“My understanding of my community, my city, and my work have changed astronomically because of my engagement with different people doing very interesting and dynamic things from different parts of the world.”

Malaika Toyo, Creative Producer, Lagos

We're delighted to share the results of Creative Producers International - a Watershed project which gathered together a dynamic network of creative producers from across the world with the aim to enhance individual practices, raise ambitions and make real change across the world on a city scale.

More than half of the world’s population now lives in cities, and how our cities grow, adapt and thrive is becoming the key issue of our age. Yet conversation around the future city is still more focused on policy and technology than people and culture. Artists and cultural organisations play a unique role in re-imagining the cities of the future, ensuring citizens are engaged, that public spaces are open and that infrastructure solutions are people-centred, appropriate and textured. We believe the Creative Producer sits at the heart of this possibility for change.

For over 10 years, Watershed has pursued this belief by growing a team of Producers in Bristol, by nurturing emerging Producers from around the UK and by reflecting on what we do with research partners. Four years ago, we began an ambitious journey to create an international talent development programme, bringing together Creative Producers from cities across the globe. Building on Watershed’s Playable City work, we curated 15 incredible leaders working across contemporary art, placemaking, community engagement, corporate collaboration, urban innovation and social activism, and set out to learn and make change together.

Read the report here to find out more about how we approached international exchange and collaboration, and how Creative Producers use creativity and culture to generate grassroots responses to contemporary challenges.

You can also watch the launch and celebration chaired by Claire Doherty, with Watershed CEO Clare Reddington, Professor John Dovey (UWE) and Producers from Creative Producers International, Maliaka Toyo, Kate Stewart and Lety Lozano here.

Creative Producers International is supported by the Arts Council England, British Council, UWE Bristol.

In partnership with Royal Shakespeare Company, Somerset House, Manchester International Festival, Lagos Urban Network, Unlimited, Laboartorio Para La Ciudad, Rhizomatiks.

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