On 11 April, Reignite III brought leading figures from York’s business and cultural sectors together to explore the city’s rise as a global creative hub. The event at Yorkshire Museum highlighted our thriving creative exports and how the city could further position itself on the international stage. As we approach the 10th year of this designation, we explored how York could better leverage this to boost creative industries, fostering opportunities, economic growth and careers. Following the presentations, York Art Gallery came alive with a dynamic after-hours programme. Guests enjoyed a live DJ and drinks whilst exploring the gallery’s exhibitions after dark. A dedicated drawing studio provided a space for artistic expression, whilst a bespoke Audio Visual experience created by Viridian FX (House of the Dragon, Netflix, HBO, Amazon) showed how sound and light can interact with the body.
The purpose of this event was to demonstrate the economic impact of large-scale cultural programming on our city, inclusive of an uplift in the city's centre both through economic and social inclusion. Reignite II took place on 9 November across two venues, City Screen York and Pitcher & Piano, as part of the BAFTA-Qualifying Aesthetica Film Festival. The purpose of this occasion was to unite businesses from across all sectors into the city centre in order to see and experience large-scale cultural media arts programme through film. This event looks at the impact that culture can have on place through its economic uplift but also its unique way of uniting communities and driving social cohesion. In York, the Aesthetica Film Festival is the only large-scale Media Arts event, which attracts thousands to the city across an entire week to engage with film, games, XR masterclasses, workshops and wider screen culture. How can other sectors benefit from this large-scale event?
Elsewhere (2011), dir. Mathy Tremewan and Fran Broadhurst. Screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2011.
Reignite I:
The Economic
Impact of Media Arts
Reignite started on 14 September at Raddisson Hotel. Here we discussed the economic impact of the sector in York and how to leverage the city’s UNESCO status to attract inward investment and develop new career paths. York is undergoing a transformation, and the Creative Industries play a key role in developing a knowledge-based economy. We need to reinvent ourselves as a regional city that thinks nationally and internationally. We looked at the value of the sector to all businesses in York and encouraged attendees to hear more about how the Creative Industries impact different organisations. Businesses heard our intentions to create clear education pathways from primary through to higher education as well as support the next generation of women to develop their entrepreneurialism and build creative, digital and tech businesses.
