Unleashing Creativity: Leading the way in the creative industry

Our talks will focus on the stories of women, from all levels of business and within a wide variety of business contexts, considering how they have overcome social bias and barriers to business, and discussing what is required to remove the necessity for continued gender equality conversations over the next decade.

We recognise the strength of allies within this conversation and warmly invite all genders to attend the event, to build greater understanding of the different perspectives and to identify how we can share best practice and support one another.

Event speakers;

Melodie Ash, XR Stories

Melodie Ash works as part of the XR Stories production team. As a creative producer, a key part of her role is engaging with SMEs to offer support and guidance across the Creative Media Labs funding programmes. Melodie will share her wealth of industry experience. As an accomplished creative producer, she has worked with prestigious clients to deliver engaging digital experiences. She has a passion for supporting creative businesses to drive growth and harness the potential of immersive technologies to create compelling digital storytelling experiences.

Cherie Federico – Director, Aesthetica

Cherie is the Director of Aesthetica Magazine and related events and festivals. She co-founded Aesthetica Magazine in 2002 while I was studying my Masters Degree. The first issue of Aesthetica  was published in March 2003 with a credit card and since then the magazine has become one of the leading British art and culture publications with 500,000 readers across print, digital and social media. The publication has national distribution through WH Smith, all the major galleries, WH Smith Travel in train stations and airports, and it is exported to 20 countries.

She is a strong believer in clean design, striking photography, critically engaging content and also bringing the best new contemporary talent to the fore alongside established practitioners. She is the Director of the Aesthetica Short Film Festival, which is a BAFTA-Qualifying festival and screens films from over 40 countries, as well as attracting key industry from across with sector.

She is the Director of the Aesthetica Art Prize, which champions new talent and has 4,500 applications with artists from across the world with artists going on to be commissioned by Absolut Vodka, Channel 4 and participate in biennales and exhibitions worldwide, as well as works being purchased for corporate collections such as Hiscox. She holds an Honorary Doctorate from University of the Arts London.