Archive for the ‘Events’ Category

TRCMedia presents Cross Creative

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

TRC media’s pioneering digital media initiative, Cross Creative, is now open for applications. Cross Creative is a 9 month programme for top creatives in digital media looking to expand their knowledge, networks, collaborative creative horizons via top flight masterclasses combined with a trip to Silicon Valley. The programme also helps to instil a more ambitious, entrepreneurial approach to the possibilities and partnerships in future media.

Download guidelines and application form from www.trcmedia.org

09 Guidelines and Application Form GO.doc

Some spaces on this programme will be sponsored by NIScreen.

Discuss this at the DigitalCircle NING site.

Digital Circle presents: e-Synergy Funding Event

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

Title: Digital Circle presents: e-Synergy Funding Event
Location: The Presidents Club, Midtown Centre, 25 Talbot Street, Belfast
Description: Agenda:

Claire Hodson of eSynergy will speak about the new InvestNI funds managed by eSynergy:

# NI Invest Growth Fund
• a £5m venture capital investment fund
• up to £250k investment, averaging £100k

# NI Invest Proof of Concept Fund
• a £3m grant awarding fund
• for small projects including prototyping and market research
• open to pre incorporated businesses
• typically in the range £10k - £40k.

8am - Coffee and refreshments
8:20 Claire Hodson, eSynergy
9:00 Alan Watts, Halo
9:30 Q&A
10am finish

Start Time: 08:00
Date: 2009-06-23 (Tuesday)
End Time: 10:00

Digital Mission Regional Tour - Belfast, Wed 17th June, 5 pm

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

Title: Digital Mission Regional Tour
Location: The Presidents Club, Midtown Centre, 25 Talbot Street, Belfast
Link out: Click here
Description: A series of regional workshops are happening around the UK to talk about the Digital Mission series to the USA taking place in Autumn 2009 and Spring 2010.
Start Time: 17:00
Date: 2009-06-17
End Time: 19:00

The events are a perfect opportunity to find out more about the Digital Missions, their objectives and talk to those who’ve had the opportunity to attend a previous mission.

After the Digital Mission seminar, there will be a Q & A session for any further questions not covered and to round the evening off, some informal networking with drinks.

This event is free to attend but requires registration.
Date: Wednesday, 17th June 2009
Time: 5pm - 7pm (networking until 8:30pm)
Venue: The Presidents Club (http://www.the-presidents-club.com/)
Digital Missions are a series of trade missions organised by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and Chinwag. They are specifically designed for UK-headquartered digital SME’s.
The missions support overseas expansion, help companies gain a thorough understanding of the local market, attract investment and promote themselves to key players on the international digital scene.
Questions? Please contact Chinwag on +442071832923 or email: mission@chinwag.com
For more information about the Digital Missions please see: http://digital-mission.org
For more information about UK Trade & Investment, please visit: https://www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk/

Institute of Directors and the Chief Executives’ Forum meeting on Creative Industries

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

Last night I was at a meeting of the Institute of Directors and the Chief Executives’ Forum representing the Digital Circle. They are keen to focus their attention on the creative industries. Also there were Rick Hill chair of IN Screen, Wendy Austin chair of Arts and Business, Tim McKane of PANI and Stuart Bailie of Oh Yeah where the event was held.

Our hosts were a pretty influential group of people including a couple of Permanent Secretaries of government departments. And they were listening and interested. This is what I had to tell them.

Digital Circle (DC) was formed from the Digital Content Advisory Group which worked with Invest NI on the NI Digital Content Strategy. DC’s steering group has 5 elected members a representative from Momentum (the NI ICT Federation) and employs one facilitator/organiser; Matt Johnston. There 113 members which rises each week.

The Digital Content Industry includes:

  • Web Content
  • Mobile Content
  • E-Learning
  • Games (consul games)
  • Serious Gaming (educational and training)
  • Film and TV (represented by NI Screen)
  • Digital Animation (represented by NI Screen and DC)
  • Music (represented by NIMIC)

The Strategy Document identifies these key issues relating to the Digital Content Industry and suggests specific actions:

  • Leadership
  • Investment
  • Skills and Training
  • Research and Development
  • Internationalisation

Each elected member of the Steering Group has responsibility for one of the key issues.

