The annual conference for the TV and film production and broadcast industries, Creative Cities Convention, will be held in the Newcastle this year.
The event will take place at the Boiler Shop, from the 26th to 27th of April, with a packed schedule of sessions and activities reflecting the boom in film, tv and digital production that’s underway across the UK, and in Newcastle in particular – the city is the beneficiary of a £25m BBC investment programme, last year served as the BBC’s City of Comedy, and is home to the three-local-authority North East Screen Industries Partnership.
The Creative Cities Convention aims to create a meeting place for content creators working outside London to network and discuss the media issues that affect them every day.
Over 300 delegates are expected for a series of meet-the-commissioner sessions, masterclasses and a marketplace for different organisations to showcase their activities, as well as a healthy dose of socialising.
The CCC team will be working in partnership with North East Screen to deliver the conference and with the North of Tyne, South of Tyne and Tess Valley Combined Authorities, who jointly formed the North East Screen Industries Partnership to rise to the challenge of growing production across all genres.
Alison Gwynn, chief executive of North East Screen says: “We are delighted to welcome the Creative Cities Convention to our region at a time when production is increasing, partnerships are strengthening and growth in the sector is becoming a reality. To be hosting a convention of this scale and stature in the North East, which attracts content creators from all parts of the UK, is a real honour and an opportunity and we can’t wait to be involved and showcase the North East as a hotbed of creativity and talent.”
Conference director Ruth Pitt added: “The screen sector is growing rapidly [in the North East] and the venue is accessible to content creators from right across the UK. We’re extending our sessions to offer even better takeout for everyone so it’s an event not to be missed.”
Last year’s conference was a sellout success at the Fazeley Studios in Birmingham following two years of pandemic disruption. This year the event will be extended to offer a full afternoon of sessions and a networking party on day one and then a second full day of debate and discussion on Day Two. BBC Newsnight journalist and broadcaster Kirsty Wark will return as host.
