Cardiff – the Creative City you may well not know about. C1808547.

Image: Landscape shot of Cardiff Bay via Creative Boom

If, like me, you have been lucky enough to grow up in Cardiff, then need I explain why it is such a spectacular city? From the city’s vibrant bars and restaurants, to the beautiful Bay with its picturesque views – not forgetting the extraordinary Principality Stadium which sits just upon the River Taff – Cardiff is the place to be!

Image: Principality Stadium Cardiff via Planet Ware

But what many people do not realize is Cardiff’s expansive potential as a Creative City. A Creative City is defined by the remarkable Charles Landry as being a ‘physical setting where a critical mass of entrepreneurs, intellectuals, social activists, artists, administrators, power brokers or students can operate in an open-minded, cosmopolitan context.’ A developing creative cluster of Cardiff which conforms to the notions of Landry is its flourishing media industry.

Image: Inside the new BBC headquarters via WalesOnline

Cardiff is no stranger to the filming of renowned BBC series’ – from Doctor Who to Torchwood, His Dark Materials and Saturday night’s Casualty – it is clear that the BBC favour the Welsh capital when it comes to television, and if I do say so myself – I am not the slightest bit surprised!

Image: Doctor Who filming in Cardiff Bay via Cardiff Local Guide

The doors first opened to the BBC Wales’ Broadcasting House in Cardiff in 1967, located in the beautiful city of Llandaff. The original Cardiff HQ was home to BBC Wales’ Radio, Television and News departments – but this soon changed with its big move to Cardiff’s Central Square – being described as “an historic day in Welsh broadcasting”. The impressive £100m building replaces the former bus station, and will support broadcasting in not only Cardiff, but the whole of Wales.

Video: Llandaff Lookback at the BBC via TV Live

Image: The New BBC Central Square HQ via BBC

Just yesterday I was studying the work of Richard Florida, and I couldn’t help but think of the famous 3 T’s: technology, talent and tolerance when reflecting on the BBC’s new development and extensive opportunities. Florida argues that with the embracement of the big 3, the creative class will come flocking. This most certainly is the case with the brand-new Cardiff HQ!

A whopping £1.1bn to the GVA of the Cardiff city region, equating to an additional 1,900 FTE jobs being undertaken by people in the city throughout a ten-year period will be provided as a result of the new development, with the building providing the most advanced broadcast facilities, whilst being the most open and accessible building clarified by BBC Wales Director Mr Talfan Davies.

Image: New JOMEC HQ in Central Square via Cardiff University

Just next door to the BBC Broadcasting House is the home of Cardiff University’s school of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, a department I am fortunate enough to call my own! Previously based at the Bute Building in the University’s Cathays Campus, the school proceeded to sign up to the 2 Central Square office scheme, located to the North of Cardiff Central Railway Station. The department has worked closely with the BBC for many years, enabling the opportunities of professional training journalism internships, with many of the school’s alumni heading to the BBC including famous faces such as Jason Mohammad, Alan Johnston, Laura Trevelyan and many, many more! Who knows – maybe I will one day be lucky enough to follow in their footsteps – one can dream!

Video: JOMEC’s new home in Central Square via Journalism, Media and Culture

Now I know I may be a little bias, but I am confident we can all agree that both the BBC and Cardiff University’s impressive JOMEC department conform to the ideas of Terry Flew – with their contributions to the incubation of new ideas, the collective uniting of people from diverse cultures and backgrounds, and the ability to generate new opportunities for entrepreneurial activity, there is truly nothing but exceptional excitement for the future of media in the capital city!

Just one question remains – what will Cardiff offer next?

All images/material used for fair usage and educational purposes.

Salford City – The Dark Horse Of Creative Cities? (1728950)

Salford City, the heart of media, creativity and entertainment! Some may question this, but it is the home of Coronation Street, so is there really any question? 

Coronation Street set at Media City. Credit: Sarah Fiddes

In his book, Cities and the Creative Class, Richard Florida discusses the three T’s in which creative cities are characterised by:

• “Talent – identifying a highly educated and skilled population. 
• Technology – the infrastructure necessary to fuel an entrepreneurial culture.
• Tolerance – a diverse community, which is inclusive and accepting of different cultures, lifestyles and new ideas.”

Do you think Salford fits under all three T’s? The MediaCityUK in Salford has clearly demonstrated them as it is the heart of television. Oli Mould argues in his book Urban Subversion and the Creative City, that Salford’s bid for the new extended home of the BBC was “very much influenced by Florida’s thesis…the pervasive ideology of the creative class…was very much at the forefront of the campaign.” 

The New Northern home of the BBC! Credit: Johny Rebel, Pexels.com

Mould claimed that these aspects would bring the “all important creative ‘buzz’ that is needed to catalyse economic activity.” By bringing forward concepts of creativity to catalyse urban development, it would generate economic growth. 

Florida’s theories argue that creativity and his concept of ‘the creative class’ are engines of economic and cultural growth. According to Florida, the creative class itself is a class of workers whose job is to create meaningful new forms and people may relocate themselves to areas where creative jobs are. Or vice versa, jobs may move to where the creative class is located. This will boost economic growth – ideal!

Further according to Richard Florida, the quality of a city also determines whether it can be categorised as a Creative City – by having aspects that make it attractive to make people want to move/visit there. In one of Helen Pidd’s article on the Guardian, she claims that “over 60,000 people work in the creative and digital industries in Greater Manchester.” This is only covering the people that work there, not even including those who live or visit there.

The Dock at Salford Quays. Credit: Sarah Fiddes

Salford Media City Bridge. Credit: Pexels.com

Due to the high population of the creative workers in Salford, Pidd explains there will be a “£1bn expansional of Salford Quays – TV studio and production space as well as shops, offices, a 330-bed hotel and over 1400 new homes.” This will be within the plan for Salford Quays/Media City to double in size over the next 10 years.

Charles Landry is an author best known for his works on his book The Creativity City. In this book, Landry identifies a common feature that appears across all creative cities. This common feature is the city recognising “the importance of creative responses to urban problems.” Landry explains in his book, that by cities doing this, “it shows how to think, plan and act creatively in addressing urban issues.” 

Despite all this greatness about Salford, there are arguments that there may be an identity threat to the city. In chapter 3 of Max Wind-Cowie’s book, Escape Velocity,  he argues although MediaCityUK is based in Salford, the identity of Salford isn’t as strong, or is stuck between the identities of Media City and Manchester. 

He further claims, for Salford to gain more of an identity as a Creative City, it needs to “attract new institutions and a broad creative supply chain” directly to Salford and not just relying on MediaCityUK.

What do you think? Is Salford creative enough to be deemed as a Creative City? Is it a dark horse in the industry?