The Insider Archive
2009: A YEAR OF CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
Innovation Matters, Volume 2, Issue 27 - December 16, 2009
The creative economy has weathered the storm of the many challenges of 2009 with our chin up and with optimistic cheers. As local, national and international economies continue to shift, Innovation Philadelphia isn't the first to enthusiastically welcome 2010. The local creative economy has been hit hard with layoffs, stagnate business, and halted innovation, leaving the question "Did anything good come out of this year?" Yes!
Although many Creatives found themselves filing for unemployment, many also left constricting jobs behind to start their own business, birthing a new general of entrepreneurs. Companies in all industries were challenged to "do what they do" better, as well as be innovative with internal business processes. These companies looked to Creatives to be idea makers and thought leaders. In many ways, the creative economy gained new respect.
The Philadelphia creative economy found unity within its community through multiple programs and events connecting previously disparate groups. Numerous major reports ranked Philadelphia top of their list for innovation and entrepreneurism (check out the reports section below for details). Hopefully, we enter 2010 as a community with strong ties, blossoming talent and ambitious goals to showcase Philadelphia as a center of cutting edge, quality creative professionals.
So…Welcome 2010! Philadelphia Creatives are ready for you - stronger and smarter than ever.
WHAT HAPPENED? CREATIVE WORKFORCE
Immense discussion surrounded developing, supporting and cultivating the creative workforce in Philadelphia. Several of Innovation Philadelphia's partners focus on workforce issues. With our partner, PhillyCreativeGuide.com, PhillyCreativeJobs.com was launched as a job resource for creative workers and freelancers. Over 552 regional companies and organizations were contacted to post positions on PhillyCreativeJobs.com and partnerships were created with IdeaBlob, ICN and Adecco to promote the website. To date, there have been over 100 jobs and freelance positions posted on the website. "More intensive outreach and promotion is planned for 2010," says Bill Haley of PhillyCreativeGuide.com.
In September, Innovation Philadelphia teamed up with The BOSS Group to host CreativeConnects. CreativeConnects is a free networking and business card exchange event for creative, marketing, communications, advertising and web professionals. This program offers the opportunity for professionals to connect with colleagues, meet new people, keep up with industry news and get leads on jobs and business opportunities. This networking session provided Innovation Philadelphia with a forum to talk about the PhillyCreativeJobs website and to promote our job and freelance resources to regional creative industry professionals.
WHAT HAPPENED? CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
During the past year, many members of Philadelphia's creative community tapped into their entrepreneurial spirit by deciding to take the plunge and to start their own businesses. Some new entrepreneurs were a result of being laid off from their jobs and taking the opportunity to venture out on their own. Seasoned entrepreneurs remained steadfast in their determination to find new opportunities and to deliver quality products and services. Innovation Philadelphia is committed to supporting the entrepreneurial community at each step and in 2009 hosted a number of panels, workshops and networking sessions to connect entrepreneurs and freelancers with new business opportunities and with other entrepreneurs. These are some of the highlights:
Innovation Philadelphia hosted Running on Empty: Make a Little Go a Long Way on February 26, 2009 at PNC Bank Center. Over 100 entrepreneurs from various creative industries attended to hear a panel of regional entrepreneurs and business owners share tips and personal experiences on how to survive and thrive during challenging economic times. Attendees listened to a panel discussion, moderated by Mark Loschiavo, Executive Director of the Laurence A. Baiada Center for Entrepreneurship, and then broke out into discussion groups with individual panelists to discuss additional ways for small businesses to weather a tough economic climate.
Throughout the Summer of 2009, Innovation Philadelphia partnered with Advanta to promote PhillyCreativeJobs.com through BlobLive, a weekly open mic night for entrepreneurs. Nelly Arnold, Program Manager, kicked off the weekly meetings with a 2-3 minute introduction of PhillyCreativeJobs.com and Innovation Philadelphia and solicited the audience for advice on how to reach the creative community more effectively as well as strategies to populate PhillyCreativeJobs.com with jobs. Through this partnership with Advanta, parent company of BlobLive, Innovation Philadelphia utilized social media and blogging to publicize videos of the event.
On Thursday, June 4, 2009, Innovation Philadelphia held the Economic Stimulus Plan: What You Should Know but Don't panel at the PNC Bank Center. More than 200 entrepreneurs and small business owners attended to learn from guest panelists who discussed how to compete for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds as these funds begin to trickle down to the local level. The panelists included Cheryl Bullock, Senior Advisor and Southeast Regional Director for U.S. Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr., David Dickson, District Director for the Philadelphia chapter of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Kevin Dow, the Deputy Director for Neighborhood and Business Services in the City of Philadelphia's Department of Commerce, and Bill Walsh, District Director from the Office of Congressman Joseph Sestak. The panel was moderated by President & CEO of Innovation Philadelphia, Kelly R. Lee. Attendees had access to a wide array of resources displayed at the panel and all of the information discussed by the panelists was made available through Innovation Philadelphia's website following the program.
Innovation Philadelphia partnered with Center City District's summer SIPS program by co-hosting two Creative Association Showcases. On July 8, 2009 over 150 people gathered at Lucky Strikes Bowling to network with regional communications and entertainment associations. The associations included the Philadelphia Chapter of the Business Marketing Association, the Philadelphia Public Relations Society, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Mobile Monday Mid-Atlantic, and the Greater Philadelphia Film Office. On August 19, 2009 nearly 200 people met at Thirteen to network with design associations, design professionals and fellow creative industry professionals. The associations in attendance included the American Institute of Architects (Philadelphia Chapter), AIGA Philadelphia (American Institute of Graphic Artists), the Philadelphia Area New Media Association (PANMA), and the Industrial Designers Society of America - Philadelphia. Innovation Philadelphia was thrilled to welcome many associations participating for the first time. These included the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), Philly CHI, and the Usability Professionals' Association - Delaware Valley Chapter. The goal of the Showcases is to link creative professionals to associations that provide support and professional development strengthening their ties to the region.