So why should the IoD and Chief Executive’s Forum should be interested in the Digital Content industry

  1. Digital Content and Software have a high growth potential but young businesses are in need of expert mentors and shrewd direction.
  2. Help build the knowledge economy; keep our young entrepreneurs and creatives here.The people who stay will be key to our future industry.
  3. Digital Media is a simple route to Market.
  4. NI can compete globally in creativity and innovation.
  5. Develop, retain and exploit IP
  6. Develop and guide young visionaries
  7. Let Belfast bloom; Belfast has 7 quarters named after history or culture yet Glasgow has a Digital Quarter looking to the future. Let’s have a Creative Quarter. An artist, alone in a garret can be creative, but creativity tends to happen when people come together.

Thanks to the other members of the DC Steering Group for their contribution to the list and to friends on Facebook and Twitter wo contributed, too.

Blick Business Blitz! Get Involved!

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

Blick Business Blitz, funded by Belfast City council and DETI’s Building Sustainable Prosperity programme, is a mix of evening workshops and clinic days to inspire creative entrepreneurs and equip them to trade in an increasingly competitive market at home and abroad.

Sessions:

1. How to access funding and support and initiate business collaborations

- Friday, 5th June, 10 am-4 pm
With:

  • Stephen O’Neill, InvestNI
  • Brendan McGoran, Belfast City Council
  • Grainne McGowan, Skillfast
  • Elsie Brown, NIScreen
  • and Arts & Business, Skillset, NIMIC and Digital Circle.

2. Local Success Stories, how they did it.

- Wednesday 17th June, 7.30 pm
With:

  • John Elliot, Owner of Clements, coffee chain
  • Joel Simon, Flickerpix
  • Una Rodden, Fashion Designer
  • TBC, Double Band Films

3. Marketing and Export

- Wednesday 16th September, 7.30 pm
With:

  • Conor Lynch, Connector.ie
  • Eoin Magennis, Intertrade Ireland
  • Gareth Mitchell, tree2mydoor.com
  • Alastair McIlwaine, Straandlooper

4. Innovation and Investment

- Wednesday 21st October, 7.30 pm
With:

  • Gawain Morrison, Venture Capitalists, Business Angels, TBC

5. Brand Building and Professional Pitching

- Friday 30th October, 4 pm
With:

  • Local business representatives to facilitate pitching

The evening sessions will begin with a short presentation from each facilitator and then an in-depth Q&A will take place, splitting into relevant groupings where necessary. The day clinic will open with a collective talk and work on an appointment basis to enable individual businesses to get the time and support they need.

For more visit Blick Studios, or email Alyson.

Digital Circle Skill and Training Working Group

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

The first Digital Circle Skills group meeting will be held on Friday 19th June at Invest NI’s HQ from 12:00 pm. The event is entirely open-invitation and will be an informal get-together for those interested in discussing the issues involved in finding the right people with the right skills for the Creative and Digital Content industry in Northern Ireland. This will have to include participation from industry, academia and other bodies.

- tea/coffee & finger food will be provided.

I’m especially keen to hear from anyone in advance who might be interested in chairing a sub-group of Skills. Please drop me an email at andy.mcmillan@digitalcircle.org to have a chat about getting involved.

Please RSVP by 12th June if you intend to come along - as we’ll need to inform INI reception of names & numbers.

Many thanks!

NISP CONNECT Evening Series presents Summer Networking Party

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

Title: NISP CONNECT Evening Series presents Summer Networking Party
Location: The PumpHouse @ Northern Ireland Science Park, Queens Rd, Belfast
Link out: Click here
Description: NISP CONNECT Evening Series presents:

Summer Networking Party
& Hog Roast

Northern Ireland’s Premier Networking Event

• Meet the Finalists of the 2009 £25K Competition
• Meet the Graduates of the 2009 Entrepreneur Academy: VC Readiness

Event will take place outdoors on the new Clarendon Warf or indoors
RSVP: Monday 23rd June – nispconnect@nisp.co.uk
Please note: Attendance is by registration only, entrance will not be possible without prior registration

Start Time: 18:00
Date: 2009-06-25
End Time: 21:00

Digital Circle Internationalisation (Export) Group

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

 

The first Internationalisation group meeting will be on 11 June between noon and 2.00 pm at Invest NI’s HQ.  I’ll be chairing and will be joined by Matt Scott from igen.tv, Darryl Collins from Banjax.com, Paul Hamilton from cruciblepictures.co.uk, and Michael McGlade from yellowdesign.tv.

