Funded by

Workshop

Rural CreateNet

When

From 2nd November 2021
AM

Where

Online, via zoom

About this workshop

Following the successful Creative Fuse CAKE event on Rural Creativity and Innovation (Jan 2021) – which focused on practitioners and organisations sharing their experiences about developing their innovation capacity and what this can mean for collaboration, for organisational impact, and for wider community benefit – Creative Fuse North East and the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise will be jointly delivering this free programme.

Through a facilitated action learning approach, delivered over six sessions, we will hear from and work with practitioners, businesses, and new projects and organisations working in and across the rural creative economy, and consider what it means to be based in the rural North East, outside of larger population centres and cities. We hope to use this programme to share learning and identify calls to action and areas for response or collaboration.

Mark Adamson

Project Director, Creative Fuse North East

Jonathan Sapsed

Principal Investigator, Creative Fuse North East

Dr Frances Rowe

Research Associate, National Innovation Centre for Rural Economy

What is Action Learning?

An Action Learning approach is a simple and powerful way for individuals to learn from each other. Through action, reflection and discussion, participants gain a deeper understanding of the issues or opportunities that they face, compare and exchange experience with their peers and can support the ability to manage or respond to change more effectively. The most important aspects of action learning are the principles that learning should be open, reflective, practical and shared, with the programme agenda shaped by all participants.

What might this incude?

Following an introductory session where we will set the context and jointly agree the approach for the programme, participants will help shape the content and themes covered. We anticipate that an overarching theme will be post-COVID recovery. However, potential areas might include:

busines models that would work for rural locations

this will specifically include the North of Tyne Culture & Creative Investment Programme, and other business support providers;

working together to achieve a shared goal

(from networks, markets, support)

including developing new products and services to reach new markets

and what this means for rural practitioners and businesses

including animating and improving market towns and high streets – this may also include the current developments in the North of Tyne for new Creative and Cultural Enterprise Zones.

Who is this for

Rural-based creative/cultural/digital small businesses

Rural-based creative/cultural/digital practitioners and freelancers

Rural-based artists that sell or are looking to sell their work

Rural-based businesses who either work with creatives or who would benefit from more creative-led innovation, for example farms/venues offering facilities for creative work and events.

When will this be delivered?

We will deliver six sessions of at least 2hrs each from early November to mid-December. Sessions are proposed to run as follows, and participants are encouraged to attend all:

• Session 1 – Introduction to the programme: Tuesday 2nd Nov, 10.00am-12.00 noon
• Session 2 – Tuesday 9th Nov, 10.00am-12.00 noon
• Session 3 – Tues 16th Nov, 10.00am-12.00 noon
• Session 4 – date tbc w/c 22nd November
• Session 5 – date tbc w/c 29th November
• Session 6 – date tbc w/c 6th December

Sessions will be a mix of online and in-person and will be guided and informed by our participants.

Questions?

To find out more about the ‘Rural CreateNet’ programme please email Stephanie Roberts, Project Administrator at stephanie.roberts@newcastle.ac.uk in the first instance.