CIDA fixes Deviate date for 2010 Culture Capital team
Deviate was one of three creative businesses invited to meet German delegates from the Ruhr 2010 European Capital of Culture team during a fact-finding tour of the region.
German organisers are keen to use the Capital of Culture award to explore joint EU funded projects and create new business relationships between UK and German creative companies – particularly in fields related to digital and online content.
“We wanted to showcase some of the amazing creative businesses we have here in Yorkshire,” said event organiser Keith Evans, managing director of the Creative Industries Development Agency (CIDA) and member of Yorkshire Forward’s Creative and Digital Cluster Steering Group.
“Having produced online content and digital marketing collateral for brands ranging from Universal Studios Resorts to Gillette, Deviate are a prime example of the high levels of talent within the UK’s creative sector.”
CIDA and partners Business Link spent six months positioning Yorkshire and Humber as the best UK partner region to Ruhr 2010 – supported by the fact that, like Yorkshire, the Ruhr’s prosperity was founded on coal and steel.
Ruhr 2010 is taking a different approach to past Capital of Culture initiatives which have traditionally centred on a single city for a single year and been primarily based around encouraging tourism.
Instead, the entire Ruhr Valley region of 55 cities – including Leeds’ twin town Dortmund – will take on the Capital of Culture mantel.
Meanwhile, Deviate has appointed business development manager James Pearson from Gratterpalm to spearhead a new business push.
While at Gratterpalm, Pearson helped introduced the agency to Arla Foods, Greggs and Pets At Home during two years with the Leeds company.