The invitation is still open to anyone else who wants to join the group.  Coming to one meeting does not mean you sign up for life.  Missing the first does not exclude you from subsequent meetings.

But do not turn up on the day.  I’ll need to let INI reception know who will be there a couple of days ahead.  So, deadline for this meeting early on 9th June.

Protect and Exploit: Intellectual Property: 16-17 June

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

Title: Protect and Exploit: Intellectual Property
Location: 16th June, Conor Lecture Theatre, University of Ulster , York Street, Belfast
Location: 17th June, Lecture Theatre MF231, University of Ulster, Magee Campus, Derry
Link out: Click here
Description: Most businesses generate and own intellectual property. In the development stage of any product it is important to ensure that you do not infringe any third party copyright and your intellectual property is fully protected. Creative individuals and businesses should, therefore, be protecting their designs, brands, logos, software and content creations.
At these free of charge seminars you will hear from experts specialising in IP protection in the creative and digital industry sectors.
Start Date: 2009-06-16
Start Time: 08:30
End Date: 2009-06-17
End Time: 13:30

You will find out how your mental and creative outputs are tangible commodities that you can licence, sell, or trade and how to retain your rights. You will also hear real life stories of those who are working in the industry and developing products and applications. There will be the opportunity for some short 1 to 1’s with the speakers during and after lunch. These include:

Donald Clark has been involved in the e-learning industry for more than 20 years, designing some of the first computer-based learning programmes in the early 1980s. He went on to co-found Epic Group PLC in 1986, now the UK ’s market leader in e-learning. As former CEO, Donald’s experience ranges from programming to course development, commercial delivery and strategic management. In 2001, Donald won the ‘Outstanding Achievement in E-learning Award’ at the World Open Learning Conference (WOLCE), and has taken Epic on to win numerous awards for business innovation and for technology-based learning programmes and implementations. Now retired from Epic, he remains committed to e-learning and its potential to revolutionise the access to and delivery of education for both individuals and businesses. Donald has extensive experience as a board member of both private and public sector organisations, including the Brighton Festival & Dome.

Malcolm Barclay is a pioneer in the fast growing ‘App Economy’ and has created Tube Deluxe, which helps Londoners find their way across the capital’s underground system. He built this paid application after starting with a free app, Tube Status, which has been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Right now, he’s getting around 11,000 downloads a month for Tube Deluxe, earning him about £4,000. Malcolm is a freelance software developer who usually works for major corporations but has taken a couple of months out to see if he can make it as an iPhone app developer. He’s put many hours into building his application in the kitchen of his London flat, which has become a temporary development studio.

Andrew Ferris, founder of Smalltown America, an independent music record label based in Derry and London. Their aim is to cultivate a self-sustainable business model through which artists can release the best records they can possibly produce. Andrew recently secured a five album deal with Atlantic Records for Derry band Fighting with Wire.

Other speakers are Marice Cumber – Director and Founder of Own-IT, Matthew Forde – Media and IP lawyer, Forde Campbell LLP, Davy Sims - former BBC producer and Stuart Worthington (Derry only) – Leading Authority on Music Management. You will also hear how Invest Northern Ireland can help you in this area.

This event is being held in conjunction with the University of Ulster.

Register online at www.investni.com/registration or phone Morrow Communications at +442890393837

Launch: Trans Belfast Urban Arts Academy

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Title: Launch: Trans
Location: Bar Two, Waterfront, Belfast
Link out: Click here
Description:

What is trans?

trans is now in its third year and features a multitude of events embracing new trends, art forms, cultures and technologies. During a four week period, trans hosts a programme of gigs, free seminars, courses, exhibitions and broadcasts its own radio station.

The Urban Arts Academy is the biggest project and is now in its 5th year. All the courses featured on this website are part of the Urban Arts Academy.

About the organisers

trans and the Urban Arts Academy are organised and managed by Belfast Waterfront Hall. The Waterfront Hall is a Belfast City Council owned conference and concert centre.

This year’s Urban Arts Academy will be returning to the Waterfront. All management, organisation and bookings will be managed by the Waterfront Hall.

Our ideology

Culture is constantly evolving and re-inventing itself. Therefore…

  • We invest in new technologies, new trends, new art forms and new artists
  • We provide training in career paths which the current system does not
  • We encourage debate outside traditional politics
  • We demonstrate that Urban Arts should not be confined to Youth Culture
  • We bring the world to Belfast and Belfast to the world

Start Time: 12:00
Date: 2009-06-02