Another fantastic opportunity!

We've had this fantastic email in our inbox this morning. It sounds almost too good to be true!

Are you a UK creative innovator? Need a grant to meet up with your opposite numbers in the Far East? Check out the opportunity being offered below...

UK-China 'Design in Innovation' Forum and Business Partnering Workshop 

This initiative is being organised by BIS/ FCO Science and Innovation Network (SIN), Innovate China UK (ICUK) and the Technology Strategy Board/ Creative Industries KTN and will visit the cities of Shanghai and Hangzhou between 14-18th October, 2013.

The mission will connect UK creative innovators and designers with their counterparts and technology-based companies in China across target sectors including creative economy, sustainability, additive manufacturing, future cities and digital healthcare.

Travel and accommodation grants will be offered to 10 successful applicants. Further information including a downloadable application form can be found on the website here. Completed application forms should be returned to richard@creativeindustriesktn.org by Monday, August 5th.

Awards Opportunity - closes 29th July

@BhamScienceCity's Susannah Goh tells us about an award for those working in digital technologies...

Image Credit: Kristian Dela Cour

Catching up on news from the ICT Knowledge Transfer Network, today, I came across the announcement of the  prestigious Next Gen 13 national competition for digital technologies within  ‘next generation access infrastructure’. (Details can be found at: http://www.nextgenevents.co.uk/awards ).  If you know of a business or initiative that will fit the bill, please contact awards@nextgenevents.co.uk   by 29th July.

The awards are:

• Urban (Fixed) – digital access infrastructure deployments in city and urban areas
• Rural (Fixed) - digital access deployments for rural and ‘hard to reach’ areas.
• Mobile – service developments in mobile cellular and public Wi-Fi connectivity
• Network Quality – initiatives and systems designed to improve the performance quality of networks and their design/deployment

(With the exception of Mobile the Digital Network categories are technologically neutral)

• Open Data – the use of Open Data in commercial, community or public service projects together with related Cloud Computing services, facilities and systems for large volume (Big Data) and the capacity for high performance processing.
• Digital Innovation – includes examples of innovative products and services and initiatives to improve ‘innovation capacity’.
• Digital Skills – Projects, Services and campaigns that increase digital skills levels amongst individuals, SMEs and charities, and that contribute to Go ON UK's vision of making the UK the most digitally skilled nation in the world.

All that the Next Gen team  need is:

• a contact name, email and phone number
• a brief summary statement of your work or project (maximum 40 words plus Web url) and
• the implementation status of your project - whether at design stage, in Beta testing or fully operational.

Good luck and let us know how you get on!

If you are would like to explore possibilities and collaborative partnerships, contact Susannah Goh at Birmingham Science City s.goh@aston.ac.uk

(Image Credit: Kristian Dela Cour)

The Tales of Shakespuss -DM Opportunity

We've just heard about an exciting new project about a cat called 'William Shakespuss' The basic premise of the project is to bring the elements of Shakespeare to children as soon as they can sit up and look at pictures.

The Tales of Shakespuss have a number of facets, including a stage show which is presently the element which relates to the crowd-funding indicated on the website at present www.shakespuss.com.  For digital media businesses, the interesting element will be the creation of the animation of the Tales.  They have secured the wonderful talents of Patricia Quinn (AKA Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show), whose appearances include acting with the RSC and a great many roles including children's roles such as The Box of Delights in the mid 80s.  She is to be the voice of Shakespuss, and no doubt they'll have other exciting actors for the many colourful characters which are members of the Shakespuss troupe.


Support on any level for Shakespuss will have a tangible supporting effect on every aspect of the project, and they certainly hope they can enjoy the talents of the many professionals working within the animation and support industries in and around the Midlands.


Shakespuss and Shakespeare naturally share the same home of Stratford upon Avon, the creator of Shakespuss, Melissa Mailer-Yates, says she was born in Yardley, and keeping the creative side within the Midlands area is very important to the Shakespuss project. Support on any level would be gratefully received, particularly as they are currently seeking the financial backing in order to achieve what will no doubt become a worldwide phenomenon.

We at Digital Media Businesses wish Melissa and William Shakespuss every success and look forward to telling you about any creative opportunities that arise during the project

You can watch a video about the project on the website www.shakespuss.com

Opportunity- ITV seek apprentices for ITV News Central team

This Friday is the closing date for applications for the ITV apprenticeship in the ITV News Central team, working in the Birmingham studio. Interviews and assessments happen towards the end of this month. Why not visit the web page for more details or tweet or share this opportunity with someone you know? http://bit.ly/11dFxvb
 
ITV even have Top Tips on applying to and working at ITV on YouTube ...