The West Midlands is the third Pilot area, following in the footsteps of South Yorkshire Combined Authority and Greater London Authority. Each have a commitment to growing employee and worker ownership in their mayoral manifestos.
The event also featured contributions from eoa Members David Sproxton, co-founder of Aardman Animations, and Jeremy Gadd from J Gadd Associates.
Aardman became employee owned in 2018, with a focus on keeping its creative IP, employees and investment rooted in the Bristol region for the longer term.
J Gadd Associates, meanwhile, provide commercial, cultural, and engagement services to the EO sector, and have supported many businesses to deliver Great EO.
“After such a spectacular launch, we look forward to seeing how the focus on growing opportunities for individuals and sustainable business models in the arts and creative sector delivers impacts for the region, and the learning we can take from this to influence future national, regional and local activity to grow more employee ownership,” adds James.
Over the next two years, the WMCA will invest £15 million to support the ambition and capacity of the sectors – which were among the hardest hit by successive Covid-19 lockdowns.
“We know that our region’s creative industries are full of talented creatives, many of whom work for the benefit of their communities and localities,” says West Midlands Mayor, Richard Parker.
“But we also know that our world-class creativity is too often built upon the commitment and dedication of freelancers working in a volatile market.
“Our creative industries cannot be sustained by such fragile workforces, and it’s very important that we put pay and good working conditions right at the top of our agenda across the sector.
“Co-ops and employee-ownership are one way of addressing some of these challenges. And the good news is that we know that these business models are very successful – more productive, resilient and secure. I’m delighted that there has been such significant interest already.
“I hope that in time we will be able to expand the sectors that the Hub supports. But for tonight – let’s celebrate our creative sector as rich ground for co-operative and employee-owned forms of working to emerge.”
Rose Marley, Chief Executive of Co-operatives UK, says: "Ownership and control are the backbone for creativity, but they're increasingly rare commodities for people in the creative and cultural sectors.
“Whether through AI, music sharing, or exploitation by global tech, our creative and cultural communities are facing new challenges in industry 4.0.
"Co-operatives are a way for people to guarantee ownership and control of their creativity or cultural communities.
“We're thrilled to be part of the West Midlands Ownership Hub and excited to see the positive impact we can have, together, by creating more worker co-ops and employee-owned business. It's how we can empower people to free up their creativity and control their own future."