Networking Creative Hubs

Led by Cardiff University's Creative Economy team, this project sought to add value to existing partnerships, and to create new ones, by networking creative hubs – co-working spaces for small companies and freelancers – from across the Cardiff Capital Region.

The project connected creatives, entrepreneurs and digital innovators to share best practice, and provide peer support. Following an opening workshop at Cardiff University, the hubs took part in a ‘round robin’ exchange, with a representative from one hub visiting the next hub in the chain to create a series of opportunities to share experiences and raise questions.

A final knowledge sharing event at Welsh ICE (Innovation Centre for Enterprise) in Caerphilly concluded the formal part of the process, with the aim being that the hubs will continue to support networking between themselves.

The Networking Creative Hubs project was an opportunity for those already working in hubs to connect with others and establish new partnerships. It built on the Creative Cardiff Pop-Up Hub held at the Wales Millennium Centre in 2016. and the 2017 Cardiff Hub Crawl event with Rabble Studio, The Sustainable Studio and Tramshed Tech. It also included members of Hwyl Hub in Merthyr Tydfil and Indycube, which has offices across the Capital Region.

The project has successfully raised awareness of best practice in creative hubs, connecting hub managers with their counterparts and enabling them to learn from one another. Promisingly for the region's creatives and entrepreneurs, it has also seen the emergence of a collective voice for hubs in the city region.

The Creative Economy team continue to work with the creative community across the Capital Region. A wealth of information on hubs is available on the Creative Cardiff website.

Contact

The project was led by Professor Justin Lewis from the School of Journalism, Media and Culture.