Blacklight Collective creates opportunity for Coffs Coast creatives to connect Coffs Coast Coffs Coast News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - November 23, 2022 Event participants networking at the creative industries event. Photo: supplied. ON Tuesday, November 15 Coffs Harbour’s Blacklight Collective invited people working in the local creative industries to attend a get together to explore and discuss the future of the sector. Over 70 people from all areas of the creative sphere attended, representing industries including graphic design, fine arts, performing arts, film and television and a myriad of other creative pursuits. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au Key organiser and host Phil Nicholas told News Of The Area, “This event was conceived as part of Small Business Month and addressed the theme of ‘Connect for Success’. “In running this networking event, we wanted to kickstart the regular creative industries meetups that had become impossible during COVID and to gather some insights into who is doing what in this sector.” Blacklight Collective formed after successfully lobbying to include supporting the arts and creative industries as a priority action in the 2036 Regional City Action Plan for Coffs Harbour. Their mission is to shine a light on the Coffs Coast creative industries with the goal of redefining this region as a creative hotspot. The event offered the chance for participants to network with others, hear from keynote speaker Jeremy Sheehan of Bay School of the Arts on his experience and insights, and to ask questions of a panel of local industry and business representatives. “There were many new faces in the crowd,” Phil said. “This demonstrates that the population growth on the Coffs Coast is in part due to creatives moving to this region. “That bodes well for increased collaboration and diversity in the types of creative practices and businesses that emerge.” The group were encouraged by the success of this initial activity and are looking forward to offering more events that can facilitate local creative industry collaboration and growth. Further information about Blacklight Collective and future events can be found at https://www.facebook.com/createcoffs or https://blacklightcollective.com.au/ By David TUNE The Q&A panel featured (l to r) SWIFF’s Dave Horsley, singer/songwriter Billie-Jo Porter, Jetty Beach House’s Dave Mansfield, SLR Productions/Screen Producers Australia’s Suzanne Ryan and Business Women’s Network’s Sharon Joy. Photo: supplied.
