AI and copyright of content is a controversial issue in the creative industries, with the government receiving 11,500 responses to its consultation on the UK’s legal framework for copyright. Ministers say they are reviewing all the responses and technology secretary Peter Kyle said:
“I am determined to harness expert insights from across the debate as we work together to deliver a solution that brings the legal clarity our creative industries and AI sector badly need in the digital age.”
We asked some Bristol Creative Industries members what they think the government should do. See below for their responses.
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Russell Jones, JonesMillbank (see JonesMillbank’s BCI profile here):
“Jean-Luc Godard (1930-2022), a pioneer in filmmaking, said “It’s not where you take things from – it’s where you take them to”. Had he lived three more years, would he be saying the same thing about the generative imagery we’re seeing today?
“When nothing is original, and humans have copied and been inspired by others since the dawn of time, where do we draw the line between human inspiration and en-mass machine learning?
“Nobody has the answer yet, but any regulation must be worldwide – human-wide – to avoid creating an AI-divide.”
Phil Robinson, Proctor + Stevenson (see Proctor + Stevenson’s BCI profile here):
“I believe clarity and fairness are the two critical factors here. AI offers exciting creative opportunities, but we need a legal framework that respects the rights of artists while helping us explore new tools. Creators should know if their work is used to train AI, and there must be proper consent and fair compensation.
“I’d like to see rules that protect originality but also empower creatives to be ambitious and produce incredible work. If the government gets that balance right, AI could become a genuine asset to the creative industries, not a threat to them.”
Catherine Frankpitt, Strike Communications (see Strike Communications’ BCI profile here):
“Creative professionals are natural early adopters, so we must balance protecting our intellectual property with harnessing AI’s potential through proper legal safeguards.
“The government must work urgently with creative and tech sectors to establish a legally enforceable framework requiring clear disclosure of AI training data sources and mandatory opt-in licensing. We need a distinction between AI as a creative tool versus unauthorised training on copyrighted works. Creators must retain ownership and receive fair compensation for any AI usage of their work. Given AI’s global reach, this framework needs both robust UK legislation and international coordination.
“Finally, we must move at pace with regular legal reviews to ensure our protections evolve alongside the technology, preventing creators from being left behind.”
Mark Shand, UWE Bristol (see UWE Bristol’s BCI profile here):
“The proposals in the government consultation reflect an inconsistent approach to intellectual property, favouring undisclosed AI companies (other industries compensate creators), while disadvantaging university copyright holders across culture, research, education, business, science, and health. It places an unfair burden on creators, remains vague, appears technically unfeasible, and perpetuates business practices that undermine creators’ control and compensation.
“We are also concerned by the accompanying narrative, which frames creators as being at odds with ‘innovators’. In reality, our students and staff are innovators – they are also current and future income generators, market disruptors, and employers.”
Tim Shapcott, Tiki Media (see Tim Shapcott’s BCI profile here):
“Painful as it is to consider, it may be unrealistic to hold AI companies accountable for what’s already been done. Rather than close our borders to the world as other countries take advantage of the up-side, a more pragmatic path may be to focus on future solutions.
“Applying pressure to the AI industry to establish clear checks and balances could ensure that original creators receive fair recognition and compensation as AI evolves. This balanced approach may allow us to embrace the benefits of AI while still supporting our creative talent. If ‘back pay’ is possible as a part of that, then awesome!”
Claire Snook, AMBITIOUS (see AMBITIOUS’ BCI profile here):
“For the last 20 years, AI has helped our work and operations through programmatic ads, content development, chatbots, virtual assistants and more.
“But it’s undermining our creativity. Copyright is essential to protect our work. Our government has a responsibility to provide clarity for how AI is used in conjunction with creative work; we need clear and defined safeguards for creators. This should have been in the works decades ago.
“Companies are taking measures to protect our content. Cloudflare, one of the biggest architect providers, now prevents AI crawlers from scraping content without the creators’ permission meaning websites will be able to charge AI companies for accessing their content.
“We need a practical approach that protects and ensures our creative labour isn’t stolen, while making sure people can responsibly use AI for their needs and wants.”
Susan Pearson, Wordways (see Susan Pearson’s BCI profile here):
“The copyright for anything I write is 100% mine or my client’s. No-one or no ‘thing’ should ever have the right to reproduce the words of writers exactly unless these words are expressed within quote marks with the source of the quote acknowledged – unless they have specific permission. Anything else would be creative theft.
“Weakening of copyright law in any way will have a profound effect on the livelihood of writers and others in the creative industries. Even the suggestion that AI software can re-hash original material from creatives is a suggestion that theft should be legalised!”
Jessica Morgan, Carnsight Communications (see Carnsight Communications’ BCI profile here):
“AI is rarely out of the spotlight – particularly in the creative industries. It’s also a growth opportunity identified by the government, so it’s likely to remain there. This feels like a pivotal moment. Will we be left behind if we don’t evolve our regulations, or do we risk completely exploiting creativity if we do?
“Holding the consultation is a good first step, and those thousands of views given will have to be considered and taken into account (AI may prove useful here!) The key thing is, creative work is important and should be valued. Copyright exists for a reason and we’ve been abiding by it for decades. Any path forward needs to acknowledge that.”
Sandra Mouton, French translator (see Sandra Mouton’s BCI profile here):
“Copyrighted works available for reading online are routinely used to train the LLMs AI runs on. In my field of translation, that’s translated books, but also magazine articles, white papers from businesses or NGOs, video game content, etc. All this IP was created within the framework of copyright law and the protection it’s meant to provide for authors’ and copyright-holders’ rights.
“The government needs to ensure that protection is real and that the work of creatives like translators cannot be exploited for money without our express consent (with a default opt-in rather than opt-out system) and adequate compensation through royalties.”
Alex Murrell, Epoch (see Epoch’s BCI profile here):
“Human creativity thrives on curious minds and their insatiable appetite for inspiration. Film, fashion, art and architecture; it all gets devoured, connected and remixed into new and novel ideas. Copyright laws protect this process: copy too closely, and you risk infringement.
“But now, generative AI is rewriting the rules. If a machine uses your work to train a model, is that theft or fair use? Is it ethically different from a human remixing their inspiration? Should copyright continue to cover one’s output, or should it cover the input as well? That’s the question governments must answer—and fast.”
