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What is Create Studios ? It ’ s an award-wining professional digital agency which runs as a social enterprise and one of its core aims is to train and nurture the next generation of digital media creatives . It ’ s supported by Swindon Council , Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund and in 2017 achieved National Portfolio Status from the Arts Council as a centre of excellence . Its Graduate Returner support programme , Create Futures , is the current scheme to help young people into paid employment in the creative industries locally and its second cohort for this project started last month ( January 2018 ). The team offer a range of services to the community and local businesses including film , scriptwriting , editing , animation , music and app development .
When did your interest in the creative arts first become evident ? I always loved writing and I loved film but when I grew up and considered higher education there were no media courses available at that time so I went off to London and took a degree in Applied Biology . I had a wonderful time but when it was over I was still committed to looking for a role in the media in some shape or form and was not really interested in entering a profession such as medicine or the sciences .
Who were your role models at that time ? There were no female role models of colour who were prevalent in the media at the time and no easy route into the industry for someone who didn ’ t have those contacts or connections . That ’ s why I ’ m so proud of the
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fact that Create Studios in a very natural and organic way , has become a very diverse team at a time when broadcasters still struggle to reflect diversity in their organisations .
What was your first job ? I was very lucky to secure a training post with a production company in Oxford and this company had a specialism in educational and community based film-making and I loved that . I was working and filming on a project which brought me to the Create Studios in Swindon using their edit suite . The organisation was then based in the Town Hall . We developed a relationship and they later offered me a role as the education officer – I found out I was much better at managing film-makers than actually making the films myself !
Do young people have more opportunities today to study the creative industries ? Today there are numerous courses in higher education which allow a young person to explore the area of the creative industries that ignites their passion . From broadcast media , to film to animation , illustration through to gaming and graphic design .
I do have some concerns around promotion of the creative industries within education at school as priority can be given to the sciences – with a focus on STEM subjects instead of STEAM subjects ( including the arts ). Even those sectors need creative thinking , problem solving and ideas . Dampening down creativity in the curriculum makes no sense as some of the greatest problems we face as a society will need
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creative and new ways of thinking to solve them .
What is your own personal cultural heritage ? I ’ m the youngest of four children . My parents were both teachers in their professional lives and they valued education highly and we grew up motivated to do well at school and move into higher education . We were in Buckinghamshire where we attended grammar schools which was the system which existed in that county at that time . This was a perfect stepping stone for me in that it gave me confidence in myself .
You are known for your work around culture and civic pride in Swindon , but what does the phrase ‘ place-shaping ’ mean ? It ’ s a widely used term now which is applied to partners such as Create Studios , local authorities , businesses and others who work together to promote and fulfil a vision and plan for a place which could be a town or a city . It ’ s about celebrating the culture , aspirational life-style and wellbeing of a community so that it becomes an attractive and vibrant place to live and work . This brings economic opportunities and prosperity over time – these things don ’ t happen by accident . It ’ s about a shared vision and shared effort . Great examples of this can be seen around the cities of Hull and Coventry which have both benefitted from being named and honoured as Cities of Culture .
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When did you find out about your MBE ? I had a letter in mid-November last year and therefore knew for a few weeks before it became public . It was a complete surprise and shock to receive such an honour . However , I ’ m surrounded by fantastic colleagues who all support me and we all help each other – it ’ s a team effort . It ’ s a privilege to be acknowledged in this way and I hope to use this award to bring attention to the ‘ place-shaping ’ and civic pride initiatives we are involved in . We need to recruit and retain highly skilled people in the creative industries here in Swindon and Wiltshire – as it ’ s a rapidly growing sector .
And finally , - Your favourite place in Wiltshire ? It has to be Avebury . I drive through every day on my commute and it ’ s an amazing place with the light reflecting on the stones in a myriad of different ways . It has a sense of timelessness , it ’ s near to my home and there ’ s a good pub ! My commute is like a journey through time because of Avebury – from the ancient heritage of the standing stones , to the more recent industrial heritage of Swindon through to working with the cutting edge of technology and creativity which surrounds me every day .
@ create _ studios
For more info : www . createstudios . org . uk
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