Vaizey to be quizzed by creative companies during Bristol visit
Ed Vaizey, the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, is to attend a private meeting with businesses from Bristol and Bath tomorrow to discuss key issues facing the creative economy in the South West.
The meeting, which will take place at Aardman Animations on Friday 8 April, is part of the Minister’s visit to Bristol and Bath on 7-8 April, and has been arranged by South West Screen and Aardman.
Representatives from Aardman, Future Publishing, Wonky Films, Proctor & Stevenson, Touch Productions, Fluffy Logic, Team Rubber, Sift Media, TLT Solicitors, HP Labs, Walk Tall Media, Icon Films, the BBC and South West Screen’s iFeatures studio will attend the meeting.
“The Plan for Growth, launched alongside the Budget, set out how we will tackle some of the barriers preventing our creative industries expanding,” said Vaizey.
“Measures to support the sector included improving the digital infrastructure, reducing regulatory burdens and providing better skills training. But it is essential that we continue talking to industry to understand how we can help our creative industries grow.”
The meeting will follow a tour of Aardman Animations’ new premises with Executive Chairman David Sproxton.
“We’re looking forward to introducing Ed to a cross section of companies ranging in size and output, to discuss the many successes of our vibrant sector, whilst also highlighting barriers to growth,” said South West Screen chief executive, Caroline Norbury.
“We are keen to make sure that he comes away with as full a picture as possible of what is happening on the ground here.”
Highlighted by NESTA in their recent report, Creative Clusters and Innovation, the Bristol-Bath corridor is cited as a hotbed of innovation and in the top 10 of significant creative clusters in the country.
South West Screen has stated that despite the Government’s support measures, a number of challenges still face the creative industries in the region.