Digital Culture Talks 2025

Digital technologies are transforming the way the world operates. For creative organisations and individuals, digital tools are supporting innovation, enhancing creativity and opening up new possibilities to collaborate, share, tell stories, and express ideas and profile talent. Central to this is the role of creativity and its ability to inspire, inform, and record the lives and experiences of communities and individuals across all artforms and sectors of society. 

As artists and audiences embrace new mediums and possibilities, we will explore the ways in which creativity is shaping – and being shaped by – digital tools and ask how digital tools can serve creative practices in ways that engage a variety of audiences.

Digital Culture Talks 2 will continue the focus of DCT1, providing opportunities for thought leadership key notes and panel discussions from artists, industry practices to include digital activities and technologies.  Day 2 of this 2-day conference will examine the role of artists and storytellers in a digital world and profile the work of creative organisations, community groups and artists in the West Midlands.

Day 2 – The role of artists in a digital world

10:30am – 12pm – Roundtable 1:
The Digital West Midlands and Beyond – Local and Global

Most recently the region was awarded funding from AHRC Creative Industries Clusters: CreaTech Frontier, celebrating and highlighting the importance of innovation and collaboration in the creative digital work happening across the West Midlands. This is an opportunity to gather creatives and academics from across the Midlands and further afield to discuss opportunities arising and what this means for the region and beyond.

Speakers and panellists:

Facilitated by Harmeet Chagger-Khan, The Space’s Head of Innovation

Keynote: Hayley Pepler, Head of Culture and Creative Industries, West Midlands Combined Authority

• Richard Willacy – General Director, Birmingham Opera Company 
• Louise Latter – Head of Programme, BOM
• Tom Rogers – Creative Content Producer, Birmingham Royal Ballet 
• Lamberto Coccioli – Project lead, CreaTech Frontiers, Professor of Music and Technology at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (BCU) 
• Rachel Davis – Director of Warwick Enterprise, University of Warwick 

2pm – 3.30pm – Roundtable 2
Platforming artists and storytellers – why are artists and storytellers missing from modern discourse?

Artists and storytellers have historically played pivotal roles in shaping societal narratives and fostering cultural discourse. However, in contemporary society, their presence in mainstream discussions appears diminished.

Speakers and panellists:

Facilitated by Fiona Morris, The Space’s CEO and Creative Director

• Javaad Alipoor – Artistic Director, Javaad Alipoor Company
• Laura Horton – Writer
• Corey Baker – Multi-award winning artist 
• Cathy Mager – Artist, Curator, Producer 

In partnership with:

Birmingham City University

Create Central

STEAMhouse

West Midlands Combined Authority

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