Cultural Industries in London

Professor Miller discusses his new book Blow Up the Humanities. A short, sharp, and provocative book, Blow Up the Humanities asserts that there are now two humanities within academia. One is the venerable, powerful humanities of private universities; the other is the humanities of state schools, which focus mainly on job prospects.

There is a class division between the two-both in terms of faculty research and student background-and it must end. Prof Miller examines scholarly publishing as well as media and cultural studies to show how to restructure the humanities by studying popular cultural phenomena, like video games. Prof Miller ultimately insists that these two humanities must merge in order to survive and succeed in producing an aware and concerned citizenry.

If creativity is the answer, what's the question? What do we really want? What is creativity? How do we do it? Why do we value it? What happens when the imagination, always a personal delight, and the source of great art and invention, also becomes a main source of work, wealth and identity? What happens when 'Western' creativity comes up against 'Chinese' creativity?

Our passion for creativity and innovation has radically altered our attitudes to learning and is changing how governments function. Should it also affect our response to the crises in jobs and debt? Fifteen years after the British government launched the idea of creative industries, many countries and cities have joined the 'creative rush'. John Howkins provides a global overview of these developments with an inside view of creativity and business in China based on his Shanghai research centre. He presents five ideas that are shaping the creative economy and what they mean for the future of London and Shanghai.

Phil Mills is on the National Executive Committee of BECTU. Having worked in theatre for over thirty years, here he discusses the low numbers of black theatre workers, particularly in creative or skilled positions.

Ian Matthews is head of Employee Engagement at Arts Council England. In this panel presentation he talks about the model and approach used at the Council to ensure management is supportive of staff.

Jan Scott Nelson is a coach and web designer based in Northern England. Here she discusses her work with perpetrators of bullying.

Fiona O'Cleirigh started the Cash for Interns Campaign and is Vice Chair of the NUJ's London branch. She makes the case for paying interns the minimum wage and discusses some examples of people who have claimed for the work they have done as interns.

Dr Anne-Marie Quigg is Director of Jackson Quigg Associates and received her PhD from City University. She discusses her research into bullying in the arts and describes the work she is doing to combat bullying and harrassment in the creative sector.

Kate Oakley, visiting professor at City University, charts the history of the cultural industries in the UK and examines the implicit assumption that working in this sector is inherently positive.