Emma Barraclough, Epoch
“AI is reshaping the creative landscape; enabling highly personalised, efficient design at scale. And as it becomes mainstream, using it has become essential to staying competitive in a fast-moving industry. But there are concerns we can’t ignore. Ambiguity around the ownership of AI-generated content presents legal challenges.
“For brand assets to be valuable, they must be protectable. And yet without clear rules AI generated assets are at risk of being copied and compromised by others. For AI to become a truly powerful tool for creatives, we need laws that make its output safe, ownable, and enforceable.”
Penny Beeston, Beeston Media (see Beeston Media’s BCI profile here):
“As an SME in the creative sector we embrace AI where it improves the efficiency of our craft. The red flags are where AI stifles or steals creative human endeavour. The horse may well have bolted in terms of past copyright theft, but the government has an important role to play in regulation going forward.
“Original assets used in generative AI should be traceable, accredited or paid for by third parties. The government’s commitment to investing in AI research and innovation with projects such as the Isambard-AI supercomputer is impressive. Let’s use that sovereign capacity for good by creating AI tools to shift the balance of power from poachers to gamekeepers.”
Chas Rowe, voiceover artist (see Chas Rowe’s BCI profile here):
“First, AI steals from creators. Then, AI steals from creators. Two wrongs don’t make a right. The government should stop providing shovels for the gravediggers of the creative industries.”
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The creative industries are a vital component of the local economy and here at Bristol Creative Industries, we encourage young people to look to the sector for a rewarding and inspiring career. As modern technologies like gaming, VR and AI continue to develop, we need a new generation to take on the jobs of the future that the local economy needs if it is to thrive.
See below for our updated guide to creative industries-related further and higher education in Bristol, Bath, Weston-super-mare and beyond.
A selection of the creative post-16 courses offered by sixth form departments at Bristol schools and academies:
Among the A-levels at Bath Academy are art and media studies.
A-levels on offer at this Bath sixth form for boys include creative design and music.
Bristol Cathedral Choir School
Founded in 1140 as part of what was then Bristol Abbey, Bristol Cathedral Choir School is one of the city’s most popular sixth forms. Among the A-levels offered by the school are art, drama and music.
The sixth form at Bristol Creative Industries member Bristol Grammar School offers creative IB Diploma and A-level courses including art, dance, drama and theatre studies, design technology, music and music technology.
The IB Diploma is an alternative to A-levels which the school describes as “offering breadth of learning as well as academic rigour”.
Opened in 2016, Bristol Free School offers A-levels alongside selected BTEC Level 3 courses. Creative courses include art, drama and theatre, music and music technology and photography.
Cabot Learning Federation Post 16
The Cabot Learning Federation Post 16 is an independent provision located in two of CLF’s 20 secondary academies; Bristol Brunel and John Cabot. Among the A-levels on offer are art and design, dance, music and photography.
The sixth form at this school offers A-levels in subjects including art and photography, drama and theatre studies and music.
The sixth form at this school offers A-levels including art, design and technology and drama and theatre.
The North Bristol Post 16 Centre is a collaboration between Cotham and Redland Green Schools. Creative A-levels include art, photography, film studies, and media studies.
St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School
Located near Bristol Temple Meads, creative A-levels offered by this school are art, film studies, media studies, music, music technology and theatre studies.
Providing education to 10,000 learners across two campuses, Bath College offers a wide range of courses including post-16, apprenticeships, part-time courses, traineeships and degree-level education.
Subjects include art and design, fashion and textiles, fashion business and retail, photography, graphic design, digital production, and performing arts.
As one of the South West’s largest further and higher education colleges, Bristol Creative Industries member City of Bristol College operates from seven centres across the city. It offers a range of post-16 qualifications including A-levels, Level 2 Diplomas and BTEC Nationals.
For school leavers, several courses relevant to the creative industries are on offer. They include specialist subjects include visual arts and design, photography, fashion, performing arts and creative digital technologies (film and TV production, games design, computer graphics and animation).
The college also offers university-level creative arts and media courses in subjects including games design, animation and VFX, graphic design and photographic practices.
Abbeywood Community Schools is part of Olympus Post 16 with Bradley Stoke Community School and Winterbourne Academy.
Courses include art, design and technology, digital media, drama and theatre studies, film studies, music performance, music technology, photography and textile design.
Digitech delivers a specialised curriculum for progression into the creative digital and high tech sectors. Studio schools are small by design and only take 90 students into each year group. The school opened in 2015 and moved into a new purpose-built building in Warmley in November 2016.
For years 12 and 13, Digitech offers courses in partnership with boomsatsuma (see below), Bristol School of Acting and Robins Foundation. They include digital media, e-sports, film and television, music, and photography.
South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
This college has six campuses.
The college has a very extensive programme of Level 2 and 3 courses including computer games design, film and TV production, music production and musical and technical theatre.
At university level, the college offers a range of courses at foundation degrees, many of which also offer the opportunity to top up to a full Bachelor’s degree by adding a year. Subjects include fine art, game art, media production and computer games design and production.
Since September 2022, the college has offered the new vocational skills focused T-levels. The two-year technical courses are equivalent to three A-Levels and include a 45-day work placement. Courses include digital production, design and development.
St Brendan’s Sixth Form College
This college provides a diverse range of over 60 different A-level and Level 3 Applied General courses to 16 – 18 year olds. Courses include media studies, music, music performance, music technology, textile design and graphic communication.
Bristol Creative Industries member Weston College has several creative industries-related diploma and extended diploma courses for 16-19 year-olds as part of Creative Arts Weston.
The departments are art, design, graphics and fashion; film and tv, media production, photography, game and animation; performing and production arts, and music.
Creative courses at Cirencester College include craft and design (T-level), 3D design (A-level), digital foundation, digital media certificate, graphic communication (A-level), and photogrraphy (A-level).
Boasting ex-students including Ed Sheeran, Jess Glynne, Rita Ora and JP Cooper, Bristol Creative Industries member Access Creative College is a national college for young people looking for a career in the creative industries. It offers courses at various levels in subjects including games, animation and video effects, graphic and digital design, film, software development, video and photography and music technology.
In summer 2021, Access Creative College opened a new £5m games and media campus in Bristol city centre. It’s on the site of the former Bristol Bierkeller, host to Nirvana’s first ever UK gig, Slipknot, The Stone Roses and Arctic Monkeys. Facilities include a games lab, green screen studio, music tech suites, digital recording studio and band rehearsal studio.
