Katherine Champion

Shaping screen talent: conceptualising and developing the film and TV workforce in Scotland

Together with “creativity”, the concept of “talent” has emerged within UK and global policy discussions as being central to unlocking economic success within the creative industries. At a crucial time of political and technological change, Scotland finds itself competing within a highly competitive global market to identify, attract and retain creative talent and strengthen its skills base. As such, developing “talent” is a key aspect of the Scottish Governments Strategy for the Creative Industries. However, while creativity has been interrogated across academic disciplines in recent years, talent remains under-theorised within the academy and lacks a clear definition across policy and industry. Taking the screen industries as its focus, this paper draws on empirical data derived from a series of knowledge exchange workshops funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh designed to initiate dialogue between academics, policy-makers and stakeholders within Scotland and beyond. In doing so, it scopes out some of the key ways in which screen “talent” is conceptualised by these groups and raises questions regarding how particular understandings may impact on policies designed to identify, attract and retain a diverse range of skilled workers within the sector. We argue that greater precision should be used in policy discourse to emphasise the importance of developing particular and discrete craft skills rather than privileging a workforce that is highly flexible and mobile. We also suggest that policy-makers and educators must acknowledge and encourage transparency regarding the precariousness of building a career within the screen industries.

Harmonics: Towards Enlightened Evaluation

Abstract: This paper aims to explore ways to enable designers, researchers and practitioners to share, discover and critique alternative and creative evaluation techniques. It draws on case examples of piloted enlightened evaluation approaches derived from a partnership between the Glasgow School of Art and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, a regional development agency with a remit of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Due to the complex initiatives, collaborations and partnerships involved in such a process, measurement frameworks that more appropriately support understanding and learning than traditional approaches have been being piloted. Despite a demand for more flexible techniques, there is a significant gap in understanding and knowledge regarding the most effective approaches, techniques and tools for enlightened evaluation.

Materiality Matters: Exploring the use of design tools in innovation workshops with the craft and creative sector in the Northern Isles of Scotland

Abstract This paper presents initial reflections regarding the use of bespoke design tools within a series of innovation workshops carried out with practitioners and stakeholders active in the craft and creative industry sector in the Scottish Islands of Orkney and Shetland. We argue that by emphasising such bespoke material tools located in and inspired by the local landscape, history and culture, we encouraged engagement, provided space for innovation and enabled creative collectives in their goal of enhancing and sustaining the creative economy in rural geographies.

SQUEEZING THE SPACES OF CREATIVE PRODUCTION: A CASE STUDY OF THE NORTHERN QUARTER IN MANCHESTER, UK

Short article published in Regions magazine exploring the gentrification of creative industry space in the Northern Quarter of Manchester, UK.