Each Friday in The Wrap, one of the North’s leading media and creative figures gives us their take on the week’s news covered by Prolific North. This week it’s the turn of Katie Roberts, Head of Events at Hosted by National Museums Liverpool.
One thing that particularly stood out to me in this week’s round up of news was the appointment of a number of women into senior creative and business roles. It’s fantastic to see so many women contributing the rise of the Northern Powerhouse and playing a crucial role in the region’s creative industry. Elmwood’s Leeds studio, Red C and Manc Frank have all announced that their latest hires and promotions have included women. I really do champion women in business and it’s great to see others succeed in their professions.
Having just been involved in leading a rebrand of the events division at National Museums Liverpool, it’s interesting to see a number of other organisations also shaking things up with a revamped image of their own. The fact that so many organisations, from small independents to large corporates, are rethinking their appeal is a real sign of the online shift that we are experiencing. Huddersfield Daily is focusing its rebrand around the launch its online platform and this really is reflective of the time we’re in and what customers and audiences expect. There’s no denying that people spend a lot of time online and from a business point of view, a strong online presence can make all the difference.
This leads me on to the topic of social media… Dr Natalie Berry’s research on the psychological effects of using it was truly fascinating for a number of reasons. We are all guilty of using it, but do we really think about how it is influencing our mental wellbeing? With millions of users online every day, these giant online platforms do have a social responsibility and if research such as this can change the way that they interact with their audiences for the better, then that’s a huge milestone.
Finally, as someone who works to make event spaces exciting and creative as part of my day-to-day role at Hosted by National Museums Liverpool, it was great to see part two of inside the shortlist for the Inspired Spaces North. The nature in which people interact with their surroundings is so important for productivity and not only that, but the way that people work now is so different and much more immersive – corporates and creatives alike crave a unique space that offers something totally bespoke.
