The Fifth Sector is 10!!
Looking back on all the projects that The Fifth Sector has completed or participated in over the last decade, it makes you realise the importance of a milestone such as a 10th anniversary to make you take stock of where you have come from and get a fresh perspective on where you are going. Only around 30% of independent businesses achieve this milestone birthday. in that time, we have built an amazing network of clients and associates, and take so much pride in the delivery of each and every project we have been involved in.
In the past 10 years, we have provided cities and regions across the UK and internationally with research, insight, and the right tools to develop resilient, place-based strategies and effective action plans to boost investment in the creative and digital economy. We do this using a mix of innovative methods and analysis, combined with more than 30 years’ experience in both public and private sectors. Our ability to bring together disciplines of strategic business planning, economic development, skills training, digital infrastructure and place marketing allows us to address the importance of developing place-based, sustainable approaches to investment and growth. The Fifth Sector thrives on working with leading specialists and industry experts to ensure successful project completion.
The Fifth Sector is going from strength to strength. Building on Iain’s previous experience, such as writing the regional strategy for digital and creative industries as part of a £1bn development of MediaCityUK in Salford, The Fifth Sector’s journey begain with Iain project managing investment in 8 UK cities as part of DCMS’s £150m “Superconnected Cities programme” across the UK.
The first decade saw us lead research into the fast-growing immersive content and technology sector for organisations such as Digital Catapult, Innovate UK, University of Edinburgh and Liverpool City Region Growth Platform projects. More than 100 successfully completed assignments later, this year has seen us embarking on new cultural strategies and partnerships for Liverpool City Region, Manchester and Morecambe Bay, and a fast-developing new strand of research into net-zero carbon initiatives, including a partnership with University of Liverpool’s Zero Carbon Research Institute and a commission to develop a toolkit for local authorities looking to invest in renewable energy.
You can read more about our projects here About | city and region cultural success — The Fifth Sector
We will continue over the next 10 years to transform places and organisations through culture, creativity, and technology. We want to enable organisations to continue to harness and direct the growth of the creative and knowledge economy, by developing new products and services, engage with universities, develop roadmaps for collaborative research as well as advise and help secure research and development funds from available grants.
When asked how he feels about this milestone birthday Iain commented
“The last 10 years have been exciting, meeting so many fantastic people. I have enjoyed the creativity and the challenges that we have encountered along the way. There have been so many enjoyable moments in supporting the creative and digital sector and providing growth. I look to the next 10 years with a more knowledgeable head on my shoulders and will embrace the many challenges along the way.”
Here’s to the first 10 years and here’s to 10 more!!!