Big Motive and the Information Commissioner’s Office launch UX & Children’s privacy design programme.

Belfast-based independent design consultancy group and Future Screens NI project associates Big Motive have co-designed a User Experience (UX) design programme with the Information Commissioner’s Office. The UX Design code guidance launch Privacy by Design: Designing with children’s privacy in mind is Wednesday 20th of October from 3pm to 7.30pm. The project focus is on designing in line with the Children's Code and associated guidance. The Children's Code came into force in September 2021 as a code of practice for creating online services likely to be accessed by children. Graphic designers may have to consider the code if they are creating online services or products for children online, or if they want to transition into UX design.

The online event will launch the guidance offering a great opportunity for graphic design students or designers interested in design for children’s products, services or general User Experience to come along and learn a bit more about the code that will affect the working design field.

For more information and to sign up follow the link here.

Rejig and Catalyst have joined forces to develop school leaders' skills in design thinking.

Future Screens NI Rewriting the Narrative awarded-project Catalyst Schools programme to be offered to school leaders at no cost to the schools! Northern Ireland-based training and consultancy business Rejig have partnered with not-for-profit technology networking hub Catalyst to produce Catalyst Schools a programme grounded in design thinking to bring together leaders, teachers, pupils and Catalyst Business partners to support one another in learning the skills of innovation. Grounded in design thinking, Catalyst Schools brings together leaders, teachers, pupils and Catalyst business partners to support one another in learning the skills of innovation. The programme is open to post-primary school leaders from across Northern Ireland, and it’s fully funded by the Department for the Economy, so there’s no cost to schools. They are seeking post-primary school leaders who are interested in joining us for a 3-day professional learning cohort on the skills and mindsets to support a school-wide culture of inclusive innovation and deeper learning and applications for this unique professional learning programme are now being accepted.

For more information and to apply please follow the link here.

Future Screens NI & Arts Council of Northern Ireland publish artists & arts organisation survey of pandemic impact.

Future Screens NI and funding partner Arts Council of Northern Ireland have published findings of surveys with artists and arts organisation who received Emergency Funding support during the pandemic. The survey suggests the often devastating impact of the pandemic on Northern Ireland’s creative sector pointing to public funding as a lifeline to the sector. Between April 2020 and February 2021, the Arts Council co-designed and administered eight emergency programmes, with funding from the Department of Communities, to stabilise the sector, protect jobs and skills, and increase opportunities for people to access the arts during lockdown. £11.3 million was distributed through 2,869 grants to creative practitioners and £14.7 million through 501 grants to arts organisations. 

For more information on the survey visit here. 

Catalyst’s science, technology and engineering entrepreneurship programme is now open!

Northern Ireland technology networking hub and frequent Future Screens NI funded project collaborators Catalyst have opened the Co-Founders programme to ambitious and talented individuals or established teams interested in developing new product/service innovation focused on science, technology and engineering. The programme has attracted diverse participants such as: software engineers, data scientists, sales and marketing experts, medical professionals, mechanical engineers, researchers, undergraduates and PhDs – as well as professionals with many years of experience. Co-Founders is a unique entrepreneurship programme that helps you form a team with like-minded individuals, build creative confidence and develop a product that customers really want. It comprises two areas of focus: how to be a Co-Founder and how to develop a product and growth mindset.

For more information and to apply follow the link here.

Deepa Mann-Kler, CEO Neon chairs XR panel at BFI London Film Festival 12th Oct. 2pm.

Future Screens NI funding recipient, artist, Chief Executive at Immersive Technology company Neon and Visiting Professor in Immersive Futures at Ulster University, Deepa Mann-Kler will be moderating the panel discussion focusing on Extended Reality (XR) for the British Film Institute London Film Festival (LFF). The Escapism vs Confrontation: A Journey into Reality Through XR panel discussion will be held on 12th October at 2pm. The discussion will feature: Joel Kachi Benson, documentary filmmaker and Creative Director of virtual reality film studios VR360 Stories in Lagos, Nigeria, writer-director Natalia Almada, who won the Directing Award: U.S. Documentary for her film Users which also screens at LFF2021 with Joel Kachi Benson & Natalia Almada discussing their work with XR technology.

For more information on this and other LFF events visit: 

https://www.bfi.org.uk/news/industry-programme-65th-bfi-london-film-festival