Create in Norwich: A Look Back at Our First Event of the Year
From left to right: Alice Rose (Brandland), Holly Bamford (Borne), Ali Smith (Writer and photographer), Ross Olivey (Indevelopment Studio). Photography: Beth Moseley
Last week, we hosted our first event of the year, Create in Norwich, in collaboration with Work in Norwich.
The Rise of Creative Norwich
Our first panel featured Neil Wright, Alice Kent and Jonathan Todd, who explored the evolving creative landscape of Norwich and Norfolk. Jonathan introduced an exciting research project from Brandland and BOP Consulting, set to investigate the region’s creative industries. The goal of this research is to establish Norwich as a ‘creative cluster’, attracting increased funding and greater government recognition.
Alice and Neil shared ideas on fostering local talent, drawing on the importance of retaining graduates from the local universities. The panel highlighted the need for a strong Norfolk voice in central government. They also urge creatives to stop apologising for being based in Norwich. Rather than seeing our geographical position as a disadvantage, the panellists called for Norwich natives to embrace and champion the area as a hub for creative industries.
Left image, from left to right: Robert Jones (Brandland), Jonathan Todd (BOP), Alice Kent (UNESCO City of Literature), Neil Wright (Ark)
Why Choose Norwich?
In our second panel, Holly Bamford, Ali Smith and Ross Olivey shared personal stories of what brought them to Norwich and why they’ve chosen to stay.
Ali, who spent 15 years in New York City, moved to Norwich two years ago to be closer to her husband’s family in Norfolk and escape post-pandemic NYC. While Norwich and NYC may seem worlds apart, Ali described Norwich as a place that embodies all her favourite aspects of New York - from its independent coffee shops to its collaborative and welcoming creative community. This discussion highlighted not just what attracts people to Norwich, but why they stay. All of the panellists agreed to staying in Norwich due to the thriving creative scene, great work/life balance and the welcoming community.
From left to right: Ali Smith (Writer and photographer), Ross Olivey (Indevelopment Studio), Holly Bamford (Borne)
Sharing Creative Norwich
The final panel of the evening saw Daisy Hovey and Martin Blackwell unveil the Work in Norwich Toolkit, a brand-new initiative by Norwich Business Improvement District (BID). This free resource is designed to help recruiters attract talent to the city through a collection of assets, guides, and social media content.
Bobby Burrage also joined the discussion to explore how we can not only bring in new talent but ensure it stays, a key challenge for Norwich’s creative sector.
From left to right: Daisy Hovey (Norwich BID), Martin Blackwell (Norwich BID), Bobby Burrage (The Click Design)
Our Key Takeaway: Embrace Collaboration!
A resounding theme throughout the evening was the power of collaboration. While Norwich is home to many talented people, there’s still a need for stronger communal collaboration, beyond casual coffee catch ups. The panellists emphasised the importance of working together to elevate Norwich’s creative industries and empower one another.
During the networking session at the end of the evening, we began to see plans for collaboration taking shape in real time. This was an evening filled with creative spirits excited for the future of Norwich.
Our Fantastic Panellists:
The Rise of Creative Norwich
Neil Wright, Creative Partner at Ark
Alice Kent, UNESCO City of Literature Manager
Jonathan Todd, Chief Economist at BOP Consulting
Why Choose Creative Norwich
Holly Bamford, Head of Client Services at Borne
Ali Smith, Award winning photographer and author
Ross Olivey, Co-Founder and Creative Director, In Development Studios
Share Creative Norwich
Bobby Burrage, Founder, The Click
Daisy Hovey (Scott), Head of Marketing, Norwich BID
Martin Blackwell, Head of Development, Norwich BID
Photography by: Beth Moseley