Creative industries get some Northern Soul as global event comes to Leeds

LEEDS is to be the next city to host a global speaker and networking event, Glug, for the creative sector.

The ticketed events, launched in London eight years ago take place in nine other cities including New York, Beijing and Auckland.

Glug Leeds is to take place on Tuesday March 24 at Belgrave Music Hall on the theme of Northern Soul.

The organisers and sponsors, Leeds companies Diva Telecom and Manifest Communications, have brought in creative big hitters with roots in the North to share their success stories.

They include Sir Jonathan Sands, chairman of Leeds-based global brand design consultancy Elmwood, Rick Marson, co-founder of integrated communications agency Home Agency, Matthew Hopkins, managing director of innovative online distributor from Harrogate, the Great British Exchange, and Laura Wellington and James Abbott-Donnelly, co-founders of Duke Studios, the Leeds collaborative workspace provider.

Glug, using the slogan more notworking than networking, has grown from a small group meeting in East London in 2007 to an international organisation with 8,000 members.

Hannah O’Sullivan, design creative and marketing manager of Diva Telecom, will co-host the evening with art director of Manifest Communications Martin Farrar-Smith.
She said: “Creative professionals span many sectors and events where they can come together like this are rare.

“The Glug concept is excellent and is already spawning innovative collaborations around the world. We’re so pleased to bring it to Leeds where, with the help of this great speaker line-up, we can cement the North’s well-deserved reputation as a centre for creativity.”

Martin added: “Networking events are generally dull and it’s hard to get people excited. That’s why we wanted to bring Glug-style ‘notworking’ up the M1 to Leeds, where the informality suits creatives better, as well as bringing in work for many. Plus, it’s at the Belgrave so there’ll be beer and pizza!”

 

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