Sinn Fein Cllr Mickey Cooper.
The staging of a All-Ireland media conference in Derry tomorrow is a “further demonstration” of the city’s growing reputation as a “creative industries city,” Sinn Fein Cllr Mickey Cooper has said.
The event, being hosted tomorrow in the Millennium Forum by the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure (DCAL), will attract delegates from across Ireland.
Cllr Cooper said: “I am delighted that DCAL Minister Caral Ni Chulain has decided to host the event in Derry which will highlight the growth areas within the creative industries sector, promote the companies working in the sector in Derry and signpost local businesses towards opportunities to collaborate with larger creative industry companies from other parts of Ireland and beyond.”
Cllr Cooper revealed as a follow-up to the conference, he has discussed a proposal with DCAL to host a jobs fair to signpost STEM graduates from Magee and the NWRC and those other residents with IT skills towards job opportunities in the sector.
He addedL: “The minister will also be making specific reference to her department’s attempts to further develop creative industry skills and job opportunities especially in community areas.
“At present the department is working with myself and others to deliver cultural hubs in community areas which will include IT facilities which can be used to train both young and old residents in creative industry subjects.
“My discussions with the department and Derry2020 have also now resulted in the development of new IT courses with the first sessions already almost fully subscribed. In addition the Creative Industries section of the dept has funded a new film about the Creggan estate which is currently being prepared for launch.”
Cllr Cooper concluded: “All of these activities are aimed at widening access to skills development and job opportunities in the creative industries sector to residents from across the city which the minister will reaffirm during her speech on the 14th at the Millennium Forum.”
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