We have a broad range of people researching and working with the creative economy.

We are well connected to the creative economy: from linguists and lawyers working with opera and theatre companies to artists involved in health and social care, and journalists immersed in community media. Our Creative Economy team is supporting and developing this work by encouraging collaboration both within and beyond the Cardiff University.

The Creative Economy team is also mapping Cardiff’s creative economy. To do this we are carrying out research to identify those people, organisations and businesses working in the creative industries, and ‘embedded creatives’ working in other sectors.

We are partners in the REACT creative economy knowledge exchange project and over the last year we have run events for researchers at Cardiff University including sessions on networking, funding and artists in residence. We are also researching the demand for a creative hub space in Cardiff.

Our projects

Our research network

The Creative Cardiff Research Network is an interdisciplinary network which aims to connect academic researchers interested in the creative economy. The network is primarily made up of academics at Cardiff University, but it also seeks to engage with other research networks, including researchers at University of South Wales and Cardiff Metropolitan University, along with those who work in the creative economy and stakeholders.

In October 2015, our Creative Economy team launched a city-wide network for creative people, organisations and businesses working in the Cardiff region - Creative Cardiff. Together, the two networks provide opportunities to develop new ideas, projects and cutting-edge innovations. We aim for people to learn from each other and to work together.

Our network encourages more collaboration across the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and beyond by helping to develop and facilitate small groups based around research themes, rather than academic disciplines.

Existing and prospective groups include those interested in:

• digital cultures
• creative talent and employment
• creative economy and sport
• performance spaces and festivals
• visualising evidence and research
• Welsh language and creativity in Cardiff
• wellbeing and creativity
• social media and free speech
• intellectual property

We hope the research network will facilitate better communication between academic researchers with interests in these and other areas related to the creative economy.

Our team

Dr Johann Gregory is a Research Associate for the Creative Economy team. He has been appointed to co-ordinate the work of the Creative Cardiff Research Network. Professor Steve Blandford, Emeritus Professor at the University of South Wales, is offering guidance on this phase of the project as a consultant.

Please get in touch with Johann Gregory if you would like to hear more, or join the Creative Cardiff Research Network: