Alive without breath: 3D animals painted in layers of resin look so real


On first glance, you'd think these animals were real, floating away and doing their usual thing. But no, they're not. They're alive without breath thanks to the unique talents of Singapore-based artist Keng Lye who creates near life-like sculptures of animals using only paint, resin and an amazing sense of perspective. On slowly filling bowls, buckets or boxes with alternating layers of acrylic paint and resin, Keng creates aquatic animal life that looks so real it could almost pass for the real deal. It's a technique similar to that used by Japanese painter Riusuke Fukahori but Keng tries to take things a step further by making his paint creations protrude from the surface, adding a 3D perspective to his work.

Graffiti on a Train is straight out of the Stereophonics songbook

Straight out of the Stereophonics songbook, London-based graffiti artist Andy Seize is launching a brand new exhibition called 'Off The Rails' this month, showcasing original pieces, prints and sculptures at Londonnewcastle Project Space in Shoreditch. One particular artwork to stand out is this life-size tube train carriage, which is covered in Andy's usual bright and bold colours, superheroes, cartoon characters and London street scenes to create a mixture of layered explosions. With the help of LoveRaccoon, who worked closely with the artist to make the project come to life, the artwork was laminated and then applied to the mammoth structure. Find out more over on Andy's website.
Tagged with: Graffiti, art project, Stereophonics, Street Art

£3.5m funding boost for creative industries

Girl at ipad 

Creative industries in Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Republic of Ireland are to get a £3.5m boost.
The money will help with training in a number of areas including film and broadcast, animation and gaming.
Funding has come from the European Union, and government departments in Northern Ireland and the Republic.
Lorraine McCourt, of the Special European Union Programmes Body (SEUPB), said: "This is a truly innovative initiative."
She added: "It will build upon the wealth of natural home-grown talent and expertise that exists within the region.
"It will help generate new employment opportunities, safeguard existing businesses in the digital content marketplace, and encourage strong economic links, on a cross-border basis."
The University of Ulster is the lead partner for the 'Honeycomb - Creative Works' project, a trans-national support programme aimed at maximising the economic potential of the sector.
Competitive The project will be delivered in partnership with Creative Skillset and the Dundalk Institute of Technology, along with the Nerve Centre in Londonderry and the Letterkenny Institute of Technology.
Girl with microphone Film and broadcast is one of the areas that will benefit

Eddie Friel, head of business development in the University of Ulster's Office of Innovation, said that the university is already playing a major role in developing creative talent.
"The project will contribute to regional prosperity by stimulating growth and increasing competiveness in the creative industries sector," he said.
"The Honeycomb-Creative Works programme has been developed to serve the needs of companies and practitioners in the digital content sector to help them become more competitive in the global marketplace. The partners currently employ staff with considerable expertise in the creative industries sector."
He added: "The programme will provide skills enhancement and a range of supports for individuals and businesses in the film and broadcast, animation; gaming; interactive media and music technologies through research, networking, skills development and project finance."

Cultural And Creative Industries' Platform Welcomes EP Call For Promotion Of Sectors As Sources Of Growth And Jobs










Platform welcomes European Parliament report 'Promoting the European cultural and creative sectors as sources of economic growth and jobs', adopted today, and calls on European Commission and Member States to deliver.

The Cultural and Creative Industries' Platform welcomes Mrs. Sanchez-Schmid MEP's own initiative report, which stresses the importance of the cultural and creative sectors in Europe's economic and social development, and renews the European Parliament's call on EU Member States and the European Commission to help these sectors grow.

Both the intrinsic cultural value and the economic and social benefits of these sectors are recognised. The sectors simultaneously contribute to social cohesion, creativity, cultural and linguistic diversity, and account for a significant proportion of the economy (up to 4.5% of EU GDP and 8.5 million jobs). Cultural and creative sectors have shown themselves to be resilient to the economic downturn, continually demonstrating above-average rates of growth, while offering much higher levels of youth employment than other sectors.

This timely report reminds us of the essential role played by the European cultural and creative sectors, which, are mainly made up of thousands of SMEs and individual entrepreneurs. Through well-documented 'spillover' effects, the cultural and creative sectors promote the spread of innovation, and hence growth and jobs, in other sectors.

The challenges faced by these sectors are numerous: cultural and linguistic market fragmentation, the digital transition, and the great difficulties in accessing funding.

In a time of economic recovery, it is essential for the EU to support and capitalise on its successful and promising sectors. The cultural and creative sectors are one of Europe's main assets. Their untapped potential is huge. This report should encourage the EU to do more to champion them and follows previous recommendations from the EU institutions suggesting various measures to unlock the potential of cultural and creative industries.