Access runs degree courses in Bristol covering audio and music technology and music performance at dBS Institute, which it acquired in 2021.
Bristol Creative Industries member boomsatsuma is a specialist creative industries training provider. Courses take place in relevant professional environments in the city such as Leadworks, Ashton Gate Stadium, Bottle Yard Studios and Tobacco Factory.
boomsatsuma provides Level 3 Extended Diplomas, that are equivalent to 3 A-levels, as well as BA (Hons) and BSC (Hons) degrees. Courses include creative and digital media, film and television, games, VR and VFX and photography.
As a registered charity, Creative Youth Network supports young people to reach their potential and enjoy fulfilling lives. It offers free courses in youth clubs and other venues in Bristol. Subjects include music, photography and song writing.
Creative Youth Network has opened The Courts in central Bristol. It is an enterprise hub, located in Bristol’s Old Magistrates’ Courts, where young people can explore their creative potential, receive support, access mentoring, and find meaningful work.
dBs Institute of Sound & Digital Technologies
Based in the centre of Bristol, dBs is a specialist educational institute that offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in music production, sound engineering, live sound, and game development.
It is a registered Avid Learning Partner (ALP) and Ableton Certified Training Centre that works with a wide range of creative industry organisations.
Students at dBs Institute can gain real-world experience alongside their studies thanks to dBs Pro, an in-house creative audio company. Students provide sound and music for film, television, video games, art installations and more.
University of the West of England (UWE Bristol)
The School of Arts at Bristol Creative Industries member UWE Bristol offers courses in subjects including drama, filmmaking, animation, photography, media production, journalism, creative and professional writing, film studies and media communications. There are also several fashion and design courses.
Facilities include film, photography and animation studios as well as drama, acting and music facilities.
Many graduates also enter the creatives industries after studying marketing courses at the UWE Business School. It includes the MSc in digital marketing, and MSc/postgraduate diploma/postgraduate certificate in marketing communications.
UoB offers undergraduate degrees in film and television, music and theatre. Facilities include Wickham Theatre, a 24-hour rehearsal space, sound and design studios, carpentry and costume workshops, 214-seat cinema, 39-seat screening room, digital filmmaking equipment, production studios, animation and edit suites and sound rooms.
The University of Bath does not have specific creative industries courses as it focuses on engineering, humanities, management, science, and social science. However, its degree courses include management with marketing featuring a work placement.
Bath Spa offers courses in subjects including film, design, media communications, art and drama. Facilities include a theatre and TV studios.
The university also has the Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries (CCCI) which “aims to magnify research, engagement and discourse surrounding the theoretical, practical and commercial frameworks that embody the arts, media, or creative industries”.
UCW offers higher apprenticeships, full-time degrees and higher technical qualifications (HTQs) in partnership with UWE Bristol and Bath Spa University.
Courses cover subjects including art, film, game, graphic design, digital technologies, performance, production arts and music.
Bristol Creative Industries jobs board
Members of Bristol Creative Industries sometimes post apprenticeship opportunities on the BCI jobs board. See the latest vacancies here.
National College Creative Industries
The National College Creative Industries (NCCI) offers specialist technical production and business support apprenticeships via Access Creative College. You can find the latest details on the NCCI website.
Channel 4, which has a Bristol office, offers apprenticeships. Find out more.
The BBC offers various TV production apprenticeship schemes, some of which are based in Bristol. See the latest opportunities here.
ITV Academy provides traineeships and entry-level pathways into one of the world’s largest commercial production companies. See the latest opportunities here.
Babbasa offers many training and employment opportunities for young people. See the latest opportunities here.
Government apprenticeships website
Creative and design and digital apprenticeships are regularly listed on the government’s apprenticeships website. Search here.
Circencester College offers apprenticeships in creative areas covering digital and IT, media broadcast and production, sales and marketing, and creative and digital.
The college provides intermediate, advanced, higher and degree apprenticeships.
Bristol Creative Industries member Professional Apprenticeships is a government-funded apprenticeship training provider specialising in marketing, IT, business and management. The latest apprenticeships are here.
UCAS has a guide to creative and design apprenticeships here including a directory of relevant employers.
Discover Creative Careers has a guide to apprenticeship routes into the creative industries here.
This list is not exhaustive. Email Dan with suggestions of other educational institutions and companies we can add.
A key focus at Bristol Creative Industries is boosting workforce diversity in creative businesses and helping to grow the talent pipeline for our members. Find out more about our intiatives here.
In summer 2021 we ran an event discussing funding for creative businesses with the south west team at Innovate UK EDGE and a group of Bristol Creative Industries members.
During the discussion, attendees said it would be useful if we could provide regular updates on the finance schemes that are available for creative companies in the south west and beyond. This guide is our response.
The guide is one of Bristol Creative Industries’ most popular ever blog posts. We keep it updated with the latest funding schemes for creative businesses so check it regularly. We also include the post in our monthy email newsletter, BCI Bulletin. To sign up, go here.
Funding news:
The government has announced that the West of England is one of its priority areas for the creative industries and the West of England Combined Mayoral Authority will receive a share of £150m in funding to “design interventions that work for the creative businesses and freelancers in their region”.
The British Business Bank, the government-owned business development bank, has launched the £200m South West Investment Fund (SWIF) “to help address market failures by increasing the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for UK smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment”.
Aimed at businesses in Bristol, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire, the fund provides:
SWIF is managed by four fund managers:
The region is split as follows:
North of the region:
South of the region:
The funding is split as follows:
Businesses can apply for funding directly to the relevant fund managers here.
Micro, small and medium sized businesses can apply for loans of between £100,000 and £2m for innovative projects with strong commercial potential to significantly improve the UK economy.
Applications close at 11am on 22 August.
Grants of £2,500 to £10,000 are available to help small businesses, sole traders, charities, community interest companies (CICs), community organisations and creative and cultural groups open new premises.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on Friday 14 November 2025. If all available funding is allocated before the deadline, the scheme may close early.
Successful applicants must start trading from the funded property by Friday 30 January 2026.
A funding and support programme for UK-based artists, designed to help them develop their art by using immersive technologies. The partners of the scheme include Bristol organisations UWE Bristol, Watershed and University of Bristol.
A total of £3.6m in funding is available through three rounds until 2027. Immersive Arts expects to fund over 200 artists.
There are three strands which are designed to support artists at different stages in their creative development. Eligible artists can apply to ‘Explore’ for £5,000, ‘Experiment’ for £20,000 and ‘Expand’ for £50,000.
