Ha Vu on 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.

CREATIVE NETWORKS PORTAL
For suppliers of creative media content, tic now bring contracts (and jobs) directly to you through the Creative Networks Online portal on a regular basis.

Exciting new tenders will be placed on the portal in the New Year offering significant contracts. Why not get a head-start by completing your company pro-forma which will be used in relation to every tender in which you express an interest. The Pro-Forma covers generic information about your company and interesting and relevant projects you have previously worked on.

Register online now on www.creativenetworksonline.com and see the opportunities our portal offers to you.

*Make a Note of Future Creative Networks Events for your Diary....
Thursday 23rd February 2006
Thursday 30th March 2006
Thursday 27th April 2006
Thursday 25th May 2006
Thursday 29th June 2006

Anthony Wilson - UK Music Entrepreneur

Creative Networks special Christmas guest speaker was Anthony Wilson, successful UK music entrepreneur and founder of the 'In The City' International Music Convention.

Anthony gave the network members an inspiring presentation, as he discussed how his career  - and the careers of the many artists he has worked with - began and developed. Anthony shared his '10 Ws' plan for success. He told how a combination of wilfulness, asking why and the world wide web can take musicians in the regions to new levels. He also shared some ‘behind the scenes’ secrets from the careers of New Order and Bob Dylan, and explained why he believed Shaun Ryder was the greatest poet of the 1990s.

He also shared ways in which he continues to promote new bands on his new record label, F4 and explained why he thought digital radio will change the face of Black British music.

Thursday 15th December also saw the official opening of tic’s  brand new £half million Sound Recording and TV Studio suite.

This facility will be used to train graduates, technicians and creatives in the West Midlands for many years to come! Barry Henley, tic's CEO welcomed invited guests and explained the background to the ambitious studio project. He then handed over to Anthony Wilson who officially declared the studio 'open'.

Anthony then shared insights to what he finds useful when broadcasting to an audience of millions. He then joined the rest of the Creative Networks guests in the tic Lecture Theatre to discuss ‘Growing a Successful Music Industry in the Regions’.