the same NWDA that (along with similar regional organisations) wanted to pay photographers derisory rates below those in NUJ guidelines along with total exclusive licensing for the images (to be sold on for profit by the agency) yet still have the photographer liable for any transgressions of copyright/image rights or any other legal issue.

another government agency on the make that only ends up screwing those they are trying to help.

We do know however that the NWRDA spunked away £120 million of tax payers money. On what? Who knows?

Around 10 years ago, the North West Tourist Board was succesfully transferred from being a local and centrally funded autonomous vehicle into the control of the NWDA. For a lot of money. And for fundamentally no discernible change in the delivery of tourism marketing and services. I know. I did the legal work.

Binners – was it the NESTA creative credits scheme or the innovation vouchers scheme run through the NWRDA?

CaptJon – It was creative Credits run through the NESTA, NWRDA and Manchester City Council.

To be fair to Manchester City Council, Sir Howard Bernstein (CEO) was there and doing his best. After all he’s a rare beast – A local council leader who can genuinely be described as a visionary. And a pretty clued up businessman to boot.

He ended up virtually having a stand-up row with these utter clueless numpties from the NWRDA, who had clearly read a lot of books about urban regeneration in San Diego or whatever, but had never actually DONE anything. And they actually had the audacity to talk down to him

All in all – It was a depressing experience. And the outcome of it was always pretty safe to assume. A load of public funds spaffed away to achieve sweet FA!!

If it was NESTA there was a report about the scheme published. Good luck finding it though.

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disgruntled – Member

Personally speaking exporting more to China and India is pretty much killing my line of work (animator) substantial proportion of the actual artwork side of making series, e.c.t, all goes off to India and China thus very little work for people here. I would be happy getting paid a pretty basic wage but even that still can’t match production cost that overseas can offer.

…

That was a polite sum up of my feelings.

I do not mean outsource your job away. If you are exporting your creative juice then you sell without transferring your core skills(trade secrets). Otherwise, once they have learned the trick of your trade i.e. trade secrets, then there will no further need for your service.

If companies keep transferring their skills (trade secrets) abroad then in the long run they will only make themselves uncompetitive because they have cheaper labour.

Creative Scotland are now also helping to fund web startups given the buoyancy of the digital sector and the massive potential returns these can generate. So, although funded initially, they can use that seed capital to grow into fully fledged businesses. And those who think that launching an innovative startup without pots of VC cash is easy (and the domain of turtlenecked black coffee swilling pontificators) has clearly never worked at one.

pay us creative types to not work in non creative jobs and instead give us money to sit around, drink coffee and come up with ideas to ensure that we continue to receive money.