Applications close on 29 September 2025.
This £35m Creative UK and Triodos Bank investment fund provides loans of £100,000 to £1m.
Finance is directed to post-revenue creative businesses presenting promising growth potential and who:
This scheme from West of England Combined Authority is designed to help small and medium businesses and organisations purchase and install new products and equipment that reduce carbon emissions, cut utility costs and improve energy efficiency.
Grants of up to £15,000 are available on a first come, first served basis. A total of £2m is available. It is likely the scheme will close for applications in Autumn 2025, but could close early if all funds are awarded.
Grants for established UK-based companies with a game development project at an early stage in the pipeline.
The funding allocation has now been fully committed, but you can express interest in case any further funds are provided for projects from 1 April 2025.
With support from South Gloucestershire Council and funding from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, small and medium sized digital technology businesses can apply for a share of £70,000 in grants.
The fund is an open access programme for arts, libraries and museums projects.
Funding of between £1,000 and £100,000 is available.
This fund from Arts Council England supports individual cultural and creative practitioners in England thinking of taking their practice to the next stage through things such as: research, time to create new work, travel, training, developing ideas, networking or mentoring.
Grants of between £2,000 and £12,000 are available.
Applications are currently closed but future rounds will be announced later this year.
The £5m Supporting Grassroots Music fund supports rehearsal and recording studios, promoters, festivals, and venues for live and electronic music performance.
Travelwest provides match-funded grants for initiatives that improve sustainable travel provision in a business.
The aim is to provide financial support and incentives to employers to enable them to encourage sustainable modes of commuting or in-work travel (including site visits and meetings) amongst their staff.
The grants can be used for the implementation of physical measures, promotional events or any other measure that will encourage mode change amongst staff.
Grants are currently availables for businesses in Bristol and North Somerset.
Innovate UK’s £100m BridgeAI programme aims “to help businesses in high growth potential sectors such as creative industries, agriculture, construction, and transport to harness the power of AI and unlock their full potential”.
The programme offers funding and support to help innovators assess and implement trusted AI solutions, connect with AI experts, and elevate their AI leadership skills.
This fund supports organisations who work at the intersection of art and social change. It offers grants between £90,000 and £300,000 over three years.
Applications are currently closed but details of the next round will be announced soon.
This new £23m social impact investment fund is for socially driven arts, culture and heritage organisations registered and operating in the UK. It offers loans between £150,000 and £1m repayable until May 2030.
The Elephant Trust says its mission is to “make it possible for artists and those presenting their work to undertake and complete projects when frustrated by lack of funds. It is committed to helping artists and art institutions/galleries that depart from the routine and signal new, distinct and imaginative sets of possibilities.”
Grants of up to £5,000 are available. Applications are currently closed but a new round of funding will be announced soon.
Grants of up to £100,000 are available for arts, libraries and museums projects.
The grants support a broad range of creative and cultural projects that benefit people living in England. Projects can range from directly creating and delivering creative and cultural activity to projects which have a longer term positive impact, such as organisational development, research and development, and sector support and development.
This fund aims to grow exports and global demand for UK independent film by supporting the UK film industry to achieve measurable results which would not have been achievable without the support.
Applications close on at 11.59pm on 31 March 2026.
This scheme supports the festival launch of UK films in order to enhance their promotion, reach and value internationally.
Applications close on at 11.59pm on 31 March 2026.
This scheme supports UK sales agents to increase their international promotion and sales of UK feature film projects.
Applications close on at 11.59pm on 31 March 2026.
A Start Up Loan is a government-backed unsecured personal loan for individuals looking to start or grow a business in the UK. Successful applicants also receive 12 months of free mentoring and exclusive business offers.
All owners or partners in a business can individually apply for up to £25,000 each, with a maximum of £100,000 per business.
The loans have a fixed interest rate of 6% p.a. and a one to five year repayment term. Entrepreneurs starting a business or running one that has been trading for up to three years can apply. Businesses trading for between three and five years can apply for a second loan.
If you’re running a creative social enterprise you may be able to access funding from UnLtd.
Finance of up to £5,000 is available for starting a social enterprise and up to £15,000 for growing a social enterprise.
Successful applicants also get up to 12 tailored business support plus access to access to expert mentors and workshops.
Businesses can apply for up to £3,500 to cover the costs of installing gigabit broadband.
Check if the scheme is available in your area here.
Grants to provide support towards the costs of the purchase, installation and infrastructure of electric vehicle chargepoints at eligible places of work.
The scheme covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (including VAT), capped at a maximum of £350 per socket and 40 sockets across all sites per applicant.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on 31 March 2026.
If you know of another scheme that we haven’t listed and you’d like to share it with other creative businesses, email Dan to let us know.
On a Wednesday evening in June – we hosted our first ‘Gather Round Presents’ event at the Trinity Church Gather Round. It was one for the books…
Whether it was the promise of an honest, open conversation about the challenges of working in the creative industries, or a need for the answer to the mutually felt question “Am I the only one feeling the pressure?” – tickets flew out in record time.
At 6.30pm we opened the doors to The Vestry and a new community of creatives flooded in, the vibe was electric. Backlit by a perfect summer’s evening and armed with their own stories to share, we saw people making instant connections, sharing contact details and engaging in deep conversations before we’d even sat down. This is something we all needed to talk about.
After a glass of free prosecco and some delicious free pizza from our partners Bosco, we moved through to The Great Hall bringing an air of focus with us, as our all-Gather Round-member panel took their seats to share their wisdom.
Bend, stretch, but don’t fold… become elastic. Your business depends on it.
A recurring theme from each of our speakers and touched upon in more depth by Jamie Ellul of Supple Studio, was Covid, a trying time to say the least. Jamie discussed how those turbulent years almost sent Supple down – something that, back then, was easy to take personally. This feeling was only made slightly more manageable due to the fact that his friends, colleagues & clients were all feeling it too. Jamie openly discussed how this felt like a great exercise in cutting the umbilical cord, once he realised how much of his self worth was wrapped up in the business. Something that he has since tackled through therapy and looking inward. This raw honesty was something that fuelled the rest of the evening, with equally inspirational testimony from the rest of our panel.
