Event Strives to Help Creatives Thrive

MEDIA RELEASE
15 June 2010 – for immediate release

Event Strives to Help Creatives Thrive
Survive and Thrive forum, expo and workshops 8 July 2010.

Tenacity, flexibility and creative thinking are all hall-marks of businesses and organisations that survive and thrive – even in lean times. And lean times are something New Zealander of the Year, Ray Avery knows all about. Bridging the developing and developed worlds with innovative products that meet the needs of both markets, social entrepreneur, scientist and inventor, Ray says “if Aussie is the lucky country, then New Zealand is the clever country.” He loves the number eight wire Kiwi ‘can-do’ attitude – being the perfect embodiment of those values with the development of low-cost intraocular lenses for people with cataract blindness, Proteinforte, a superfood for people suffering from protein-energy malnutrition but also for athletes in developed nations and now the low cost Liferaft Incubator.

Making a living and even growing your creative business needs that same number eight wire attitude, and Survive and Thrive 2010 [coming up in Auckland on Thursday July the 8th] is set to help. “It’s not often that the creative sector has the opportunity to be together and focus on some practical learning from people who understand what it takes to survive in business and enterprise today”, says Candy Elsmore from Arts Regional Trust. “Just the opportunity to meet people from all over the sector can be the start of collaborations and other opportunities.”

Held at The University of Auckland Business School, Survive and Thrive 2010 includes a programme of short workshops, networking and an ‘expo’ of people and organisations working in support and as part of Auckland’s creative sector as well as a presentation from Ray Avery. Participants can speed network [the business version of speed dating] to make valuable contacts in a flash, as well as gain practical tips and tools from specialist advisors in the workshops, and learn more about who can help them strengthen and grow their creative enterprise. The afternoon programme is full of real-world, practical information and discussion that will help anyone thrive in today’s sometimes challenging business environment. Specialist advisors will help participants explore their money philosophy, tune into the marketing and promotion of what they are doing, undertake a ‘health check’ of their creative business, and learn how to self-manage for success.

The Survive and Thrive 2010 builds on the first Survive and Thrive forum held in 2009 in Manukau City. “The Survive and Thrive series is all about arming the creative sector with the information, connections, networks and tools to make what we all do sustainable. It’s about going for growth now and into the future”, says Elisabeth Vaneveld from The Big Idea.

More information
A full programme of the day and registration is available on The Big Idea: www.thebigidea.co.nz/survive-thrive

Participation in Survive and Thrive is $25 per person or $18 for students or community services card holders. Places are limited so pre-registration is essential. To register your attendance, email lena.kovac@thebigidea.co.nz. Survive & Thrive lunchboxes can be pre-purchased for $10, with additional snacks and refreshments able to be purchased at the venue on the day.

Survive and Thrive: fuelling the business of creativity, is a unique regional creative sector event initiated by the Arts Regional Trust Te Taumata Toi-a-iwi (ART), in partnership with The Big Idea – Te Aria Nui , and significantly supported by ASB Community Trust and Auckland City Council.

The event is co-hosted at the University of Auckland Business School by NICAI, the National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries and The University of Auckland Business School.

Survive and Thrive 2010: fuelling the business of creativity
Venue: The University of Auckland Business School, 12 Grafton Rd, Auckland City
Date & Time: Thursday 8 July, 10.30am to 6.00pm

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More Information:
Arts Regional Trust Te Taumata Toi-a-iwi (ART)
Through its unique and innovative programmes and approach, ART is growing entrepreneurship in the Auckland Region’s arts, culture and creative sector to generate cultural, creative and economic outcomes that benefit the Region.

The City Councils of Auckland and Manukau created the Arts Regional Trust: Te Taumata Toi-a–iwi (ART) in 2000 to manage and grow their combined share of funds ($6 million) provided through the disestablishment of Auckland Regional Services Trust.

Since then ART has invested over $2.1 million in the Auckland Region’s arts, culture and creative industries sector through the groundbreaking ART programmes: ART Venture, ART Source, ART Enterprise and ART Generator. The capital fund has grown to $8.1 million under ART’s stewardship.

The Big Idea Trust

The Big Idea | Te Aria Nui is where people find the tools, networks, opportunities and inspiration to grow their 'big ideas' into viable careers, projects and businesses in the creative sector.

Built on the belief that the health of the creative industries is vital to the cultural and economic well-being of Aotearoa, New Zealand, The Big Idea is committed to the innovation of virtual community as a way of providing alternative networking and information sharing across all creative sectors. A community that is more about business networking and resourcing than about social networking. It is a place to find [what you need from the creative community] and be found [as a creative practitioner, business or organisation] - a place to see [what other people are doing] and be seen [showcase your work to the world]. It truly is a big idea.

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