Which UK city is the most creative?
Which UK city is the most creative?How creative is the city you work in? That is the question The Drum asked creatives across the country.
As part of an ongoing poll on the UK’s creative hotspots, we asked one high profile creative figure from each of 10 major cities to argue the case for their city to be named the most creative.
Leicester
The Drum’s Creative Cities was inspired by Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw’s announcement that the hunt was well underway to find the first UK City of Culture (which has to be based outside London).
But we thought it would be interesting to stimulate that debate further still, expanding it beyond traditional ‘culture' and asking our protagonists to draw on their city’s inspirational places, brands, agencies, and individuals; the architecture, clubs and arts scene, as well as the music, sport, history and its more niche sectors too...
Those arguing the case for their city were The Leith Agency’s creative director Gerry Farrell (Edinburgh); Simon Douglas, managing director of Blue River (Newcastle); Jon Waring, creative director at 3Sixty Digital (Bristol); Richard Benjamin, Über’s managing director (Sheffield); Clusta’s Andrew Bowyer (Birmingham); Nick Howe, managing director at Uniform (Liverpool); Matt Davies from Attitude Design (Nottingham); Phil Dean a partner at Thompson Brand Partners and Paul Mallett, managing partner at Swamp (both for Leeds); Matt Beardsell, co-founder of Music (Manchester); and Daniel Ibbotson, creative director, Graphical House (Glasgow).
We now encourage you to read the arguments (links above) to add your support to the city in which you operate, or constructively debate the merits of each argument and vote on our poll (on the homepage) – which has already attracted well over 1,300 individual votes.
Of course, if you feel that we have neglected your city, get in touch to argue its corner too. (Ed - Twist and Shout did just that for Leicester's cause. Get in touch if you think we're missing anywhere else.)
(News photo on this page, courtesy of Alex Sican, Flickr)
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Comments
Wokingham!!
Tring.
all these cities are very creative. their advertising agencies. nope.
Exactly: a pointless, stupid exercise!
Asking respected creatives why they're proud to work in the city they do is a sound enough idea for an article. It's not a real competition, Anon 09.29, you dimwit.
And the same goes for you, 10.08.
Good God, when did the creative industry get so boring - or for that matter the people working in it - that they moan about everything? Why not get involved and make it enjoyable? What's wrong with having a bit of fun and actually promoting the city you work in? Make your member of staff proud to work there! Promote it to others outside the city and maybe you'll even get even better recruits in the future...but then again, with this attitude, maybe there's a reason you don't hire better recruits...
Asking respected creatives why they're proud to work in their particular city is a good idea. Asking which city is the most creative - and that's the header at the top of the article - is not. It's merely calculated to start a slagging off of different regions.
http://www.birminghamitsnotshit.co.uk/
We win. Now take your respective balls and go home.
Believe it or not but scientists from London St Martins, Manchester Uni and Cambridge have proven that Bunbury is the epicentre of creative genius and productivity for the UK. It's a product of ley lines, land mass/water displacement of this fair island and magnetic pull that attracts these creative geniuses and their muses.
Leeds citations...been peaking at each others homework have we??
I can't believe you've omitted Ripon. Shame on you.
How does Leeds get two entries?
How does Leeds get two entries?
Easy. One through the front door, one through the backdoor.
How very dare you ?
Bradford ? haha
This is such a tough subject as everyone is going to vote where they're from claiming to be the most creative city around. Will be interesting to see who comes out on top...
That saying i've just emailed my mum, dad, dog and goldfish to get them voting...that's pretty creative...right?
Bristol surely...?
Do you think everyone will just vote for where they're from though, Graeme? Given how a lot of people in this industry have worked in several cities outside their hometowns, there surely must be some people who don't necessarily view the city where they are now as being the best.
True Cameron but I'm a midlands boy at heart and love Birmingham. That saying I really love what's happened up in Newcastle over the last 8/9 years, all around the quay side is very cool and there's some wicked agencies flourishing too.
Every good creative department has a Geordie in it. Especially London
mock the week loves birmingham...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00mpq6y/Mock_the_Week_Series_7_Epi...
18mins in...
Penkridge (well, it's near a city). We've got an amputee who plays Smells Like Team Spirit on one string for 8 hours a day.
I went out with my girl friend for a sit down meal in the city of Glasgow last week.
As we were walking along a lady collapsed in front of us and her husband bent down to help her up she spewed volumes of hot sick into his face. So undeterred we crossed the road only to be confronted by a tramp pissing himself as he walked in front of us. He didn't brake his stride.
We never made the restaurant. Inspirational? Yes, just differently inspirational. Culture doesn't have to be art galleries and lattes.
My girlfriend wants to move like.
David are you sure it wasn't one of Tracey Emin's 'Art' installations. I reckoned she'd have entitled that 'A romantic night out followed by one up the council' you obviously didn't stay for the whole piece.
'I went out with my girl friend for a sit down meal in the city of Glasgow last week.'
By my reckoning you must have been heading for 'The Blue Lagoon'...Lucky lady !
I have worked in many agencies and Geordies are everywhere, but they usually smell really bad. This is quite a strange phenomenon but true.
Nah mate was the KFC, sauchiehall street.
It's gotta be Glasgow. On a recent outdoor shoot at the Clyde side with 2 unsmiling models, I was saved by 2 wummin who had been having a liquid breakfast who flashed at my models. Models smiled and laughed and the shots were great. Pure ded creative man!
Anywhere but B'Ham, the creative void of the UK.
does anyone think that this poll actually matters?
that said, i do love the colour in alex's photo. nice one.
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