One of the main challenges identified in the report is the lack of funding. The European Commission has previously estimated the funding gap in Europe for the cultural and creative sectors in terms of bank loans alone to be between €2.8 and €4.8 billion. Today's report correctly identifies several possible levers for improved funding: loan guarantee systems for small organisations, an improved regulatory framework, reduced administrative burden, ending divergences between member states in the taxation of cultural products, establishing a tax system tailored to the sectors' SMEs, setting up a cultural investment bank, increased use of structural funds, as well as investigating alternative means of financing such as crowd-funding.

We are also pleased to note that the Platform itself is mentioned in the report, recommended as a good basis for an expanded forum of cultural stakeholders. This enhanced platform would continue to work together to identify common challenges, and with the Commission on finding political responses to these issues.

The Platform fully agrees with the need for reliable, up-to-date statistics on the sectors, and encourages the European Commission to work on collecting comprehensive and comparable data on a long-term basis.

On another note, the Platform is encouraged to see the report endorse the EU and Member States capacity to preserve and develop their cultural policies by, for example, keeping the cultural and audiovisual sectors out of the EU-US free-trade agreement negotiations.

The report also contains useful recommendations on mobility, cultural education from an early age, skills and training.

The Platform considers this report to be a critical reminder of the strategic role of the cultural and creative sectors and of the urgent need to take appropriate action to help unlock their potential. This issue should be high on the agenda for the 2014 European elections. The cultural and creative sectors are among Europe's most promising strengths –the EU should strive to harness, develop and cherish them.

Creative industries are breaking out of North Wales to take on the world

TV productions, software development, and publishing turning region into 'hotspot' for creative sector
Dylan Huws from Cwmni Da
Dylan Huws from Cwmni Da
CREATIVE industries are breaking out of Wales to take on the world – as the country looks to build on the 30,000 jobs the sector already employs.
North Wales is regarded as a “hotspot” for the industry with the potential for major growth in the coming years in sectors like TV production, software development, and publishing.
This was highlighted this week by a £2.1m investment by production company Cwmni Da in new premises at Doc Fictoria in Caernarfon, which was opened by First Minister Carwyn Jones. It was backed by Welsh Government and Cadw funding,
The company employs 73 staff and as well as continuing to thrive in Wales they want to keep expanding their horizons, with existing co-productions in Germany and Brazil. They are also seeing programme formats go global like Fferm Ffactor on Chinese TV.
Rondo are another TV production company boosting the economy. This week they revealed their flagship Welsh language soap Rownd a Rownd, which employs 100 staff and freelancers, had pumped £55m into the economy over 18 years. They are also looking at growth by tapping into markets outside of Wales using their success on that show and the BBC drama The Indian Doctor to generate more work.
Dylan Huws, Cwmni Da managing director, said: “We are looking for work around the world in partnership with other production companies and broadcasters. We are currently working on a project with a German company for a documentary on World War I using 3D pictures. We are also working in Brazil which is another place with massive opportunities.
“There is also potential closer to home, we have Manchester an hour and a half away and London three hours, there are great opportunities there, we are not just looking to Cardiff.”
He added: “We’re proud to be part of the North Wales creative hub and this investment is a statement of our commitment to our future, the industry and the area.”
In Wales, the sector employs 30,000 in over 4,200 enterprises and generates over £1.8bn annual turnover. To support the industry the North Wales Creative Industries Network (C6) launched in April.
Labour market consultant Dr Alex Plows said the region has been identified as a “hotspot” for creative industries. She said: “The potential for growth in this industry is massive. There are already hotspot areas like Caernarfon where this industry is thriving. There needs to be a tie in between colleges and companies so young people can be trained in the skills needed.”
This week Economy Minister, Edwina Hart will visit the North Wales operations of television production company Rondo Media.
Rondo chief executive Gareth Williams said the figures from Rownd a Rownd show the vital contribution the industry makes to the economy. He said growth could come by exporting this expertise. He said: “A series like Rownd a Rownd establishes us as a company and gives us the chance to develop talent and expertise as well as being able to invest in equipment. I expect to see growth in the future. We are looking beyond Wales and looking at co-productions. Growth in projects will lead to growth in jobs.”
Robin Evans, Executive Producer of Rownd a Rownd and chairman of Rondo, which has production bases in Caernarfon, Menai Bridge and Cardiff, said: “The investment and wealth of opportunities Rownd a Rownd and other series have provided and continue to provide is proof that North Wales has a major contribution to make to the creative industry sector. The fact that this is also acknowledged beyond Wales, is an important breakthrough.”
Bangor based IT and software company Gaia Technologies, which employ 100 people, are another firm in the creative sector bringing jobs to the region. 3D manager Jon Rashide said: “We are the biggest development studio in North Wales and creating jobs for local talent.”

