10:30am – 11:00am  

Registration and Welcome Drinks

To take place at The Birmingham Rep - for venue details, including how to get there, and information around car parking, nearest train stations and walking distances please see here

11.00am - 11.15am  

Introduction to the event - The Suites at The Birmingham Rep

(Host TBC)

Introduction and Welcomes.

11.15-11.45am  

Setting the scene

• The Freelance Experience –Alison Grade, career freelancer, serial entrepreneur and founder of the company Mission Accomplished, Author of The Freelance Bible

• The impact of the pandemic from a freelancer perspective -Louise Braithwaite MU member, regional vice-chair and Freelance Musician
• The Understanding Gap, Victoria Barker Coventry University

• The bigger picture: challenges and opportunities in the region, David Furmage (Senior Policy Manager (Creative & Cultural) Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership

11:45 am – 12:15 am

Working Together & Building back

An opportunity to discuss how the creative sector and their audiences, and communities, can work together to support a better, more sustainable creative sector.

• Good employment in cultural sector /Cultural manifesto principles–Lee Barron of TUC **
• An overview of how the unions have supported freelancers pre and post pandemic – Ian Manborde, Equity
• Building support networks in the region – Anthony Ruck Culture Central

Ensembles and cooperatives, Collective agreements, Pandemic Solidarity – What next? – Heidi Ashton, University of Warwick

12:15 - 12:30 pm

What can we do in the region to make things better?

Speakers will discuss and debate actions that can be taken in order to improve the health of this sector specifically within the West Midlands region.

• Opening up – support for early careers Prue Huddleston, University of Warwick

• Training and Opportunities from Young People , Noel Dunne, Creative Alliance

• Creative compact and support for freelance creatives – Stacy O’Connor

• Regional Policy Development David Furmage

• Creatives working with the LEP Sarah Brewster, Fresh Seed

12:30 - 1pm

*** Break for Lunch ***

1pm - 2pm

Ways Forward

Actions, priorities, follow-up

• A summary of issues raised during the lunch break/What next? – Chris Bilton, University of Warwick
• A response from the TUC Lee Barron, TUC
• A response from regional government – David Furmage / Stacy O’Connor

2pm - 3pm

*** Tea, Coffee and Networking ***