A new project to uncover the next generation of creative industry
entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland schools has received an award of £82,500 from
NESTA (the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts), the
organisation that supports innovation and creativity in the UK.
Dreamlab, the brainchild of digital media experts Dream Ireland, gives young
people between the ages of 15 to 18, the opportunity to experience working in
creative industries like computer games, design, architecture, arts, music and
fashion, through production-based training programmes led by industry
professionals.
A pilot scheme saw the opening of new career paths, as students learned
valuable lessons from industry professionals and from their own exploration of
creative computer software.
Industry standard software is used enabling both students and teachers to
develop new ICT skills and to experience using the professional tools of the
creative industries.
Research recently carried out recently by NESTA (1) underlines the importance
of the creative industries to the UK, growing at twice the rate of the economy
as a whole. The sector has grown by an average of 8% between 1997 and 2001,
which compares to an average of 2.6% for the whole economy during this time.
NESTA fully recognises the importance of creativity for the prosperity of
Northern Ireland and the UK as a whole. Due to its relatively small
size, Northern Ireland is able to address the promotion of creativity and has
already made significant progress by acknowledging the important role of
education in schools.
The Dreamlab learning model will enable schools to outsource teaching and
learning to independent organisations in the future, thus disseminating their
experience and skills to other educational establishments.
Sarah Macnee, Acting NESTA Learning Director, said:
“Despite a lack of understanding about the creative industries, our recent
research proved that it’s a high area of growth for the UK economy, contributing
7.9% to GDP and £11.4 billion to the UK economy. We are delighted to be
supporting this project which will give a generation of young people the chance
to develop careers in this important sector.”
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