On Tuesday, 16th September, a unique event took place in Golden Square (Soho, W1). To coincide with the London Design Festival, the IPA teamed up with several creative companies located in the Square to celebrate and promote the creative industries and their importance to the UK economy.
Golden Square is highly representative of the key creative industries, with businesses from advertising, art, architecture, TV & radio, publishing, film & video, music, and design residing there. The IPA has produced a report 'Creative Britain in Golden Square' based on the findings of a survey amongst the companies there. Also see the DCMS 2008 strategy document: ‘Creative Britain: New Talents for the New Economy’
View photos or video highlights from Creative Britain in Golden Square 16th Sept 08
Leaders from the creative industries attended a business reception at M&C Saatchi where Lord Saatchi, Moray MacLennan and Sir John Sorrell spoke and were later joined by the Rt. Hon. Andy Burnham MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport. The Culture Secretary then addressed over 200 state secondary school students invited into the Square for an educational open-day. The companies that participated in the students' Open House included Paramount Pictures, M&C Saatchi, Ingenious Media, Golden Square Post Production, Carlton Screen Advertising, Sony Pictures Europe, Absolute Radio and Clear Channel.
In the Culture Secretary's address, the Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP reinforced the Government's commitment to diversity and skills training, and announced the launch of ‘Diagonal Thinking’ - a new recruitment tool from the IPA that will identify people with the thinking abilities required to succeed in a career in advertising, regardless of their social, ethnic or educational background. It is designed to widen the pool of applicants, and ties in with the Government’s agenda of creating a more ethnically diverse workforce necessary to compete in a competitive and globalising marketplace.
Said Andy Burnham, Culture Secretary, “Creative Britain is opening up Britain's creative industries to young people from all walks of life. I'm delighted to see the world-leading creative businesses around Golden Square investing in young talent to ensure Britain continues to lead the world in advertising, music, film, computer animation and the other creative industries. It's vital that we make sure every young person has the chance to discover skills, the ambition to pursue their passions and the opportunities to convert their talent and enthusiasm into a successful and rewarding career. The new ‘Diagonal Thinking’ tool will help spot those who have what it takes to succeed in advertising. And with hundreds of new apprenticeships already helping to nurture raw talent and turn dreams into reality, I'm optimistic that our success in creative industries is set to grow.”
View Andy Burnham's speech
Said Lord Saatchi, “The real importance of creativity does not lie in economics. It is important because creativity is a force for good in people's lives. It is the hope for the future.”
View Lord Saatchi's speech
Said Moray MacLennan, IPA President, Chairman Europe, M&C Saatchi, “Our creative industries have been growing at twice the rate of the economy and are projected to outstrip financial services to become the second largest sector contributor to the UK economy. Quite simply, Britain's future economic success depends on the continuing success of Creative Britain”
View Moray MacLennan's speech
Said Sir John Sorrell CBE, Chairman, London Design Festival, “Britain is one of the most creative nations in the world. If there was an Olympics for creativity we would be seriously in the running for the top of the medals table - winning medals across all the disciplines, with gold medals in many of them.”
View Sir John Sorrell's speech
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Any other enquiries please contact Pamela Perl
Golden Square participating companies include:
