Creative Cardiff reflects on successes and achievements as it marks decade of activity
A network for creative professionals, which is based within Cardiff University, has this week marked 10 years of championing collaboration in the creative industries.
In the decade since its inception, Creative Cardiff, of the Centre for the Creative Economy, has engaged with more than 6,000 creatives.
They have hosted 140 in-person and online events across the 10 years including regular networking meet-ups, skills development workshops, coworking opportunities and socials.
The network, launched by Professor Sara Pepper in 2015, also hosted podcasts Get A ‘Proper’ Job and Rhywbeth Creadigol? with, and for, the creative community. It regularly spotlights and celebrates Cardiff’s creatives through interviews, articles and its monthly newsletter as well as carrying out research about the creative economy in Wales.
Creative Cardiff has awarded £80,000 in commissions to over 60 creatives for a range of projects which have all further joined up and developed the creative industries ecosystem. Support with the recruitment of more than 5,000 local creative opportunities through its jobs board and listings of over 200 spaces and places in the city and region are also among the network’s achievements.
Co-founder Professor Justin Lewis from Cardiff University’s School of Journalism, Media and Culture, said:
“Creative Cardiff was designed with a focus on collaboration between industry, academia, policymakers and the public to effect change – known as the quadruple helix model. Our curated mix of founder members – BBC Cymru Wales, Wales Millennium Centre and Cardiff Council – spoke to this commitment and to our strong focus on co-creation and partnership working.
“We also knew that there was a real requirement to build an evidence base for the social, cultural and economic impact made by the creative industries in this part of the world. As Creative Cardiff operates from Cardiff University, this kind of research and knowledge sharing is embedded into our DNA. In 2016, we carried out first comprehensive mapping of creative industries in Cardiff, determining three biggest sectors to be: Film/TV, Music and Design. We’ve continued this work over the last decade, launching the interactive mapping tool – Creative Economy Atlas Cymru – in 2025.”
A key role for the network has been championing the innovation and growth potential of the creative industries. Due to its convening power, grassroots foundations and industry reach, Creative Cardiff was the engine room for the Creative Industries Clusters Programme bid, which resulted in the £10m innovation project, Clwstwr, that delivered 100+ creative research and development (R&D) projects. From Clwstwr, a successful Strength in Places bid was built – Media Cymru – which is a £54m programme to make the Cardiff Capital Region a global hub for media innovation.
Professor Wendy Larner, Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University, said:
“Creative Cardiff wanted to explore how we, as a university, as a city and as a community, could come together to nurture the creative economy. The aim was to shine a light on its talent, to support its growth, and to help it continue to thrive as a vital part of Cardiff’s identity and future.
“It has been a remarkable success. The team’s passion and persistence have made Creative Cardiff not just a network, but a true community and catalyst for collaboration and growth.
“What Creative Cardiff does is very important to Cardiff University – it is a bridge between academia, industry, and creative communities. It’s quite unusual for a creative network to be based within a university, but I’m so glad that Creative Cardiff has found its home here. It’s a partnership that reflects the best of what universities can be: open, connected, and deeply engaged with the communities around them.”
Creative Cardiff will be launching new initiatives in 2026. These include Creatives Mean Business, a series of workshops and mentoring with a focus on enterprise and sustainable growth and a community-wide survey on the needs of the creative community.
The network has also opened applications for their first Community Forum, which will form part of their strategy for 2026 and beyond.
Carys Bradley-Roberts, Manager of Creative Cardiff, said:
“Creative Cardiff advocates for the value of creativity and for creatives. We aim to make the city and region a connected, collaborative, creative capital.
“While we’re marking a decade of Creative Cardiff, it is important to say that we would not exist and certainly wouldn’t still be here 10 years on, if it wasn’t for the wealth of creative excellence, creative places, spaces and people who shape Cardiff and the region’s creative economy. That community is at the heart of all that we do, and we look forward to continuing the journey together to make Cardiff a capital of creativity.”
