Cultural and creative industries play an important role in modern economies, fostering innovation, creating jobs, and significantly contributing to the economic growth. But their primary role is that of fostering cultural diversity and development of our society, providing an outlet for people’s creativity and expression. Digitalisation and rapid technological progress have created unprecedented opportunities for creators, widening the cultural offer available to the users, who can now partake in creative processes themselves. At the same time, technology has become a crucial intermediary: platforms and their opaque algorithms mediate access to creative goods, acting as gatekeepers, potentially flattening the cultural offering. Digital media creators, searching for new monetization opportunities, dip their toes in advertising, fusing the roles of artists and entrepreneurs more than ever before. The recent advancement in generative AI brings both hope for the automation of menial tasks, freeing creators to do what they love to do, as well as fear that their work will be exploited by big tech and that they will eventually be substituted by machines.

The School aims to provide its participants with a comprehensive understanding of the effects digital technology has on the cultural and creative industries, and how those effects are being addressed by the legislators and policymakers in Europe. The School addresses the current discussions from three perspectives: creativity (copyright), markets (competition) and technology (tech regulation), with each perspective addressed on a separate day.

CREATe, the Centre for Regulation of the Creative Economy, is based at the University of Glasgow, the UK’s fourth oldest university and a member of the elite Russell Group of UK universities. CREATe investigates the future of creative production in the digital age, focusing on creativity, markets and technology.

reCreating Europe (Rethinking digital copyright law for a culturally diverse, accessible, creative Europe) was a European Union funded Horizon 2020 project bringing together ten European institutions under the coordination of the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa to rethink digital copyright law for a culturally diverse, accessible, creative Europe.

The Spring School builds on the expertise of CREATe and reCreating Europe project partners.

Dates: 29-30 April, 01-02 May

The School takes place over four days (Wednesday – Saturday). A social activity is planned for 02 May.

Fee: 480 GBP

The fee includes tuition, coffee, lunches and welcome reception. It does not include the Saturday social activity. A limited amount of scholarships is available upon request during the application process. Scholarships amount to a fee waiver and do not cover accommodation or travel costs. Scholarships are not guaranteed and will be confirmed upon acceptance to the School.

Venue: Advanced Research Centre (ARC) and Adam Smith Business School (ASBS), University of Glasgow

This year’s Spring School will take place in Advanced Research Centre and the new Adam Smith Business School – they are within a minute walk of each other.

The Advanced Research Centre (ARC) is the venue for Days 1 and 3. On 29 April, the spring school takes place in Studio 2, while on 01 May, the spring school continues in Room 237 C. Both are on the ground floor of the ARC.

Adam Smith Business School is the venue for day 2. On 30 April the Spring School will take place in room 282 (The Hothouse) located on the ground floor of the ASBS.

Travel to and around Glasgow

Glasgow can easily be reached by train, plane, bus, or by car. The University website provides a useful guide to getting to Gilmorehill campus.

Glasgow has what is perhaps the simplest subway in the world: a circle that goes in both directions. Spring school venues are easily accessible from either the Kelvinhall or Hillhead stops.

The two main train stations in the city centre are Glasgow Central Station and Glasgow Queen Street Station, which are each near a subway station: St Enoch, and Buchanan Street, respectively. To get to the University of Glasgow from each of these subway stops, jump on the Inner Circle and get off at Hillhead. It’s less than a 20 minute ride!

The University website also provides more information on public transport in Glasgow.

Staying in Glasgow

Glasgow has many hotels. The University of Glasgow Gilmorehill campus is in the leafy West End of Glasgow. A few hotels within walking distances of campus, for various budgets:

Grosvenor Hotel | 4-star Accommodation West End

Kelvingrove Hotel | 3-star Accommodation Finnieston | Finnieston Hotel Glasgow

Argyll Hotel

Belhaven Hotel

There are also other City Centre accommodation options, such as Blytheswood Square, the Hilton, the Radisson Blu, the Hilton Doubletree, the Marriott, Premier Inn, Holiday Inn.

Preparing for the Spring School

Please have a look at the programme to see what will be covered on each day of the Spring School.  About two weeks before the Spring School, you will receive an email from us with suggested pre-readings, to familiarise yourself a little with the topics beforehand.

We’re planning a social activity during the weekend. Cost details and an Eventbrite registration link will be available in due course.

The School is addressed to doctoral and advanced master students, early career researchers, industry representatives and policy makers with the interest in cultural and creative industries. The School is taught on a postgraduate level and participants should have some prior knowledge on the topic.

The online application is now closed.

In case of questions about the School please contact:

Dr Ula Furgał ula.furgal@glasgow.ac.uk or Dr Magali Eben magali.eben@glasgow.ac.uk