Roundtable sparks dialogue on the role of technology in the creative economy

Coventry University joined forces with Business Insider Magazine to facilitate a conversation about the crucial connection between the creative sector and technology.

The roundtable brought together leaders from the Midlands’ arts and creative industries at the university’s new arts-focused Delia Derbyshire building, where business experts explored how innovation is reshaping the landscape of creative content production and audience engagement.

Led by Kurt Jacobs, Editor of Business Insider Midlands, the event provided an open forum for discussion on integrating cutting-edge technologies such as virtual production, artificial intelligence, and immersive storytelling in the creative sector.

Now worth £4bn to the West Midlands’ economy, the creative sector presents many opportunities for businesses to embrace technology to reach and interact with new audiences. However, embedding technology successfully requires leading with the creative, allowing technology to enhance storytelling in an accessible, sustainable, and inclusive way.

Rachel Farrer, Associate Director for Cultural and Community Engagement, led Coventry University’s participation. Guests included CEOs and Managing Directors from a wide range of companies, including Vodafone, RSC, Digital Catapult, and Birmingham Royal Ballet. She said:

Challenges and future predictions for the creative sector remained a central theme, concluding with the opportunity of making art more accessible through tech, alongside the requirement for coherent investment strategies.

Coventry University's commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration in the creative industries was underscored, highlighting the transformative potential of technology in shaping the future of the arts.

The university’s dedication to creating better futures shines through the newly launched Delia Derbyshire building, which features hyper and immersive studios with the latest virtual and mixed reality technologies, offering students sector-leading facilities.

Coventry University’s continued investment in the arts and humanities is demonstrated through its creative research centres, from the newly launched Centre for Creative Economies, set up to explore economic systems based on imaginative qualities, to award winning gamification research led by the Centre for Postdigital Cultures, where experts use game design principles to try and revolutionise education.

Contact Rachel Farrer to explore opportunities for collaboration or discover the exciting landscape of business news and events at the university.