Update on Hounslow’s Creatives Enterprise Zone
Progress is underway in the development of Hounslow’s Creative Enterprise Zone, designated by the Mayor of London earlier this year as part of an initiative to support artists and creative businesses.
The Creative Enterprise Zone covers the areas from Chiswick Business Park to Sky in Osterley, south including the Brentford and north to include Boston Manor and Gunnersbury parks. The Great West Road spans the zone, with its eclectic mix of corporate headquarters in the broadcasting, media and IT sectors and micro businesses in co-working hubs such as UBCUK at The Mille Building. On the edge of the Zone in Brentford Town Centre you can find the artists community on Johnson’s Island.
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The Great West Road spans the zone, with its eclectic mix of corporate headquarters in the broadcasting, media and IT sectors and micro businesses such as the artist community on Johnson’s Island.
The last several months have been spent getting the Creative Enterprise Zone team in place, engaging local stakeholders and commissioning required research. Some of the programme areas being addressed include:
Workspace:
Affordable workspace for creative industries has been identified as a priority. Local landlords have been engaged. The Council is working with the developers who are planning projects within the Zone. A study of the different types of affordable workspace is required (micro business co-working, rehearsal/production, creatives, etc). Boston Manor House renovations are scheduled to be completed in April 2021.
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Employment & Skills:
A tender opportunity for the delivery of a programme to assist and support individuals and start-ups in the creative industries will issued in 2020. Both the University of West London and West Thames College are engaged and coordinating with their respective qualifications in the creative industries.
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Community Creatives Network
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The development of a Creatives Network that draws together artists, cultural groups, private sector creatives and independents is underway, drawing on the work of the Creative People & Places programme run by Watermans. |
Business Engagement:
Business Engagement – It was determined that the commercial focus would be on creative businesses within the ‘Film/TV/Games’ (screen) and ‘IT/Digital’ sectors, while micro business in other sectors would be supported through cluster and networking activities. Engagement has started with local businesses, including the large corporations, local businesses, small and micro enterprises and business incubators/ accelerators. West London Business, the Hounslow and Brentford Chambers, sit on the project Consortium steering group and are providing fantastic links to the wider business community. This early engagement process has confirmed that Paramount Pictures are filming two films back-to-back at ‘Gillette Building Studios’.
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Marketing & Branding
A marketing and branding consultant has been selected and will commence work in early 2020 to develop a brand identity for the project, place and local creative community.
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Staffing
A Project Coordinator, Business Engagement and Creative Network Coordinator have been hired and started work this autumn.
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Other Zone related news
Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a prosperous new year for 2020
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