Creatives Collaborate to Fight Recession

Date: 26 April 2012

Creative and digital talent is continuing to combat the continued economic downturn.

A recent survey commissioned by Liverpool Vision’s creative support body ACME, has revealed that the region’s creative and digital businesses are teaming up to share expertise, secure larger contracts and deliver more substantial or niche projects.

The Creative and Digital Sector Intelligence survey, produced by creative industry consultancy Burns Collett, also showed that 73 per cent of respondents reported an increase in both their turnover and profitability over the past 12 months.

The recession has also failed to reduce the sector’s number of employees, with 70 per cent of respondents reporting that their staff levels remain unaffected. Further, the Creative sector remains confident with 63 per cent of respondents anticipating an increased turnover for this financial year.

Kevin McManus, Director of ACME at Liverpool Vision, said: “The region’s creative and digital sector has shown great resilience, despite tough economic conditions. Creative and digital businesses have always been open to collaborating with other businesses and sharing skills and knowledge. This can be anything from a TV or film production working with a digital agency, to visual artists and musicians working with the games industry.

“This strategy is a savvy way to help businesses deliver larger or more niche projects. With more and more content being delivered across different platforms, the ability to adapt and collaborate is more important than it has ever been before.”

The research is the largest of its kind in the region and took advantage of ACME’s active database of more than 3700 contacts.

Mr McManus added: “One of ACME’s key strengths is our links with the creative and digital sector. We plan to continue our successful, one-to-one business consultancy service, networking events and sector specific master classes. We are now using this research to develop new strategies to continue to support the sector.”

Creative technologies company Red Ninja and design company Little Ego have been working together to strengthen their business offer.

Chris Grannell, development director of Red Ninja, based in Liverpool’s Elevator Studios, said: “Red Ninja is a full service multiple mobile platform and app developer, but some projects require a particular treatment or industry specialist. Having effective working relationships with a range of creative companies helps us to tender for work which may require specialist input and allows us to deliver more bespoke results.

“Creativity and technology are constantly evolving and each project we work on is very different. It is important to us to keep our finger on the pulse of all sectors of the creative industries and, in some cases this requires collaborating with specialised talent. For example, we regularly collaborate with design agency Little Ego.

“They have a particular talent for branding and working with musicians. Working with them has given us a further edge and allowed us to successfully bid for music related projects.”

Chris met Little Ego representatives through a networking event hosted by ACME. Matthew Shaw, Little Ego’s Creative Director added: “We've enjoyed recent success, designing for well established retro sportswear brands and high profile music artists.

“The music industry is constantly changing and Red Ninja have helped us to take a speciality of ours and expand it, exploring new platforms such as apps for iPads and iPhones. Our symbiotic relationship with Red Ninja has opened up a whole new world of opportunities and is helping us both to achieve our goals.”

Full copies of the report are available from Kevin McManus on kmcmanus@merseysideacme.com

Ends

For further information please contact Ian Hughes at Liverpool Vision on 0151 600 2952 or ihughes@liverpoolvision.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

ACME is the support agency dedicated to developing creative industries in the region and has an international reputation for pioneering work. In 2009, ACME joined forces with Liverpool Vision the city’s economic development agency. As well as its strategic role representing the interests of the sector we also deliver a range of high-quality, practical services for businesses. Over the last 15 years, hundreds of enterprises have been supported by ACME. If you're based in the Liverpool City Region, this site is designed to provide you with information on the support, networks, partnerships and resources available to anyone working in a creative business.
www.merseysideacme.com

Liverpool Vision is the city’s economic development company which integrates economic and physical development and business and enterprise support designed to accelerate the city’s growth and build a sustainable economy. www.liverpoolvision.co.uk

Red Ninja studios is a creative technologies company that is earning a reputation for its innovative use of technology. The company has vast experience developing on multiple mobile platforms and are always looking into new and emerging technologies. They arwe currently they're working on projects for Ticketline, Liverpool Hope University, City of Liverpool College, TUC and developing groundbreaking Television technology.

Red Ninja Studios is based at Elevator Studios, which is right in the heart of the Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle. www.redninja.co.uk

Little Ego is a creative design and software company based in Elevator Studios, Liverpool. Their clients include Slazenger Heritage, Dunlop Retro and Echo and the Bunnymen. www.little-ego.co.uk

Burns Collett is a research and organisational development consultancy specialising in the UK's creative economy. The consultancy is managed by Marc Collett and they work in partnership with a number of trusted associates. Their work focuses around public sector research and policy development in the arts and digital & creative industries as well as third sector and social enterprise organisational development. www.burnscollett.com

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