Tim Miness, Creative Director of Osborne Pike, shared a few mantras with the audience that have helped him stay flexible, creative and resilient. A statement that resonated was not being afraid to admit when something isn’t working. Bend the rules. What decision do I need to make in order to change my situation? How can I tap into that magic creativity and find the answer to this problem? Not only that, but how can I ask the right questions? Tim’s advice – hire people that are better than you. Expand that collective creativity, and together, you’ll find the right question.
Honesty is the best policy, and we definitely heard that from our panel. There were murmurs from the audience mentioning how refreshing it is to hear people being open about their downfalls, where they could improve and how they got through hard times. A refreshing perspective on managing a business, compared to older, more traditional ways of thinking.
Tim shared his dislike for the phrase “Fake it til you make it”. Something we’ve all encountered and tried to embody in some way, as we try to make sense of our place in the world. Sharing his love for the sentiment of trying new things, but ultimately landing on, why do we feel like we have to pretend to know what we’re doing? Perhaps one of his mantra’s “Learn it til you earn it” feels like a more sensitive way to approach things, although (in his own words) “…it doesn’t quite have the same punch.”
We heard Robin Worrall, Creative Director of Rednine open up about his heart-first approach to his work. Something he’s cultivated after pulling his business apart and asking the question, what am I really trying to achieve here? After getting the nudge he needed from a post he saw on LinkedIn, with the sticky phrase “old keys don’t open new doors”, he knew he needed to reposition and rebuild his entire creative offer. Looking at what he needed to keep, what he was prepared to lose and what would be great to add. Robin compounded this with the sentiment that being creative is emotional, and that’s something he pushes through his work, to find the heart of brands and tell their story with authenticity. It’s safe to say, a few tears were shed.
Ask for help, reach out, learn from others, share failures and compare challenges. It all starts with… “Can I chat to you about something?”.
Robin left us with a perfect segue into Kate Southerby’s interactive section of the evening. Coaching with the brain in mind, Kate is a facilitator of insights. She guided the audience through her 7 step plan, asking everyone to score themselves out of 10 for each section: Sleep, Movement, Focus, Introspection, Daydreaming, Play, Connection. There was an overwhelming consensus that we aren’t looking after our brains as well as we could be, so this was a welcome exercise that left the audience with plenty of food for thought.
The importance of nourishing your mental and physical health was a thread followed by all of our panellists, as each person has faced certain difficulties of their own. As Steven Hore discussed, managing stress has elevated how he works. He and his family made the decision to leave London after more than 20 years in the city. Initially causing more stress than intended due to commutes, but, after Covid eliminated presenteeism, time usually reserved for long car or train journeys was swapped out for more time in nature, exercising and moving through beautiful spaces that nourish his soul.
Something more attainable than moving city that he shared with the audience though, and perhaps the most simple and obvious tip: get a good night’s sleep! Steven shared how implementing this one action has transformed his ability to handle combined stressors such as job insecurity, shifting budgets and demands of 16+ hour shoot days with ease.
It’s not all about work though, as we revisit a comment from Jamie Ellul on not letting your self-worth get too wrapped up in your business, the panel delved into the importance of finding things outside of work to nourish your creative side. Find a hobby you love and indulge in it as much as you can. Hustle culture is dying, now is the time for slow, intentional living.
Of course – it wouldn’t be a conversation about the state of the world right now without touching on artificial intelligence. A topic that roused the crowd, unsure on how to feel about this powerful new tool we’ve all been given. But the biggest question on everyone’s lips… What does this mean for creative jobs? Tim, Kate, Steven, Robin and Jamie all steadfast in their belief that creative jobs aren’t going anywhere. A sigh of relief. Steven shared some positive thoughts on how AI is a great democratiser. The barriers to entry now are lower than before, meaning more eyes, more screens and work happening in more places than ever before.
This being said, clients will always want emotional, relatable, human stories. From Jamie’s perspective, AI can only produce more of the same and will never be a match for the way humans think and create. We left that topic firmly closed with his mic drop moment – “AI won’t give you a drumming gorilla for a Cadbury ad”.
After a short break, we resumed the discourse in the form of an intimate Q&A. With questions from a concerned audience, on how positive the panel feel about the creative industries going forward – will we see an upturn? Leaving us with some final gems of knowledge, the panel discussed how being brave will ultimately lead to success. However you view success though, is up to you. Times have been difficult, really difficult, but they ARE changing. There are spaces, like Gather Round, where community is flourishing and people are coming together with ideas and strength beyond what they thought they were capable of, just a few years ago.
In the words of Anthony Burrill, “Work hard and be nice to people” – but most importantly, be brave, nourish your network, ask questions, take care of yourself and the rest will follow. Stay resilient out there!
If you want to get involved in our next event – make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter so you don’t miss out on tickets. They don’t hang around for long.
saintnicks has been shortlisted for four awards at the UK Social Media Awards 2025, recognising the agency’s standout work in user-generated content, integrated campaigns, long-term strategy and team excellence.
Best Use of UGC – POSCA
Best Integrated Social Campaign – Ascot Racecourse
Best Long-Term Strategic Use of Social Media – Ascot Racecourse
Best In-Agency Team – saintnicks
The UK Social Media Awards celebrate the very best in creativity, innovation and impact across social platforms. From the vibrant, creator-fuelled world of POSCA to diversification of Royal Ascot’s audience and fan engagement, saintnicks’ work continues to blend bold thinking with measurable success.
Callum Joynes, Head of Content at saintnicks, said:
“Social media is one of the most powerful ways to build meaningful brand experiences, and these nominations are a fantastic recognition of the agency’s creativity, commitment, and real-world strategic capability. We’re incredibly proud to be shortlisted across such a broad mix of categories.”
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saintnicks is a leading independent brand agency. We partner with ambitious brands to drive commercial growth, through standout strategy, campaigns, digital experiences, and social media. An agile, highly experienced team of specialists, combining top-tier strategic and creative talent from global agencies and client-side brands. We take brands further.
Earlier this year, Bristol Surf Cinema launched its very first event – a night dedicated to celebrating surf storytelling on the big screen. What started as a small, DIY project to bring people together around meaningful surf films quickly grew into something bigger, with almost 250 people buying for the inaugural screening in April.
The idea was simple: create a space to showcase surf films that go beyond the highlight reels, beyond the big brand edits – stories that dig into the social, political, and environmental threads woven through surf culture.
As a camera assistant working in film and TV and a lifelong surfer, I (Theo) set out to build something that connected those two worlds. In a time when the industry was unusually quiet, Bristol Surf Cinema gave me a creative project to get stuck into and a chance to pour energy into something that mattered. It was also a way to genuinely support filmmakers, every film we screen is fully licensed and paid for, and £1 from every ticket is donated to The Wave Project to help fund surf therapy for young people in the UK.