Vince Cable admits 'the creative industries are undervalued'

UK Music’s Jo Dipple put it to Business Secretary Vince Cable that music is being undervalued by Government in the national accounts at a Liberal Democrat Conference in Glasgow yesterday.

Calling on Cable to strongly support the creative industries, alongside Dr. Jo Twist from UKIE, Dipple argued that undervaluation of the music industry through inadequate SIC and SOC codes might be the reason for the music and creative sector to be excluded from Government’s industrial strategy announced last week.

The Business Secretary admitted at the conference that “the creative industries are undervalued”.

The event’s UK Music panel, which also included Matthew Fell from the CBI and was chaired by Lib Dem Baroness Bonham Carter, called on Cable to enforce a strong IP regime, more liquid access to finance and support for a skilled workforce.

"Vince Cable introduced a private members Bill a decade ago which showed huge personal commitment to the enforcement of IP rights,” said Dipple. “Now his Coalition Government must take his lead and show they understand how important a strong copyright regime is. In global digital markets, it is such a regime that will create growth both for music and other digital rights owners and the economy. Being able to accurately measure the results is kind of obvious. I hesitate to say, it's the economy stupid.”

Dr Vince Cable MP, said: "The creative industries are essential to the UK. Our creative content is enjoyed across the world. The sector creates jobs and provides for investment. The Coalition will continue to maximise the sectors capacity to grow, working in collaboration with industry via the Creative Industries Council and through our actions in Government"

Dr Jo Twist, Chief Executive of UKIE said: "The games industry, like music, offers huge potential for growth in all parts of the UK and a major part of this for both industries is the appearance of more and more successful small businesses. These businesses also face common barriers to growth, with access to finance and access to skills both being absolutely vital issues, not only in the games and music industries but all creative companies operating in the digital economy.

“However, the government has to accurately measure the size, shape and locations of these small businesses if we are to provide targeted support and develop policies that will best ensure the growth of the UK's games and music sectors."

CBI's Director of Competitive Markets Matthew Fell added: "The creative industry is one of the UK's genuinely world class sectors, so it makes sense for the Government to throw its full weight behind the sector to ensure the UK continues to compete on the world stage."

Technology Strategy Board announces £30m funding for SMEs in creative industries

The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) has launched a strategy to boost innovation and growth in the creative industries by helping small digital businesses.
The strategy will encourage the sector to grow by helping businesses centred around digital technologies and design.
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The TSB will be putting forward £30m in support for businesses in the creative industries sector.
Additionally, Creative Skillset – the licensed Sector Skills Council for entertainment media, fashion and textiles, publishing and advertising, marketing and communications – will provide funding for training.
“There are great opportunities for further growth in the creative industries sector, especially for the small businesses and startups which just need an opportunity to bring their ground-breaking ideas to market,” said Iain Gray, chief executive of the Technology Strategy Board.

Additional funding competitions as part of the strategy 

  • Frictionless commerce: Up to £2.5m for projects leading to the creation of digital transactional environments for the creative industries and beyond.
  • Hyperlocal Media Demonstrators: At least £1.5m focused on demonstrating the potential for hyperlocal media and technology-led location-based services across the UK.
  • Location-based services: £4m to help businesses engage with their customers in a "here and now" context.
  • Valuing & Pricing Digital Assets: £2.5m for "developing ways to agree value and price" in digital transactions.
  • Greater Manchester Creative & Digital Launchpad: £1m support programme for the creative and digital cluster in Greater Manchester.
"This strategy is designed to help them turn their ideas into reality," he said.
The sector currently contributes 5.3% of UK GVA and employs 1.4 million people across the country. But the TSB strategy aims to increase this by highlighting innovative technology solutions, including:
  • Data and metadata;
  • Capturing value and managing transactions;
  • Enabling content to work across different devices and environments.
The £30m from the TSB will be available as part of a series of funding competitions (see "Additional funding competitions" box) to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that will encourage innovation in areas of digital media production, engagement with local communities and services and the development of online business.
Additionally, Creative Skillset will introduce training schemes to develop the skills and talent within UK creative industries.
Applications for the TSB’s first funding initiative will open on 23 September. Up to £15m will be available to businesses working in digital media cross-platform production.
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