Creative pioneers from across the UK are heading to Liverpool to step into the global business spotlight as the International Festival for Business 2014 (IFB 2014) launches its Knowledge, Creative and Digital Week of events.

Taking place at venues across the city, the themed week will comprise a large number of events designed to celebrate and promote the strength of the country’s creative industries and digital talents, as well as Liverpool’s burgeoning sector.

Launching on Monday 14 July, IFB 2014 will host conferences, seminars and workshops specially designed to cater for a wide range of disciplines.

These will include advertising, music, fashion, TV, film, design, digital technology, software development and gaming.

Kevin McManus, Head of Creative and Digital at Liverpool Vision and IFB 2014’s lead for Knowledge, Creative and Digital Week, said:

“Professionals from all walks of the creative industries will undoubtedly find a huge number of ways to benefit during IFB 2014’s Knowledge, Creative and Digital Week. The fantastic range of events are designed to create new opportunities, to open people up to insights and gain access to potential resources.

“There will be a number of leading national and international industry figures speaking at events throughout the week which is a testament to the pull of the IFB and makes for a great s line up. But we also have some incredible creative and digital businesses in the city region ourselves and I’m confident that one outcome of the week will be a much higher national and international profile for some of our standout companies.”

Designival

Events taking place during IFB’s Knowledge, Creative and Digital Week will include Designival, one of the UK’s most esteemed design conferences.

Held at Camp and Furnace on Friday 18th July, the event will attract hundreds of representatives from the UK’s network of creative businesses and will combine presentations, exhibitions and workshops led by a variety of leading industry figures.

Speakers

Speakers will include Jonathon Barnbrook, one of the country’s most respected graphic designers; Tom Evans, Creative Director and Founder of technology start-up BleepBleeps; Jonathan Sands, Chairman of global brand design agency Elmwood; Morag Myserscough, design and founder of Studio Myerscough, and Harry Pearce, Partner at worldwide design firm Pentagram.

Commenting on the event, Simon Rhodes, creative director at Liverpool-based Smiling Wolf and Designival Founder, said:

“Designival showcases some of the best designers on the planet – and IFB gives Liverpool a platform to highlight that global talent.”

The Creative Kitchen

To coincide with the themed week of events, visitors to Liverpool are also being provided with a unique space in the city centre to meet, network and share insights.

The Creative Kitchen, located at Oh Me Oh My on the ground floor of Africa House on Water Street, will host informal networking opportunities and special events from Tuesday 15 to Friday 18 July.
The initiative has been supported by ACME at Liverpool Vision and curated by Gavin Sherrett, Managing Director of Liverpool-based Studio Mashbo.

Cathy Skelly, Sector Development Manager at ACME, said:

“Liverpool’s creative and digital businesses are stepping forward with confidence born from the knowledge that their work is cutting-edge and industry-leading. Creative Digital week at IFB 2014 will be testament to that. While Creative Kitchen will be collaborative environment and a melting pot of ideas, it’s also showcasing the city and the talent we have in the creative and digital sector.”