In Autumn 2013, Watershed and National Theatre Wales supported 12 brilliant creative Digital Producers through Wales’ very first Digital Producers Lab. This development programme fostered digital talent and catalysed production of creative technology projects in Wales.

Supported by Arts Council Wales, the programme offered participants the unique opportunity to undertake personal and professional development through skills swapping, networking and knowledge exchange. It included a Meet up and Ideas Day at National Theatre Wales in Cardiff, and a week working with peers at Watershed’s Pervasive Media Studio in Bristol.

During the programme, participants explored different aspects of creative technology production including: how to develop brilliant ideas, project management, making business sustainable, Intellectual Property, and pitching to clients and funders. They also had the chance to unpick a host of best practice case studies and dabble in a little creative tech development of their own.

Participating producers were:

• Alison John, co-founder of yello brick creative marketing agency and Cardiff’s annual PlayARK games festival.
• Tom Rack, Creative Director of NoFit State Circus and recent recipient of a prestigious Creative Wales Award.
• Matt Ball, theatre maker and recent Creative Associate at National Theatre Wales where he set up WalesLab, prior to joining NTW Matt was Artistic Director of Camden People's Theatre.
• David Massey, Digital Manager at Welsh National Opera.    
• Craig Morrison, artist and curator of blinc digital festival in Conwy.
• Ruth Lloyd, new to Wales and setting up as a freelance producer, building of ten years of experience gained at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.
• Lisa Heledd Jones, Director of Storyworks, a fledgling company that presents personal stories creatively, innovatively and appropriately, through short film, digital stories, performance and installation.
• Anne Siegel, independent filmmaker, events producer and Education & Creative Technology Manager at Ffotogallery in Cardiff.               
• Laura Cotton, development editor for Touchpaper Television and producer of Codi Pais, a comedy-drama series for S4C, to broadcast in early 2015.
• Sarah Jane Leigh, freelance Arts Producer and Promoter, currently working on good cop bad cop and Chapter Arts Centre's Dylan Thomas 100 project, Teifi Emerald and Acts of Beauty's production WiLD, Buddug James Jones’ production Hiraeth and Youth of Creative Arts’ Project Fio.
• Michael Cousin, founder and producer of Outcasting and co-founder of Outcasting: Fourth Wall (O:4W), Wales’ first artists’ moving image festival.
• Catryn Ramasut, founder of ie ie productions, a Cardiff-based production company set up with partner Gruff Rhys in 2006. Prior work included roles within radio, television, print and advertising for BBC Radio 1, Marmalade Magazine and M&C Saatchi.

What are Digital Producers? They are a vital part of our cultural and economic landscape, bridging creative and technology sectors. They are highly skilled individuals who deliver brilliant, innovative projects, bringing new products, services and experiences to the public. In our current climate of social, cultural, economic and environmental change, Producers can rally the diverse talents of scientists, artists, technologists, designers, amateurs and academics, to share ideas, take risks and develop projects that make extraordinary contributions to the UK’s growing creative economy.

Through the Digital Producers Lab, Watershed, National Theatre Wales and Arts Council Wales aimed to up-skill this brilliant cohort, encouraging them to go on to support each other, create new business opportunities and enable audiences to enjoy extraordinary new cultural experiences.

You can see posts about the project on National Theatre Wales' website. You can also see our Storify (rounding up tweets etc. from the programme) below:

[View the story "Digital Producers Lab" on Storify]