ICT & Creative

Cluster of Creativity and Innovation

Cornwall has long attracted creative people - people who find inspiration in its uniquely beautiful landscapes and coastline, and in the sense of space and freedom that these bring.

The same spirit of creativity and innovation is reflected in the growing number of media and IT-related businesses that are using the county as a base for national and international growth. This cluster of companies are involved in everything from print and web design to multimedia, film and video, and their cutting-edge design and communications skills are playing a big part in many other Cornwall-based success stories.

The Convergence Programme (2007-2013) puts the digital infrastructure of Cornwall at the heart of the investment programme, while Cornwall’s economic strategy ‘Strategy and Action 2007 – 2021’ also acknowledges that ICT is critical if Cornwall is to transform into a high value knowledge economy.

This vision for the future is transforming the county through ICT, and the main vessel of this transformation is the Superfast Cornwall project. Superfast Cornwall will make Cornwall one of the best connected regions in the world. The benefits of such to the ICT and Creative sectors are:

• Making Cornwall the flexible working capital of the UK. Flexible working is the future of business where smart new approaches are used to increase competitiveness and improve employees’ work-life balance.
• Putting Cornish businesses in easy contact with customers and partners across the globe. This has proved invaluable to all sectors, but has also stimulated the growth of a local ICT industry punching far above its weight.
• Many of these are small companies with global clients and significant growth potential, attracting high-caliber staff with the promise of the Cornish lifestyle, in a creative environment.

ICT and Creative Networks

The Digital Peninsula Network provides infrastructure for Cornwall-based digital professionals to connect and communicate, not just via the web but also through meetings and events at its Network Centre in Penzance. Members can use the state-of-the-art equipment at the Centre for research and development, try out applications, participate in cross-platform testing and joint workgroup sessions. The Network also arranges seminars and training to share knowledge and skills and develop professional best practice.

Businesses in the sector will receive a huge boost with the development of the Superfast Cornwall network from 2011 – as will the region’s many creative businesses, in sectors from graphic design to multimedia production, gaming and online services.

Network of Trained Graduates

Cornwall’s creative and IT companies are able to draw on some of the best trained talent in the UK. The Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) internationally renowned design and media programs are taught by leading industry practitioners and turn out scores of highly trained, ambitious graduates each year.

Cornwall Skillset Media Academy is one of a select number of Academies forming a UK network of centres of excellence who produce an industry aware group of graduates in a range of media disciplines including Digital Media, Animation, Film, Television and Radio Production, Graphic Design, and International Journalism.

i-DAT is CUC research group which acts as a catalyst for creative research and innovation across the fields of Art, Science, and Technology. Winner of two Media Innovation Rewards, i-DAT is working towards establishing Cornwall as Europe’s first ever Region of Culture.

Academy for Innovation and Research (AIR): creative hub located at the University of Falmouth, which will focus on the digital economy and sustainable design.

Performance Centre at the University of Falmouth which recently opened in October 2010, is an exceptional purpose-built facility for performance students, practitioners and researchers.