British Council: Creative Communities Learning Lab

A new series of dynamic and accessible online learning modules for creative and cultural professionals around the world, designed with input from creative hub leaders from Southeast Asia and the UK.

BACKGROUND

The global escalation of Covid-19 has changed the way we live, learn, communicate and work. For the arts and culture sector, the current crisis has brought on challenges on a global level: from the closing of physical shared spaces, restrictions on live gatherings, limited mobility, a push towards remote working, and the loss of livelihood for many professionals, among others.

In response to the global pandemic, we hosted ‘Communities of a New Future: A series of creative hub conversations’ in 2020 to explore how different parts of the world have tackled these issues. Through these interactions, we were able to collect insights from creative hub leaders in Southeast Asia and the UK. Some of their needs included the knowledge to digitise programme delivery and new means of engaging and supporting their communities.

THE PROJECT

Learning from these Communities of a New Future discussions, from the stories of resilience, challenges, and creative adaptations, the Creative Communities Learning Lab programme was built. It offers self-led courses, designed with specific input from creative hub leaders and their communities in Southeast Asia and the UK. This project is part of our Creative Hubs for Good programme and by led by the British Council team in Southeast Asia. 

The content is dynamic and accessible, and seeks to respond to the learning needs of creative hub leaders, artists, creative entrepreneurs and cultural professionals all over the world. 

COURSES

There are three themes the producers have developed into three courses with the help of creative hub leaders and experts: managing digital communities, new ways to monetise creative work and strategies to develop original, innovative online course content for creatives.

To access the courses, participants need to register by clicking on the designated button or on the course titles below.

Registration is free and the direct links to the courses will be displayed at the end of the form. After completing a course, the participants can also opt for an automated certificate through the feedback form.

The beginning of each course features guidance on how to navigate the hosting platform, especially with regards to each course’s submodules. Each course starts with a list of learning objectives and an introduction to the authors and contributors. They contain text, videos, cue cards, links to external sources and further reading, some downloadable worksheets, and other visual materials. 

For more information on how to access the courses, you may browse our Frequently Asked Questions document.

                                        REGISTER HERE

Course 1 - Digital Community Strategy and Management

This course focuses on new ways to engage and maintain communities online, building on existing patterns of peer-support and collective sensemaking. This course also provides guidance on how to measure ‘creative value added’ and evaluate the effectiveness of a digital community strategy and management.

It takes approximately 4 hours to go through this course.

(Register by clicking on the title)

Course 2 - Ways to monetise creative services

This course brings together practice-oriented insights and knowledge from the UK and from across the Southeast Asian creative hubs community to explore innovative ways to digitalise and monetise creative work. Contents include building confidence in monetising hybrid revenue streams, strategies for creatives with limited internet connectivity, and effectively translating creative work online.

It takes approximately 3.5 hours to go through this course.

(Register by clicking on the title)

Course 3 - Bringing your training online

This course focuses on online skills training, outlining the key steps of a typical design process, useful digital platforms, and pedagogical approaches that can help create a compelling learning experience. A key goal is to empower creative hub leaders and creative professionals to develop original, bespoke digital learning content.

(Register by clicking on the title)

THE PARTNERS

The project was commissioned by the British Council, as a follow-up from the Communities of a New Future series, with the aim of offering a space for sharing knowledge, stories and creative adaptations directly from creative hub leaders and their communities of professionals. 

A team of producers - Creative Friction (UK) and Makerspace Manila (PH) - have led the development of the learning journeys and content. The content reflects the views only of the authors and contributors.

Additionally, 17 brilliant hub leaders are advising the project team, providing their input and testing the learning content:

• Adin Khairudin, Gerobak Hysteria (Indonesia) 
• Anh Tuan Nguyen, Heritage Space (Vietnam) 
• Dan Spain, Rabble Studio (United Kingdom) 
• Ha Nguyen, Vicas Art Studio (Vietnam) 
• Hafshoh NW Mubarak, Surubaya Creative Network (Indonesia) 
• Helmi Hardian, Waft Lab (Indonesia) 
• Hieu Thien and Tam Nguyen, Da Nang Tui (Vietnam) 
• Jaray Suwannachart, Klongdan Creative Village, Ramdang Creative Village, Songkhla Heritage Trust and Kid+Dee Creative Hub (Thailand)  
• Jen Horn, MUNI (Philippines) 
• Jerome Dulin, North Luzon Guild Cinema (Philippines) 
• John Paul Davis, HAUS KCH (Malaysia) 
• Kenny Ng, Penang Art District (Malaysia) 
• Komgrit and Krittiya Trakoontiwakorn, 141 Social Enterprise (Thailand) 
• Magoo Del Mundo, SIKAP (Philippines) 
• Zoe Powell, Materiom (United Kingdom) 

Creative Communities Learning Lab Modules

https://creativeconomy.britishcouncil.org/blog/21/04/26/CCLL-modules/

Free