On Friday 30th of April Future Screens NI hosted a Policy Roundtable Chaired by the DUP.
Future Screens NI and the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre at Ulster University hosted our second Creative Industry Panel Round Table on Friday 30th of April. The event was a direct engagement with the DUP who hold the Minister for the Economy and Chair the Communities Committee. Future Screens NI provided a platform for industry to engage directly with politicians on matters of mutual interest.
The event focused upon key policy, finance and practice challenges and opportunities within the creative industries and the potential for collaboration and change. The current implications of Covid-19 and the road to economic recovery were also explored. The event was chaired by Paula Bradley MLA and featured Professor Paul Moore, Director of Future Screens NI; Professor Greg Maguire, CEO of HUMAIN and Lucy Baxter, Founder of Mental Abuse Matters.
The round table featured:
Paula Bradley MLA – North Belfast
Paula was first elected to the Assembly in 2011 to represent the North Belfast constituency. Following the restoration of the power sharing Executive and Assembly in January 2020, Paula was appointed Chair of the Committee for Communities, and is party spokesperson for Communities. Paula has previously served on the Committee for Health, and was the party spokesperson on Health. Prior to being elected to the Assembly, Paula was a Councillor on Newtownabbey Borough Council, and served as Mayor. She has also worked within the DUP policy unit as a communications officer and was a social worker. Her priority areas include health, tackling poverty and housing.
Carla Lockhart MP – Upper Bann
Elected to Westminster in 2019, Carla was previously an MLA for Upper Bann from 2016-2019. Prior to her election to the Assembly, Carla was a Councillor on Craigavon Borough Council (2007-2014) serving as the last Mayor of the Borough (2013-14), and Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council (2014-2016), following the Review of Public Administration. Carla has a strong interest in the prevention of online harm and cyber bullying, and has spoken regularly on the need to legislated in this area. Her additional priorities include farming, education, mental health, supporting the elderly and mental health.
George Dorrian – Policy Officer
George is a policy officer for the DUP, and leads on a number of areas including the economy, housing and tourism. He has a strong interest in entrepreneurship and building skills, especially within the digital and creative industry sectors. George is also a member of Belfast City Council, representing the Titanic DEA, and was Group Leader until February 2021. He is a member of the City Growth and Regeneration Committee, and the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.
Sharon Skillen – Policy Officer
Sharon is a policy officer for the DUP, and leads on areas including young people, anti-poverty strategy and online harm policies. She has a strong interest in providing young people with the opportunities to develop their skills and employment opportunities. Sharon is also a member of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, representing the Castlereagh East DEA, and is a member of the Environmental Services and Leisure and Community Development Committees.
Professor Paul Moore is the Director of Future Screens NI and a Co-Director of Ulster’s Creative Industries Institute (CII). He was awarded a personal chair in 2009 becoming Professor of Creative Technologies at the Magee campus, and was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2014. His research is focused on both the creative industries and the ways in which theory and practice can be brought together in research, training and education. Most recently he has been involved in various arts data research projects with national bodies such as NESTA in the UK. He has published widely in a range of journals/books and his practice has been exhibited in a number of commissioned gallery exhibitions in London, Coventry, Belfast, Derry, Lough Neagh, and the National Gallery of Namibia. He was the Ofcom Content Board member for Northern Ireland from 2007 to 2013. From 1995 to 2004 he was also a board member of the Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission and chaired the education committee which developed the seminal Wider Literacy policy document. In his spare time he is a freelance broadcaster with BBC Radio Ulster and has written and presented a range of documentaries for BBC national radio.
Professor Paul Moore provided an update regarding the investment of £22.5 million into the local creative industries by Future Screens NI and partners which has stimulated more than 3,000 live projects across the region creating 234 high level jobs and generating 50 viable new products at the mid point of the project with more innovations to come forward to market in the coming months.
https://www.futurescreens.org/team
Professor Greg Maguire- CEO and Founder of HUMAIN. Greg has been instrumental in the launch and development of numerous globally successful animations including Walt Disney Feature Animation, Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm Animation and Digital Domain. His film credits include Academy Award-nominated Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Academy Award-winning Happy Feet and Avatar. He was R&D Supervisor at Lucasfilm Animation and a Creature Supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic. As Professor of Animation at Ulster University, he founded the 3D computer animation program at Ulster University and led its research cluster, Future and Virtual Worlds. He sits on the board of directors of Northern Ireland Screen, is a member of the Visual Effects Society and MIT alumnus.
HUMAIN are a leading company in the region working globally to provide technology which facilitates gaming and visual effects. HUMAIN’s unique product has penetrated the global market working with significant partners including Microsoft and HBO.
Professor Greg Maguire provided an update of the growth of HUMAIN during the ongoing crisis and showcased new technology developed by HUMAIN.
Lucy Baxter, Founder of Mental Abuse Matters. Mental Abuse Matters is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation created to raise awareness about mental abuse including emotional, psychological and verbal abuse. The Mental Abuse Matters Campaign involves animated film and a pioneering VR project as part of outreach and intervention. In collaboration with partners, Future Screens NI, Queen's University Belfast and Darkley Films, Mental Abuse Matters is developing a unique training and therapeutic tool for health and social care. Mental Abuse Matters have are building a strong presence across communities and social media in order to effect change in mental abuse legislation and in industry, the legal system and relationship education with regard to mental abuse. The overall intention of Mental Abuse matters is to build a recognition of the detrimental impact of mental abuse which has permeated our society as a whole.
Lucy Baxter provided an overview of her project to date and showcased her innovative training environment which is aimed at addressing Mental Abuse.