Ecosystems and partnerships: Enabling factors for Data Driven Innovation (DDI) in the Creative Industries

Chapter published in M. Terras (Ed.), Creative Data Catalysts: Encouraging Innovation Through Technology in the Creative Industries, Routledge.

“…proximity and access to creative ecologies are key to supporting innovation and growth in not only the creative industries but also to achieving the UK’s goals of post-COVID recovery and the ‘levelling up’ agenda…”

This chapter discusses how networks and ecosystems enable different forms of innovation through partnership networks in the creative industries. Case studies from Edinburgh and the South East Scotland region and South Wales and Wales demonstrate how online and in-person ecosystems can be enabled and how strategic partnerships can support innovation to develop Data Driven Innovation (DDI) in the creative industries. The chapter analyses what impact small industry focussed research and development grants can have on ecosystems and what barriers are observed. It reflects on the effect of strategic decision and policymaking in relation to grassroots development and conversely how emerging R&D can inform policy.

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