During the AHRC-funded period from June 2012 to July 2016 Creativeworks London worked with small and medium sized businesses (SMEs), entrepreneurs and artists from London’s creative economy to offer new collaborative research opportunities with arts and humanities researchers from CWL’s partner institutions. With support from its delivery partner, The Culture Capital Exchange, the Creativeworks London team has curated, funded and supported more than a hundred collaborative research projects. The SchemesThe Creative Voucher scheme enabled small and medium sized businesses to partner with an arts and humanities researcher from one of CWL’s partner institutions. The scheme awarded £15,000 (£5,000 to the SME, £10,000 to the research partner) to 51 projects through seven themed rounds of funding. The themes of each round were shaped by the researchers from the three CWL research strands. The key benefits to the SME were:
Click here to view Creative Voucher funded projects Home Futures: An exploration through photography and sculpture, Nadege Meriau and Queen Mary University of London (CEIR, round 2)
The Creative Entrepreneur-in-Residence scheme supported cultural, creative and creative-digital sector entrepreneurs in a short-term residency with one of CWL’s research partners. The programme made awards to 31 entrepreneurs across three rounds. Key benefits to the entrepreneur were:
Out of the Shoe Box, Nenagh Watson, The Royal Central School of Speech & Drama and Movingstage Marionette Company (RIR, round 3)
The Researchers-in-Residence scheme enabled creative and cultural companies to access specialist knowledge or expertise provided by a current or recently completed PhD student or early-career researcher. This scheme supported 22 projects across four rounds. Key benefits to the business was to gain access to the researcher’s networks and resources. The researcher was able to gain in-depth knowledge of the relevant business sector and both partners developed researcher/business collaborations, fostering long-term relationships. The BOOST scheme was a follow-on award open to all CWL and Fusion Collaborative Awards awardees. BOOST was established to enable businesses and researchers to develop and/or commercialise their ideas through an additional research project that benefited both the SME(s) involved and the arts and humanities research base in London. BOOST projects had budgets up to £25,000 (£10,000 to SME, £15,000 to the research partner). This scheme awarded five projects. London FusionLondon Creative and Digital Fusion was a programme of interactive, tailored and in-depth support designed to help London’s creative and digital companies to collaborate, innovate and grow. It was part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), via the Greater London Authority. Headed up by Lancaster University, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) was one of the main delivery partners because of its outstanding experience in assisting SMEs to develop innovative ideas through collaborations with universities and each other. In collaboration with Creativeworks London, QMUL delivered more than forty Fusion Collaborative Awards and Researcher in Residence placements, as well as business support packages tailored specifically to creative and digital companies and the two funding opportunities. London Creative and Digital Fusion Collaborative AwardsThe Fusion Collaborative Awards (FCAs) were part of the CREATE Phase of the London Creative and Digital Fusion project. Taking into account different cultural requirements, its aim was to nurture creative and digital SMEs to make connections with academia and business, leading to new jobs and growth. The Fusion Collaborative award programme, delivered by Queen Mary University of London, gave selected firms access to innovation vouchers, with which they could purchase support from a range of expert providers. The programme delivered thirty four collaborations between SMEs and universities, enabling companies to create new jobs, processes and products that lead their businesses into growth and sustainability. The Fusion Collaborative Awards scheme enabled SMEs to:
A framework of Higher Education Institutions / Independent Research Organisation partners was selected via a tender process to participate in the Fusion Collaborative Award scheme. These Knowledge Base Providers were: Goldsmiths, University of London; King’s College London; Kingston University; Queen Mary University of London;Central School for Speech and Drama, Centre for Creative Collaboration (University of London); Tate. Click here to view FCA funded projects The Researchers-in-Residence schemePartnering together with Creativeworks London, this placement scheme offered SME’s access to a number of high profile London universities that have large numbers of highly motivated, entrepreneurial PhD students, postdoctoral and early-career researchers who have the knowledge and skills that creative businesses need. The Creativeworks London and the QMUL Fusion teams have run three joint rounds in 2013 and 2104. 4 placements were awarded in total through London Fusion. Funded ProjectsThis collaboration between the Song Collectors Collective and the Endangered Languages Archive at SOAS, University of London sought to investigate [...] Creative Voucher Round 7 Open / Close
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