It’s time to celebrate a milestone and reflect on the legacy of a transformative project that started right here in Brighton. The Brighton Fuse Report, published ten years ago, has not just influenced the creative industries in our hometown but resonated across the UK and internationally, reshaping creative clusters and business policy relating to tech in the South East.
What is the Brighton Fuse Report?
Back in 2013, this ground-breaking study, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), presented an in-depth analysis of Brighton’s creative cluster. It painted a picture of creativity and technology fusing together to drive innovation, resulting in growth for 'superfused' businesses. What stood out was the emphasis on the clustering of these businesses, which created a melting pot for ideas, collaborations, and networking.
Fast forward ten years, The Fuse at Ten report takes a look back at the impact of this pioneering project.
Impact, Reach and Lessons Learned
This report explores how the insights and impacts of the original Brighton Fuse projects spread, transformed into actions, and influenced creative industries, regional development, business, and even policy. It is an insight-packed document for anyone interested in the intersections of creativity, technology, and business growth.
Moreover, it also offers provocations on how we can better support and report on long-term impacts, challenging the often short-term focus of policy and business initiatives.
You can read the original report, as well as the Fuse at Ten report, here.
The Fuse-Inspired Initiatives
The Brighton Fuse has continued to spark inspiration and ignite innovative projects over the years. Our FuseBox project, for instance, is a direct descendent, offering a nurturing space for small businesses using creative tech to innovate.
Not to mention the Creative Industries Clusters Programme (CICP), built on the Brighton Fuse model, further reinforcing the value of regional creative-tech collaboration.
The Fuse Goes Global
Brighton Fuse’s influence has also been felt internationally. Initiatives and studies inspired by The Brighton Fuse report have sprung up in Cape Town, South Africa; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Wellington, New Zealand, proving the global appeal and universal adaptability of the Fuse’s methods and concepts.
A Snapshot of the Fuse at Ten
Among the many impressive numbers from the Creative Industries Clusters Programme are:
- Creation of 4,271 jobs
- Funding for over 700 R&D projects
- 627 industry partnerships created.
That's a lot of fuse lighting!
Looking Ahead
The "Fuse at 10" report wraps up with some thought-provoking questions and observations. For instance, how can we better identify and resource projects that promise long-term impact? Could a ‘Follow-Up’ funding scheme help to discover and report on the long-term impacts from completed projects?
In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, these are critical questions for the future of the creative industries and beyond.
Why Did Brighton Fuse Have Impact?
The impact of the Brighton Fuse project is thanks to the credibility and rigour of its research, its timeliness, the readiness of stakeholders to embrace the findings, and the commitment of the AHRC to the Fuse agenda.
Here's to lighting many more fuses in the next decade!
If you would like to read The Fuse at Ten Report or any of the other Fuse reports they are available here on the FuseBox website.
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