The Greater Philadelphia Entrepreneurs' Resource Guide underwent a complete update and revision in 2009. The third edition of this comprehensive guide that provides businesses and entrepreneurs with information about organizations providing business and professional development services and networking, funding and marketing support continues to be the leading resource guide in the region. The Entrepreneurs' Resource Guide is available as a free searchable online directory available through InnovationPhiladelphia.com and can be purchased for download as well. In 2009, there were over 200 copies distributed.
Innovation Philadelphia partnered with Next American City [http://americancity.org/] magazine for their Urban Nexis release party in honor of the 2009 summer issue and to announce the 2009 Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit. Next American City is a national quarterly magazine about making cities better and is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting socially and environmentally sustainable economic growth in America's cities and examining how and why our built environment, economy, society and culture are changing. The summer issue featured the Summit and Kelly Lee was provided an opportunity to address the attendees at the reception to tell them about the Summit and about Innovation Philadelphia. Next American City magazines were also distributed to all Summit attendees and attendees were offered discounted subscription rates to the publication. In addition, the Summit was featured on the Next American City website.
WHAT HAPPENED? CREATIVE CONVERGENCES
On Monday and Tuesday, October 5th & 6th, 2009, the 2nd Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit took place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. The Summit has proven to be one of Innovation Philadelphia's signature programs with approximately 900 participants, including the people who registered for the full Summit and keynote presentations and those who attended the free and open to the public events. 161 speakers took part in 30 panel discussions and10 workshops. The Summit also hosted 4 keynote speakers: Elizabeth Gilbert, best-selling author of Eat, Pray, Love, Peter Shankman, Founder, Help A Reporter Out and Founder and CEO, the Geek Factory, Inc., Jane McGonigal, Director of Game Research and Development, Institute for the Future, and Randall Kempner, Executive Director, Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs. The Summit received extensive media coverage and was featured on blogs and websites throughout the region and across the country. Following the completion of the Summit, Innovation Philadelphia is busy compiling and synthesizing the content, participant reactions and opinions to begin implementation some of the ideas generated at the Summit in the Philadelphia Region. The full Summit Program is available for download here and don't miss out on the photos from the Summit available on Flickr.
Innovation Philadelphia was a founding member in the NxtUp Philly initiative which was a twelve-day collaborative celebrating and showcasing the Philadelphia region's creativity, commerce and community. A website for the initiative featured an open calendar that highlighted innovation and new ideas and presented discussions of art, design, film, business, architecture, fashion, food and much more. NxtUp Philly ran from October 5-16, 2009 and featured more than 300 artistic and innovative programs taking place throughout the Philadelphia region during the twelve-day showcase. Highlights included the Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit, DesignPhiladelphia, Ignite Philly and NxtUp Education. The events and programs being presented covered the entire spectrum of the region's creative economy and were held all over the region. NxtUp Philly provided a chance to make the market visible, see what others are doing, create new networks, develop new partnerships and see new ventures.
WHAT HAPPENED? CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Technology plays an integral role in the creative community. It is how we communicate, how we create and in many ways how we advance. From social media, to mobile applications, to gaming and design, technology touches almost everyone in the creative community and new technologies are developed daily. In 2009, Innovation Philadelphia embraced new ways of reaching our constituents through an aggressive social media campaign to share information and ideas, as well as to showcase and promote initiatives and creative professionals in the Philadelphia region. Below are some of Innovation Philadelphia's programs and initiatives that support and cultivate creative technologies.
Innovation Philadelphia sponsored the Mobile Monday Mobile Marketing and Advertising panel on Monday, May 18, 2009 at the Cira Center in Philadelphia. Over 400 marketing and advertising professionals, tech entrepreneurs, job seekers, and those simply curious about the event turned out to hear the panel discussing the current state of mobile marketing and advertising and where the industry is headed next. The panel was moderated by Steve Smith, author of Media Post's Mobile Insider, and included several executives from companies including AT&T, Gartner, Millennial Media, NAVTEQ, PhindMe Mobile, Razorfish and SmartReply.
Technology is an integral part of the complex ecologies that support creative industries, shaping the future of the global creative economy. The 2009 Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit featured a Creative Technologies track where presenters discussed and explored emerging technologies and how they have impacted successful creative economy growth. Topics include social media, mobile technology, integrated business solution platforms, animation, Web 3.0, game design, and much more. Sessions included Baby Pixars: The New Model for Animation Studios, ABCs of Mobile Technology, and Creativity in Music Technology.
Innovation Philadelphia blogged with original content and a social media strategy was created and launched in May 2009 to augment the blog. Innovation Philadelphia staff currently produces original content for Twitter, Facebook and Flickr. Social media played an important role in the 2nd Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit as both a catalyst for discussion topics and as a tool that allowed attendees to extend their participation, give feedback and share information presented before, during and after the Summit.
GOODBYE 2009, HELLO 2010!
It has been a busy 2009 and Innovation Philadelphia is looking forward to an even more productive and creative 2010. Keep an eye out for our 2010 outlook edition of Innovation Matters in early January. Thank you for supporting Innovation Philadelphia during 2009 and for being an enthusiastic advocate for the creative community. Happy Holidays and many wishes for a healthy and productive 2010!