Bristol’s growing reputation as a crucible for creativity will be thrust into the national spotlight next month when a roadshow to champion the UK’s creative industries arrives in the city.
The IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) is embarking on a short nationwide tour to celebrate and help grow the reputation of the UK’s creative industries.
Across the country the creative sector contributes £71.4bn to the economy and employs 1.68m people – and Bristol is increasingly being viewed as the leading regional city for creativity. 
Bristol will be the first stop on the IPA tour – which also takes in Manchester and Birmingham – on June 11 when Mayor George Ferguson will present a vision for the city’s creative future.
This will be followed by a panel discussion about the creative industries with representatives from Bristol’s gaming, film and digital sectors, including Andy Reid, IPA city head for Bristol and managing director of agency McCann Bristol, Cody Dyer of gaming firm Auroch Digital – part of Bristol’s Games Hub – and Dan Martin of web pioneers Sift Media.
The event, which takes place at Bordeaux Quay restaurant on Harbourside, will also hear from journalist Lewis Blackwell, who is writing a series of features for The Drum to coincide with the nationwide tour.
The articles will provide an in-depth study into the state of the creative industries in these cities. Closing comments will come from David Sproxton of Aardman Animations and the Creative Industries Council, and Caroline Norbury from Creative England and the Creative Industries Council.
Bristol has been chosen as one of the three stops on the tour as it boasts the strongest creative industries sector of any large urban area in England – some 2,300 businesses – and also outperforms London in motion picture, video and television programme post-production activities.
Many of these businesses are classified as operating in the creative technology (CreaTech) sector and are mainly situated within less than one square mile of the city.
This ‘unsquare mile’ as it is now known locally, includes BBC Bristol, Aardman, the Bristol Games Hub at Stokes Croft; UWE Creative Industries University; Toshiba and IBM; Bray Leino, McCann Bristol, Mason Zimbler and Dare West and Creative England and Creative Skillset.
In addition, Bristol advertising agencies McCann Bristol, Bray Leino and Mason Zimbler are active participants in the IPA Creative Pioneers Challenge, offering creative apprenticeships to school leavers.
McCann Bristol’s Andy Reid said: “There is a truly diverse and thriving creative community here in Bristol and Bath.
“From animation to video production, advertising to gaming companies, the creative world in the local vicinity is a closely knit community where people can feed off others’ expertise and passions, and in turn create and innovate for themselves. This is a true example of a creative eco-system, with diversity and innovation at the heart of it.
“We want to nurture this creativity not only for those currently working in the industry, but also for young people coming out of education so that we can support the talent of the tomorrow, and keep it in the region.
“One of the ways we currently do this is through the IPA’s Creative Pioneers Challenge; a fantastic opportunity for young people to work with some of the best creative companies in the South West.
“We are really excited to be involved in the celebration of creativity in Bristol and Bath, and are looking forward to showcasing the impact that this flourishing community has on the UK creative industries.”
The nationwide tour is being held in national partnership with Creative Skillset and The Drum. The Creative Bristol event is also being held in local partnership with the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Bristol Media and Creative England.
The IPA is the trade body and professional institute for over 250 UK advertising and marketing agencies which together manage media and marketing budgets valued at over £30bn per annum.
Anyone interested in attending the Creative Britain event in Bristol should contact Leila@ipa.co.uk