But perhaps what stood out most from the first event was how the Bristol surf community (and the wider ocean-loving crowd) showed up. Feedback from the night wasn’t just about the films, it was about the feeling in the room. People supported the event and made it clear they would like to see more. They wanted a space where all surf stories could be told, with better representation, better balance, and an even stronger connection to the community.
That’s where our second event comes in. On Saturday 12th July at Watershed Bristol, Bristol Surf Cinema returns with a matinee screening of Point of Change, a powerful documentary by acclaimed director Rebecca Coley. The film tells the story of Nias, Indonesia – a surf paradise that was ‘discovered’ in the 1970s and the environmental and cultural impact that unfolded for the local community as surf tourism in that area grew.
It’s a film that makes you think about the consequences of surf tourism — and we’re lucky to have Rebecca joining us on the day for a Q&A to explore those themes in more depth. Rebecca will be answering questions on her filmmaking process, handling delicate themes within documentary and the impact of tourism on the earth and native communities.
Alongside the feature, we’ll also be screening two UK-made short films:
Surfaced by Paul Stevenson, telling the story of Nick Corkill’s journey through addiction and mental health, and the grounding role that surfing and photography play in that journey.
Seb: A Surf Therapy Journey by Matilda Thompson, a beautifully observed short following a young surfer with ADHD and autism as he experiences surf therapy with The Wave Project Bristol.
For those who can’t make the main event, we’ll also be running a catch-up screening on Wednesday 16th July — same films, just without the Q&A.
Both events will offer the opportunity for networking and drinks at the Watershed bar after the event so you can minglew with like-minded film or ocean enthusiasts.
Bristol Surf Cinema was never meant to be a one-off. The ambition is to keep this platform going – to continue curating thoughtful, story-first surf films and to keep building a space where filmmakers feel supported and audiences feel connected.
Looking ahead, there are exciting plans for a national tour to bring these kinds of surf screenings to other UK cities and coastal towns. The vision is to grow Bristol Surf Cinema into a national platform, while always staying true to the ethos: supporting independent surf filmmaking, elevating underrepresented voices, and creating community-led spaces where ocean & surf centred stories, of all kinds, can be seen, heard, and shared.
Want to come along?
Tickets for the July screenings are available now via the Watershed website: https://www.watershed.co.uk/whatson/13320/bristol-surf-cinema-point-of-change
To stay up to date with future screenings or to get involved, follow @bristolsurfcinema on Instagram.
Bristol-made podcast, High Notes, returns on Monday 30th June, as it continues conversations around the art and business of voice, featuring the voice actors, directors and creatives who make it all happen.
Host Melissa Thom brings insightful conversations, illuminating perspectives and plenty of behind the scenes moments from the worlds of gaming and animation.
With six new episodes dropping every week, each lasting around thirty minutes, the podcast shines a light on the world of voice acting, for anyone who is already working in, hoping to break into, or simply fascinated by the business. The new series features professionals working in high level casting, voice acting and directing across AAA games.
Melissa Thom is an acclaimed voice actor with decades of experience voicing projects including Grand Theft Auto V for Rockstar Games, Elder Scrolls for Zenimax, LL COOL J, Google, Amazon, Nike and many more.
Melissa is also the Founder and CEO of BRAVA, and has trained thousands of people in voice from the UK and beyond – from rappers and reverends to ad creatives and countesses.
The first episode of the new season kicks off with a conversation with Kate Hansen-Birnbaum, Casting Director at Pixar, whose credits include animated films including Inside Out 2, Soul, Elemental and Luca.
Kate shares her unconventional path into casting, which began at a San Francisco talent agency under the mentorship of seasoned actors. She offers a rare look inside Pixar’s intricate casting process, highlighting the value placed on authenticity, natural vocal tone and the ability to truly inspire the animation team. The conversation touches on Pixar’s commitment to diverse and inclusive casting, including their practice of anonymised auditions to help reduce unconscious bias.
The full line up of episodes and release dates are as follows:
30/06/2025 – The Magic of Pixar: Voice Casting with Kate Hansen-Birnbaum
Kate brings memorable stories from her career – particularly the joy of working on Elemental – and shares thoughtful advice for aspiring voice actors.
07/07/2025 – Vocal Shapeshifting: Acting for Video Games with Andrew Whieldon Dennis
Andrew reflects on his expansive career as a voice actor in the videogame industry, from indie projects to AAA blockbusters.
14/07/2025 – Inside Aardman: Bringing Clay to Life – Characters, Voice & Performance with Merlin Crossingham, Creative Director for Wallace and Gromit at Aardman Animations
Merlin shares some surprising stories from his childhood that led him onto a very specific career path in animation, as well as thoughts on the timeless appeal of Wallace and Gromit.
21/07/2025 – Casting for Mocap, Games & Animation with Jessica Jefferies
Melissa sits down with Jessica Jefferies, a casting director who specialises in motion and performance capture for video games.
28/07/2025 – Directing Performance for Epic Games with Tom Keegan
Melissa talks to Tom Keegan, an acclaimed performance director behind major AAA titles such as Jedi: Fallen Order, Wolfenstein, Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and more.
04/08/2025 – Bob Bergen: The voice behind Star Wars, Spirited Away and Looney Tunes
Melissa is joined by five-time Emmy-nominated voice actor Bob Bergen, best known as the voice of Porky Pig – a role he’s brought to life for over 30 years.
Melissa Thom, High Notes’ host, said: “This season we’ll be lifting the curtain to reveal the reality of working within gaming and animation. Some key players in the business have shared their perspectives and experience to help the next generation of voice acting talent to break through. The voice acting world can seem like a mysterious closed shop, but the aim of High Notes is to demystify and remove barriers for those who would love to know more about this fascinating business.”
High Notes can be found at www.brava.uk.com/podcast and on all major podcast platforms.
Season 3 will be released later in 2025 and will focus on BRAVA Business and its corporate offering – how professionals can use their voice for impactful communication in the workplace and beyond.
The much anticipated creative industries sector plan has been published by the government.
With the creative industries one of the key sectors of focus in the government’s industrial strategy and the West of England one of the government’s priority areas for the creative industries, there is much of interest in the plan to creative businesses in our region.
