#4 John Howkins - Writer and strategist on the creative economy

Gaylene discusses her journey so far including art as a lifeline, angels on the path, changing direction, the importance of mentors and the power of kindness in response to suffering. Gaylene Gould is a Creative Director, broadcaster and writer who designs interactive art projects and spaces that generously connect us with ourselves, each other and the world. She explores the healing and growth potential of sharing space, stories, ideas and knowledge through her artistic, writing and consultancy practice. She believes the transcendent moments that art and culture creates can change how we are in the world. Her projects have been commissioned by and performed at the Tate, V&A, Arts Catalyst, Vivid Projects, Selfridges, h club, Moderna Museet Sweden and BAM, New York. Her projects are produced by her creative company The Space to Come.   She is also an arts broadcaster for the BBC, a published fiction writer, a facilitator, cultural reviewer and a Cultural Ambassador for London appointed by Mayor Sadiq Khan. She has been a cultural leader for 25 years heading up major cultural institutions and projects including Head of Cinemas at BFI Southbank and producing, programming and consulting for the Arts Council, Toronto International Film Festival, National Theatre, Young Vic and Bernie Grant Art Centre amongst others. She is on the Artistic Advisory Board for Brixton House, the Advisory Board for the Decolonising Arts Institute, University Arts London and a Trustee for ANU Productions.

Evgeny discusses building a company on trust, leading authentically, the future of coaching and why this moment is enough. Evgeny Shadchnev is the founder and ex-CEO of Europe’s first coding bootcamp, Makers Academy. Evgeny now works as an executive coach with entrepreneurs and CEOs, particularly in the tech industry. He has learned leadership lessons and how to scale the hard way, and shares that journey and insight in this conversation.

Jude discusses overcoming obstacles, leadership in the arts, cultural activism and building a global movement towards a gender equal world. Jude Kelly is an award winning theatre and opera director and has led organisations such as Battersea Arts Centre, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Metal Culture and Southbank Centre. She founded the WOW - Women of the World festival in 2010, which has staged over 65 festivals across six continents reaching more than two million people. Her 2016 Ted Talk ‘Why women should tell the stories of humanity’ has been viewed more than 1.2 million times. She founded The WOW Foundation in 2018 to focus solely on the development of WOW as an independent charity.

Ingrid discusses lessons learned and insights gained from an illustrious career as a movement director: (Royal Shakespeare Company, Lyric Hammersmith, Royal Court, Almeida Theatre, Nouveau Riche) and performer: (Dallas Black Dance Theater, Disney’s The Lion King, Royal Opera House, English National Opera, Green Candle Dance Company, Uchenna Dance).

Naveen Arles BCA is an energetic, inspirational vocal leader and animateur who’s outstanding ability to motivate and train groups of people has meant, in addition to leading choirs, he delivers workshops for senior management training courses, wellbeing support groups and in prisons.  His choirs have toured with Hugh Jackman, Take That, Lulu; performed with George Ezra, Alexandra Burke and Freya Ridings, appeared on most UK terrestrial TV channels and were chosen to welcome the guests for Michelle Obama's exclusive UK book launch.  Nav's experience and social justice work has led him to an invitation onto the council of the Association of British Choral Directors (ABCD) and to join the consultancy panel advising Hal Leonard Europe on their Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies. He is a specialist in community building, leading groups and supporting them to create meaningful experiences for both the participants and, wherever possible, the audience.

Andrew Missingham is a drummer, musician, producer and the co-founder of B+A, the fastest most creative management consultancy in the world. B+A work with organisations in the cultural, for profit and social sectors helping them change for the better. They have worked with an extraordinary range of organisations, many of which you may well have heard of. These include Punchdrunk, Microsoft, Nike, the Barbican, Converse, Aveda, The Financial Times, Google, intel, Clinique, the LA Philharmonic and Patreon. Andrew is a problem solver, a voracious reader and a creative thinker on the arts, media, business and many other things besides.

Robbie Swale is a coach. In the earlier stages of his career Robbie spent periods as a director, a trustee and as a manager in various arts organisations, all of which contribute to a creative approach to his coaching work and life in general. Since moving into coaching he has built a thriving business offering both one to one coaching and group coaching programmes.

Christopher Daniel is an architect, educator, designer and inveterate enthusiast. He runs Polysemic, an interdisciplinary design studio making strategies and places for performance and community.

Jessica Bowles is the Principal Lecturer and Course Leader of the MA/MFA Creative Producing at Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Jessica trained as a Designer for Film and TV, and spent the early part of her career working across Europe in theatre design with organisations including Dukes Playhouse Lancaster, Young Vic and the RSC. Her subsequent career in education has spanned writing the BA (Cons) Theatre Practice Course at Central School of Speech and Drama and introducing undergraduate Circus and Puppetry degrees to UK Higher Education. Jessica also founded the Masters course in Creative Producing which she now leads. Through her work in education Jessica has supported the learning of an extraordinary range of people now working across the theatre and wider performing arts industries.

John's first book 'The Creative Economy: How People Make Money from Ideas' has become the seminal account of how creative people think and develop new ideas. His follow-up book 'Creative Ecologies: Where Thinking is a Proper Job' applies new ideas on ecology to how people work together and co-creativity. It asks, Where do we think best? Over the last fifteen years John has worked with a wide range of people and organisations in over thirty countries to increase understanding of creativity and innovation in a business environment. He continues to write, lecture and debate on the creative economy and what it means for us.