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I recently met the team from IdeasTap, a creative network with over 65,000 members. As part of my role at the Library, I work in partnership with lots of creative organisations to collaborate on events, activities, projects like our jewellery designer in residence programme, or to help raise awareness of the Library and our Business & IP Centre.
We’re exploring ways in which we can work together with IdeasTap, and as part of this, I wanted to interview them for my blog.
What is IdeasTap and why was it created?
IdeasTap is a not-for-profit creative network that funds, connects and nurtures new talent. It was launched in December 2008 as the arts platform of The Peter De Haan Charitable Trust.
Peter De Haan (our Chairman) has seven children and the majority of them have chosen to pursue creative careers. He saw the difficulty they had finding work when they graduated and quickly realised that the creative sector in general could benefit from support.
You have over 65,000 members. You must be able to spot a lot of trends in the film, photography and design sectors. What are the biggest things you’ve noticed this year?
There is definitely an increase in experimentation within film, mixing animation, documentary, drama 2D, 3D also distributing across platforms. We have noticed a lot of photographers who are self-publishing, like Fourteen – Nineteen using lots of different ways to get their work out there.
Design is an area for development for IdeasTap over the coming year. With our existing network, we’ve noticed an increase in the number of designers using traditional craftsmanship in their work – screen-printing, hand-drawn illustration, carpentry and the use of typefaces that look handwritten. Many of the young designers on our site are multi-disciplinary too.
Can you tell us about a few designers or makers that you’re really excited about at the moment?
IdeasTap members Frinton Press are great! They create really beautiful, screen printed products and were awarded IdeasTap Innovators funding last year for their limited edition magazine that could be used as wrapping paper once read.
I’m also exciting about a project that a group of designers are planning to run as part of this year’s LDF called Out Of Print. They’re building a traditional letterpress for an installation at Cromwell Road.
Lastly, what’s next for IdeasTap?
We have an exciting year ahead! We’ll be running more and more opportunities for designers and visual artists over the coming year and aim to develop partnerships with organisations in these sectors. Watch this space!
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Previously published on blogs.bl.uk and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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Photo credit: Istockphoto.com