Here’s a round-up of what’s in the creative industries sector plan:
Bristol and the wider region is mentioned several times in the plan. That includes a reference to Bristol as a “strong regional creative hub” and home to “cutting-edge createch“. It also references the BBC Studio’s Natural History Unit in Bristol which it says “has led to the region being known as ‘Green Hollywood'” which “not only boosts the region’s economy but also adds vital social value”.
A map of the creative industries in different regions has this for the West of England, with references to Bristol Creative Industries members Channel 4, The Bottle Yard Studios, and Aardman Animations.
The West of England is one of six areas getting a share of £150m to “design interventions that work for the creative businesses and freelancers in their region” as part of the new Creative Places Growth Fund. The government said this could include providing access to mentors, expert guidance, and connections to suitable investors.
The other areas are Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North East, West Midlands, and West Yorkshire.
The fund will also support the development of a West of England-South Wales Creative Corridor.
Highlighting the West of England, the plan said the region is the UK’s third-largest production hub, a global centre for natural history filmmaking, and film tourism. It also referenced the region as being home to the the BBC as well as Bristol Creative Industries members Channel 4, The Bottle Yard Studios, and Oscar-winning Aardman Animations.
Helen Godwin, mayor of the West of England, said:
“I promised to work with the government and invest in the West. To have our creative industries recognised with this funding is a real vote of confidence in our region. People are drawn here from all over the world, whether it’s for our balloons and street art or the city so historic that UNESCO listed it twice. Creativity in the West knows few limits – or equals.
“Culture is part of who we are, whether it’s Oscar-collecting Aardman Animations or treble-winning Bath Rugby. It’s also a big part of the West of England’s economy, and it’s growing. Now we can invest in the future through the Industrial Strategy: helping businesses to grow, bringing through the next generation of creatives, and driving economic growth.”
The British Business Bank (BBB) will “significantly increase” support for UK creative businesses with debt and equity finance. It will be provided with £4 billion of Industrial Strategy Growth Capital to support investment and growth in the Industrial Strategy eight key sectors which includes the creative industries.
The British Business Bank will also launch a ‘Cluster Champion’ programme, with ‘Champions’ with deep expertise and local knowledge to support investment in 10 city regions, including the West of England.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will “significantly increase” public funding for the creative industries, including support for commercialisation and technology adoption.
A £100m UKRI investment will “support the ambitious next wove of R&D creative clusters in new sub-sectors and locations throughout the UK”.
UKRI will publish a new creative industries R&D strategy later in 2025, enhance and streamline the funding support journey through Innovate UK, and support access to Horizon Europe funding.
The government wil investigate specific measuresto tackle barriers to lending to IP-rich SMEs in the creative industries.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will fund the £25m Creative Futures programme to add five new CoSTAR R&D labs and two showcase spaces across the UK.
HM Revenue & Customs will publish revised guidance for the R&D tax reliefs. It will clarify that “where a project in the creative sector seeks an advance in science or technology, arts activities that directly contribute to the advance by resolving scientific or technological uncertainties are within the definition of R&D for the reliefs, and their qualifying costs, such as salaries, can qualify for relief”.
The guidance will be published in 2025 and will clarify that eligible interdisciplinary innovation can be supported by R&D tax relief.
Protection of copyright in the AI age has been a conversial issue in the creative industries. The government said it “will ensure a copyright regime that values and protects human creativity, can be trusted, and unlocks new opportunities for innovation across the creative sector and wider economy. It said is analysing responses to the consultation on delivering a copyright and Al framework and “recognises the need for this to be done properly and carefully in a considered, measured and reasoned way, to develop any future proposals”.
The government will establish a Creative Content Exchange (CCE) to be “a trusted marketplace for selling, buying, licensing, and enabling permitted access to digitised cultural and creative assets”.
An independent review will be published in the autumn which “seeks to deliver a curriculum that readies young people for life and work, Including in creative subjects and skills”.
The government will launch a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education in England in September 2026.
A new UK-wide £9m creative careers service will be launched “to equip the next generation of young people withthe ambition and knowledge to work in the creative industries”.
The government will launch a new DCMS and Skills England led Creative Sector Skills Forum and the Digital Skills Council, an industry-led advisory body.
DCMS, Department for Education and Skills England will work with industry to support increased access to quality specialist creative education provision acrossEngland to strengthen the supply of highly trained creative students.
The government will refine and develop the growth and skills offer to deliver apprenticeships and skills training that recognises the particular needs of the creative industries.
The government will allocate £132.5 million to increase disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities, including in arts and culture, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability.
UKRI will provide resources and support for technology adoption, as well as an online directory of facilities across the UK where creative businesses can access cutting-edge technology.
Creative UK will work with chief technology officers from the sector and other technology leaders to identify next steps to accelerate the adoption of responsible AI.
The government will upskill creative businesses on security through guidance from the National Protective Security Authority and National Cyber Security Centre .
The government will appoint a creative freelance champion, to advocate for the sector’s creative freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council.
The Department for Business and Trade will increase funding to facilitate meetings and showcasing at major creative trade shows and events, including South by Southwest, Cannes Lions, Game Developers Conference and International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo.
DCMS will invest in the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN programme for emerging UK designers with funding for London Fashion Week showcases and business mentoring.
The government said createch will be a central part of UKRl’s new strategy for the creative industries launching later this year. UKRI will bring together stakeholders to tackle barriers and accelerate createch growth, reporting to DCMS and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) ministers with recommendations by the end of 2025.
Describing createch, the plan says:
“Createch combines creative innovation and cutting-edge technology to generate novel products, services and experiences. Createch businesses have the same growth potential as other technology firms and are expected to generate £18 billion in gross value added (GVA) and 160,000 jobs over the next decade.
“They are found in every creative sub-sector, with an estimated 13,800 creative businesses leveraging technologies including robotics, engineering biology, and XR. 3D printing has revolutionised sustainable fashion, AI is reshaping video games and performing arts, and gaming technologies are used in mental health therapeutics, aeronautics and engineering.”
A new £75m Screen Growth package over three years to develop independent UK screen content, support inward investment, and showcase the UK and International film. It includes a scaled-up £18m per year UK Global Screen Fund from 2026-2029 to develop international business capabilities, enable co-productions and distribute independent UK screen content.
The government will provide £10m to expand the National Film and Television School. It said the investment will unlock £11m of private investment, including from the Walt Disney Company, the Dana and Albert R. Broccoli Foundation, and Sky.
