Setting up the AHRC’s creative economy hubs

In 2011, the Arts and Humanities Research Council ploughed £16 million into four creative economy hubs linking researchers with businesses. Jon Dovey and Georgina Follett, directors of two of the hubs, spoke to Adam Smith about their winning proposals, and what might happen next.

Jon Dovey: Every funding call is a set of strategic conversations

My career before the React creative economy hub was in film and TV so I’d spent a lot of time since university writing bids and pitches. My advice is to understand what your investors want. You have to get yourself into the mind-set of the people who you’re pitching to. You have to understand what they want from the investment of public money that you’re asking them to make.