Making it Digital
Hidden Art Cornwall Offers Designer-Makers an Innovative Route to Market
In 2008, for the first time, Hidden Art Cornwall will be linking up with Hidden Art London to give designer-makers the opportunity to join the hugely successful Innovative Routes to Market programme.
Now in its third year, Innovative Routes to Market develops innovative collaboration-based solutions designed to take a new product from initial idea into production by bringing designer-makers together with manufacturers, suppliers, specialist advisors, mentors and project partners.
As part of Innovative Routes to Market, Hidden Art Cornwall is launching Making it Digital, an exciting new project being run in association with Autonomatic, the 3D Digital Production Research Cluster at University College Falmouth. Selected participants will be able to access and explore the potential of digital technologies and work with the Research Cluster to develop innovative new products and take them to market.
Research Cluster Leader, Justin Marshall explains, ‘Designer-maker practice is often process and material driven. Making it Digital will look at new ways of doing things, getting participants to open their minds to different possibilities and create new outcomes. It will encourage collaborative working as a way of achieving things that participants wouldn’t be able to do on their own. Making it Digital will focus on making something happen, on the research, the marketing, everything that goes with a product to make it successful.’
Making it Digital will really facilitate the development of the creative talent that exists in Cornwall. Products from previous Hidden Art Cornwall projects have gone on to win major design industry awards, including Jethro Macey’s Lace Embossed Concrete Tiles, which won best flooring product at the Elle Decoration British Design Awards 2007.
Making it Digital will be launched at the Innovative Routes to Market Introductory Forum at UBS Investment Bank in London on 3 March. Full information about Making it Digital will also be given during an introductory day at University College Falmouth on 6 March. Both days are open to Hidden Art Cornwall and Hidden Art London Level 2 members. The forums are free to attend but advance booking is essential.