The government will scale up the BFI Film Academy to support 16-25 year olds from underrepresented backgrounds to enter the film industry.
New funding of £30m will be launched to suport start-up games studios and talent.
The UK Games Fund (UKGF) will be enhanced by providing support for new UK titles and skills over 2026-29 attracting match-funding for every supported project.
A new UK Video Games Council of industry representatives will work with the government and the Creative Industries Council to support growth of the video games sector.
Up to £30m in funding over the next three years will be launched with the aim of helping more UK emerging artists break through on a domestic and international stage.
A new ticket levy on arena and stadium gigs will deliver up to £20m annually through the LIVE Trust, with the aim of bolstering the UK’s grassroots music sector, supporting artists, venues, festivals and promoters.
The goverment said it is “working towards an industry-led agreement on music streaming, which will boost earnings for creators.
Ad tech businesses will be supported with accelerator programmes, to upskill founders towards International expansion and connect them with key investors.
The government will launch the BBC Charter to “ensure the BBC is empowered to continue to deliver a vital public service funded in a sustainable way, delivering a BBC that can maintain the trust and support of the public in difficult times, support the wider ecosystem, and that isset up to drive growth in every part of the United Kingdom”.
The government will ask the CMA and Ofcom to set out how changes in the sector – such as the convergence of broadcast, on-demand and video sharing – could be taken into account as part of any future assessment of television and advertising markets. This would include when considering any potential closer, strategic partnerships or possible consolidation between broadcasters which may benefit their financial sustainability and audiences.
On 6th June, our Performing Arts students came together to perform Echoes of the Stage at The Playhouse Theatre, an original production that incorporated a range of legendary musicals theatre numbers from existing Broadway and West End shows across different eras.
In this production, time had been shattered in a forgotten theatre and, in order to restore time and revive the theatre, six dreamers were summoned by the Clockmaker to journey through legendary musicals such as The Great Gatsby, Anything Goes, Mary Poppins, Cabaret, Les Misérables, and many more to piece time back together.
The students from Level 2 and 3 Performing Arts worked together throughout the 12 weeks of rehearsals to create this incredible show! They worked extremely hard on learning the choreography, songs and scenes, as well as developing new roles, characters and embracing this new and exciting original production.
Throughout this production, students stepped out of their comfort zones and became more adaptable in a range of roles, characters and responsibilities. They developed their confidence on stage and perfected their techniques in a professional, real-life theatre environment which was excellent practice for future industry experience.
The production celebrated a range of musicals throughout history, seeing the development of different songs and dances over time. This was a great way for the students to experience the progression of Musical Theatre and the impact these popular productions have had on today’s industry.
The students took on a range of production roles to give them the opportunity to develop their skills, increase their employability, and provide them with a more holistic understanding of the theatre industry and its current requirements. This provides them with a variety of transferrable skills to give them a broader knowledge base, from helping with lights and sound, to assisting with the Marketing of the production.
Not only this, Echoes of the Stage was also a celebration of inclusion and support, with all students getting the chance to sing, dance and act in the role that they desired. It was a fantastic way for everyone to flex their creativity and, due to the variety of musicals included, get the chance to be front and centre. They got to experience multiple quick changes and practice a range of different dances from across the decades.
Witnessing the teamwork, collaboration and professionalism from all the students was fantastic. They successfully learnt and executed this production in a short amount of time and seamlessly adapted to the new approach of this musical. It was very different from anything Weston College Performing Arts had done before as it was an original concept and script written by the team.
Joe Miller, one of our Performing Arts lecturers at Weston College, expressed how proud he was of the learners, saying, “The learners were stretched and challenged throughout the 12-week process, developing their skills in dance, acting, singing, planning, problem solving and performance, to name but a few!”
“The final show in The Playhouse was a huge success and we are incredibly proud of the work our learners have achieved. The feedback and reviews about the production were amazing, saying how inclusive our show was, how professional it was and, above all, how incredibly entertaining they found it! Here’s to next year’s show!”
This original production was created by the Performing Arts lecturers, Joe Miller, Lisa Frost, and Fiona Philp, who worked hard to choreograph and direct this unique and uplifting musical. It wouldn’t have been possible without their hard work and dedication, and with the collaboration of the students, this production was a celebration of all things Musical Theatre.
Well done to all the students who performed and helped, your efforts didn’t go unnoticed!
If you are interested in applying to one of our Performance and Production courses, click here.
This performance forms part of the Performing Arts and Production Careers Excellence Hub. Weston College’s Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners’ careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys.
Written by Theo Locke, this article has previously appeared on the ADLIB Blog.
We spoke with Alistair Paul, Director at Bright, a creative event production company specialising in employee engagement. With a focus on people and planet, Bright is now a certified B Corp, using events as a force for good.
Here, he shares their journey to certification, how the B Corp framework aligns with their values, and what it means for their team, clients, and the wider industry.
Bright is an event production & management company with a specialisation in internal and employee engagement events. We think differently about events, developing creative and insight-driven event solutions that tick all the boxes; on brand, on time and on budget. You can find out more about our approach on Bright’s website.
I found out about B Corp after seeing some other companies getting accredited, and so out of curiosity looked into what it was all about. Once I did, it was a no-brainer as the B Corp principles aligned with our values as a business and the ways we were already working.
For me it’s less that being a B Corp has changed what we do at Bright, but more it gives us the stamp of legitimacy to find other likeminded organisations and keep us on the right track. It also give our clients the confidence that they are working with a company that understands the impact events can have both on people and the planet.
The process was great, and to be honest I wish it had been around when Bright was set up because it really is a template for how businesses should be run if they want to build with purpose.
Being able to take it bit by bit rather than all in one go allowed us to work through our accreditation while also managing client projects, but I can’t stress the importance of having an internal champion. Someone who will take the lead and make sure it all gets done – for us that was the amazing Beth Simmons and I’m so grateful!
Internally, it’s something to unite with a clear vision and structure so that the team can be proud of where they work.
Before our B Corp journey we were already members of isla and Corporate Charity Partners for Caring in Bristol so we were already thinking about our impact socially & environmentally. The main internal change however is that being a B Corp means that we’re committed to measuring and reporting on this impact, so that we can continue to improve as we grow.
Externally, it allows us to advocate for a fairer and more sustainable events industry, and hopefully find and attract like minded partners at every part of the event production process from suppliers and venues to clients themselves.
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