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The British Council, in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), hosted the Creative Nation Summit 2024 last September 30 to 1 October 2024 at the Rizal Park Hotel in Manila, which focused on creative technology, statistics, and creative placemaking to advance the Philippines’ goal of becoming Southeast Asia’s premier creative hub by 2030.

Through cross-sector collaboration between the private sector, artists, researchers, and policymakers, the event explored innovative strategies to empower the creative industry as a leading economic driver. The summit also focused on creative technologies, placemaking, and statistics – all essential for fostering sustainable and vibrant communities. These themes emerged from the two UK missions, which brought Philippine-based policymakers and national government agency officials to learn from UK experts in the public and private sectors in cities like London, Bradford, Leeds, Edinburgh, and Dundee.

Andrei Nikolai Pamintuan, the British Council Philippines’ Head of Arts, emphasized the summit’s importance. “The Creative Nation Summit is a critical platform for collaboration, bringing together innovative minds from various sectors. It’s an opportunity to showcase the Filipino talent and strategize ways in which the Philippines can leverage its creative economy for sustained growth,” he explained.

UK experts to lead key sessions at the Creative Nation Summit 2024

For this year’s summit, the British Council invited two distinguished UK creative industry experts to speak at the event:

Graham Hitchen, Director of the Loughborough University Policy Unit and co-director of the Creative Research and Innovation Centre, will deliver a keynote on The Future of Work and Play: Creativity and Technology in a Changing World on 30 September, 11:00 AM. Hitchen will delve into the transformative role of creative technology in shaping the future of industries and how the Philippines can harness this power to drive growth. 

Tom Kihl, Managing Director of The Local Content Company (The Loco) and a cultural journalist for over two decades, explored the role of Creative Placemaking in his talk on 1 October, 1:00 PM. Drawing on his work in the UK on projects like Hackney Wick’s creative regeneration and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Kihl discussed how placemaking can revitalise urban spaces and drive community engagement and economic development. 

Both speakers joined the panel discussion on Challenges and Opportunities in CreaTech on 30 September at 3:45 PM, which focused on how creative technologies can spark innovation and contribute to sustainable growth in the Philippine creative economy.

Strengthening UK-Philippine Collaboration in the Creative Industries

The British Council continues to strengthen its ties with the DTI through initiatives supporting the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act (PCIDA) and the country’s overall creative economy.

The Creative Nation Summit directly results from the British Council and DTI’s mission visits to the UK in 2023 as part of the organisations’ three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

“Creative industries are recognised globally as a source of innovation, economic growth, personal well-being, and community cohesion. By building networks and supporting collaborations, we create long-term impact, mutual benefit, and greater international understanding between the UK and the Philippines.

By working with DTI, we ensure that we actively contribute to the Philippines’ aspiration to become a creative hub in Southeast Asia,” said Lotus Postrado, Country Director of British Council Philippines. 

*Cover Photo/Thumbnail Photo from Creative Nation Summit