Creative Innovators Fellowship and other opportunities (Closed)

The Creative Innovators Programme drives the synergy between creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship for social impact. It aims to contribute to more sustainable and impact-led creative hubs that can better support the Philippines’ creative industries, thereby creating more inclusive cities and communities.

The Creative Innovators Programme builds the next generation of creative community leaders in the Philippines through a one-year Fellowship for creative hub managers. It includes mentorships, management trainings, grants and networking opportunities in the Philippines, ASEAN and the UK. The Fellows will not only serve as inspiration and mentors for creatives but become global ambassadors for the Philippines’ creative and cultural industries. 

The selected Fellows, through their creative hubs, will support and help grow hundreds of creative entrepreneurs, designers and artists from all over the Philippines and abroad. 

Creative hubs are organisations that provide space and support for product and professional development, networking, business sustainability and community engagement within the creative and cultural sectors. A global research by the British Council found that hubs are catalysts for innovation, inclusive growth in the creative economy, and positive change in cities. Examples include co-working spaces, makerspaces, design studios, fablabs and art collectives.

But the research also pointed out that creative hubs are often under-supported and under-appreciated by institutions and stakeholders. In addition, creative hub managers lack the necessary skills and business knowhow to sustain their hub and communicate their value in society. Read more here.

The creative economy makes up 3 per cent of the world’s GDP and employs 29.5 billion people (International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers, 2015). It makes up US$12.5 billion, or 7.34 per cent of the Philippines’ GDP, and employs almost 6 million workers (Ozy, 2018). In the UK, it is the fastest growing sector, valued at US$122 billion.

The call for Creative Innovators Fellowship is now closed.

We are looking for Creative Hub managers all over the Philippines to become a Creative Innovator Fellow! 

The Creative Innovators Fellowship is a programme delivered by the British Council and the Department of Trade and Industry. It drives the synergy between creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship for social impact. It aims to contribute to more sustainable and impact-led creative hubs. It provides an avenue for hub managers to respond to two main challenges: 

1. building stronger organisations that can better support the creative industries
2. helping create more inclusive cities and communities.

There will be 15 Fellows for this pilot edition. They are young, influential creative hub leaders and managers with a social mission. They are seeking to take their organisations to the next level of growth.

Who are the Creative Hub Managers? 

• They are trusted and influential individuals who facilitate creative hubs (design studios, co-working spaces, makerspaces, fablabs, artist-run spaces and organisations, etc).
• They can come from different backgrounds or assume multiple roles – designers, producers, art managers, creative directors, property managers, business owners, artists and others.
• They are passionate, well connected and make things happen in the various creative industries. They broker, maintain and curate relationships. 
• They are catalysts for positive change within their communities.

Criteria

Before you apply, please take time to consider your eligibility and availability to take part in activities related to the Fellowship.

1. You are currently managing or owning a creative hub or enterprise in the Philippines and need support to get to the next level of growth. Participants from outside Metro Manila are encouraged to apply. 

2. This Programme is relevant for proponents who have been operating for 1–5 years or older hubs who are looking to revamp their organisations. Types of hubs include:

• creative hubs – design studios, makerspaces, co-working spaces, fab labs or artist–run spaces with activities for product and professional development, etc.
• enterprises in various fields – communication design, product design, applied arts, music, film, communication, architecture, fashion, game, industrial, urban planning, systems, etc.

3. Your creative hub or enterprise has a social mission apart from creative production. It has a programme that helps the professional development of artists and entrepreneurs or actively engages with its immediate communities to respond to community issues.

4. Your creative hub is currently working with or has supported at least ten artists/creative entrepreneurs in the past.

5. You will commit to becoming a Fellow for over one year, from August 2018 to October 2019, and attend all relevant trainings and activities under the Programme within the Philippines and abroad. Activities include trainings, mentoring sessions and a study tour in the UK, among others.

6. You will commit to co-creating a training session on creative skills with an experienced facilitator, to be delivered to creative entrepreneurs in October 2018.

7. You will commit to sharing your experiences and the Programme’s activities and outcomes via relevant media channels; and cascading new skills/knowledge acquired to other hub managers or targeted communities through an event/training/workshop. You will be given a grant for this activity. 

8. You are ideally 18-35 years old, and a Philippine citizen or resident for the past 10 years.

9. You are eager to learn, respectful of other people’s ideas and want to be part of a global network of creative hub managers.

Nominate

Are you a creative hub manager who wants to make a difference or know of one who has what it takes?

Apply

Download the Application Form for the Scholarship at the downloads section below.

Please submit all applications to britishcouncil@britishcouncil.org.ph on or before 8 July 2018. Indicate “Creative Innovators Application – [Your Name]" as email subject. We will notify you of your acceptance by end of July 2018.

Thames International and Apl.de.Ap Foundation are offering the following scholarships:

20 Scholarships for undergraduate degrees in B.S. Entrepreneurship or B.A. Communications at Thames International. 

• Both degrees have a focus on Creative Enterprise. The scholars will be trained to succeed in their start-up with the twin goal of hiring artists and creatives. 
• A three-year programme starting in August 2018, equivalent to US$15,000.

20 Scholarships for Professional Diplomas in Innovation and Creative Enterprise 

• A 9-month part-time programme for working individuals. It combines business, innovation and creative thinking skills. The programme starts in November 2018.

Criteria

1. has an artistic talent and skill in music, film, photography, graphic design, drawing, singing, drama/acting, fashion, publishing, games, etc.

2. has a business idea that will have a social/environmental impact

3. digital and programming knowledge is a plus

4. for Professional Diploma candidates: Age 35 and below

5. for Bachelor Degree candidates: Age 22 and below, and has not finished a Bachelor’s Degree

6. limited to candidates who are citizens or long-time residents (ten years) of the Philippines.

Conditions

• The ICE Scholarship will only cover tuition fees, not living allowances and other expenses.

Apply

Download the Application Form for the Scholarship at the downloads section below.

For questions and inquiries, please email Scholarships@Thames.edu.ph. 

Please submit all applications to Scholarships@Thames.edu.ph and britishcouncil@britishcouncil.org.ph on or before 8 July 2018. Indicate “ICE Scholar Application – [Your Name]" as email subject. We will notify you of your acceptance by end of July 2018.