Diverse Capacities: building a knowledge exchange network for creative industries in the Solent

2021年LGA文化和地方政府委员会指出，尽管英国地方议会每年在文化上花费10亿英镑，但区域文化社区的战略是分散的，往往依赖于参与不足的决策过程（Young：2021）。自2020年以来，英国在创意和文化方面的主要资本支出来自地方政府，但区域连通性通常与投标能力有关，这意味着拥有更多公民资源或文化基础设施的地区的议会将获得更多支持。自疫情以来，英国的创意从业者及艺术组织亦面临一系列复杂的挑战。艺术组织正在努力寻找对他们的创意节目至关重要的自由职业者，这就增加了对网络和文化连接器的需求。这些变化加剧了一些长期存在的结构性和社会性障碍，阻碍了创意产业的包容、公平和参与。该项目通过在索伦特海峡建立一个新的创意产业知识交流网络，改善整个地区创意从业者的连通性，来应对这些挑战。它与南安普顿市理事会、CHAOS网络和朴茨茅斯亚洲社会文化组织合作，将当地政府官员与该地区的创意自由职业者联系起来。通过一系列的研讨会、创意活动、合作委员会、展览和指导会议，它还将支持该地区现有的南亚遗产作家网络，作为文化连接者和倡导者，向他们介绍新的数字技术和国际创意网络。我们将通过政策简报和报告、公共网站上提供的资源“思想工具包”、出版的选集和一系列创意委员会，以及在索伦特海峡服务不足地区举行的面对面活动和培训课程的公共计划，展示这些新的连通性和网络模式。项目活动分四个阶段进行：1.连接-在南安普顿大学的数字人文中心举行的开幕式研讨会将用于确定和绘制我们在区域文化活动提供方面的联系和差距2。沉浸式-我们将举办四个主题为“超越行业写作”的研讨会，为8名通过CHAOS网络（创意自由职业者的区域论坛）确定和招募的创意行业自由职业者举办。网络化-我们的自由撰稿人将被邀请参加一系列合作性有偿委托活动，同时当地作家网络将接受培训，成为文化的连接者和倡导者，在戈斯波特、朴茨茅斯、拉什莫尔、怀特岛和新森林与朴茨茅斯亚洲社会文化组织4的成员一起举办研讨会。反思-项目团队将在南安普敦的John Hansard画廊举办最终发布活动和整个项目中创作的创意作品展览我们的沉浸式研讨会和活动旨在建立Lounge，创意产业自由职业者和文化网络之间更深层次的联系，帮助增强区域能力并加强支持我们文化基础设施的联系。

The 2021 LGA Commission on Culture and Local Government has noted that despite the £1billion spent per year on culture by local councils in the UK, strategies for regional cultural communities are fragmented, often relying on under-engaged decision-making processes (Young: 2021). Since 2020, the primary capital spend on creativity and culture in the UK comes through local government, yet regional connectivity is often related to bidding capacity, meaning councils in areas with greater civic resources or cultural infrastructure receive more support. There are also a complex series of challenges for creative practitioners and arts organisations in the UK since the pandemic. Arts organisations are struggling to source freelancers essential to their creative programming, creating an increased need for networkers and cultural connectors. These changes have exacerbated some of the long-standing structural and social barriers to inclusion, equity, and engagement in the creative industries.This project addresses these challenges by building a new knowledge exchange network for the creative industries in the Solent, improving connectivity for creative practitioners across the region. Working with Southampton City Council, the CHAOS Network, and Portsmouth Asian Socio-Cultural Organisation, it connects local government officers (LGOs) with a cultural remit with creative freelancers across the region. Through a series of workshops, creative activities, collaborative commissions, exhibitions, and mentoring sessions, it will also support an existing network of writers of South Asian heritage in the region to work as cultural connectors and advocates, introducing them to new digital technology and international creative networks. We will showcase these new models of connectivity and networking through a policy brief and report, a 'think-kit' of resources available on a public website, a published anthology and series of creative comissions, and a public programme of in-person events and training sessions held in underserved areas across the Solent. The project activities take place in four phases:1. Connection - Opening workshops, held in the University of Southampton's Digital Humanities Hub, will be used to identify and map our connections and gaps in regional provision for cultural activities2. Immersion - We will run four workshops on the theme of 'Writing Beyond Sectors' for 8 creative industries freelancers identified and recruited through CHAOS network, a regional forum for creative freelancers 3. Enmeshing - Our freelancers will be invited to take part in a series of collaborative paid commissions, while a network of local writers will be trained to act as connectors and advocates for culture, running workshops in Gosport, Portsmouth, Rushmoor, Isle of Wight, and the New Forest with members of the Portsmouth Asian Socio-Cultural Organisation4. Reflection - The project team will hold a final launch event and exhibition of creative works created throughout the project at the John Hansard Gallery in SouthamptonOur immersive workshops and events look to build deeper connections between LGOs, creative industries freelancers, and cultural networks, helping to augment regional capabilities and strengthen the connections supporting our cultural infrastructure.