About us

The CIQ Agency currently manages two main programmes: Creative Exchange: South Yorkshire (CE:SY) and the Cube live/work demonstration project – for further details please see relevant sections of the website.

History of The Cultural Industries Quarter in Sheffield and the CIQ Agency
 
The Cultural Industries Quarter (CIQ) was a pioneering economic and employment policy initiative of Sheffield City Council in the 1980s following the collapse of the traditional industries associated with cutlery, steel and coal in the city. Popular culture was asserting its presence and there were early signs of the potential of the new industries of culture in an area in the city centre of Sheffield known for its cutlery industry, industrial decay and dereliction. In 1988 this 3/4 of a square mile of the heart of the city between the rail station, the town hall, the main shopping street and the ring road was declared a 'Cultural Industries Quarter' by the City Council with a view to establishing, legitimising and developing the cultural industries associated with music, art, film and performance as a new growth sector for the local economy and potentially a replacement for the jobs and businesses lost in traditional industries during the 70s.
 
By 1998 the CIQ had become internationally recognised as a model of cultural industries driven economic regeneration, and a leading centre for cultural, creative and media production in the UK. To consolidate and accelerate this recognition and growth, the CIQ Agency was founded in 1999 by Sheffield City Council in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University and the leading companies which had set up and established themselves in the CIQ. They were at the time - Sheffield Independent Film Ltd, Sheffield Media and Exhibition Centre Ltd (Workstation, Showroom, International Documentary Festival), Sheffield Science Park Ltd, Yorkshire Artspace Society Ltd, Site Gallery (Media Art, Photography) Ltd, Music Heritage (NCPM) Ltd, Action for Business and Culture Ltd. and Sheffield Live Arts Trust Ltd.
 
These companies and organisations were the key participants and custodians of the Cultural Industries Quarter Vision and Development Strategy produced by EDAW Consultants in 1998 and the key partners in the production of Sheffield City Council's CIQ Action Plan in 2000. Following publication of the CIQ Action Plan as Supplementary Planning Guidance by Sheffield City Council, the CIQ Agency became the regeneration delivery vehicle for the CIQ and the development agency for the creative and digital industries sector in Sheffield. The CIQ along with the Digital Campus is part of the Sheaf Valley Master Plan.
 
The CIQ Agency was incorporated as a not-for-profit company (Limited by Guarantee without Share Capital) with wide ranging powers to support and promote the growth of the cultural industries in Sheffield.  The first staff were appointed in 2000 with a remit which included maximising the physical, economic and social potential of the Quarter; encouraging private investment, championing the creative industries; developing the physical and business infrastructure; providing workforce development and business networking opportunities as well as raising awareness of the value, opportunities and successes of the creative industries generally and spreading the benefits to hitherto excluded groups.
 
The following examples show some of the projects and programmes the CIQA has successfully carried out over the last 7 years:
 
Campaigned for and implemented the first Townscape Heritage Initiative in Sheffield in partnership with the City Council. This has resulted in the designation of the area as a Conservation Area, the refurbishment of key 'listed' buildings for new cultural uses and improvements to the public realm in the CIQ.
 
Involved in the 'JIGSAW' programme which provides skills training and work placements for young people in creative companies and led to the creation of the 'Developing Creativity' Programme managed by the CIQA as a contribution to introducing priority schools and their students to the creative industries by organising work placements with local creative employers.
 
Completed, with delivery partners in the creative industries across South Yorkshire, the Equal Last Mile Development Partnership. Funded by the EU, this Project assisted people interested in starting a business or making a living from their creativity to go 'the last mile' to realise their ambitions.
 
Business networking meetings on the 'First Thursday' of the month with a 3 minute company pitch and information/presentations covering projects and business.
 
Weekly e-bulletin and update of events and activity, and 3 monthly publication of the 'CIQ Quarterly' magazine focusing on different strengths and sub-sectors of the creative economy - music, film, contemporary arts, digital, games, festivals, business and project profiles, reviews and interviews.
 
Organising a 'Regeneration Month' of conferences, seminars and workshops to reflect and discuss the diversity of regeneration activity in Yorkshire and how it impacts on the region's communities.
 
Advocacy and support for affordable housing, key worker schemes and student accommodation in partnership with Derwent Living and others.
 
Relocation of key companies to the CIQ - e.g. New Start Regeneration Magazine Publishers, Ruskin Mill Educational Trust
 
Involvement at Board level in key companies - Inspiral (creative business support and development agency), Digital South Yorkshire, SY Key Fund, Sheffield Groundwork Trust, Wired Workplace, Southey and Owlerton Area Regeneration, Kiveton Park and Wales Community Development Trust, British Urban Regeneration Association, Academy of Sustainable Communities.
 
In 2006 the CIQ was physically reaching saturation and the city wide and city regional functions of promoting the new creative and knowledge driven economy were invested in Creative Sheffield, the first City Development Company in the UK. This required a review of the role of the CIQA which resulted in a slimmed down company with a more focused remit on business to community networking, economic exclusion and community regeneration, live/work space development, property asset management in communities and sustainable development, and as a result the CIQA is a member of the Live/Work Network and the Development Trust Association.