We’re officially re-launching the Creative Times website on Thursday 27th May 2010, and to celebrate we’re holding a special VIP launch event that very day at Manchester’s Cornerhouse. We’d love you to join us.

The event will run from 6pm onwards in Cornerhouse’s brand-new ‘Annexe’ extension. The new site will be introduced, and the event will also include acoustic sets from ‘I Am Blackbird’, plus special guests (to be confirmed).

To secure your place,
register at http://creativetimesrelaunch.eventbrite.com

The new site will be managed through a brand-new company formed by Cornerhouse, Fudge and The White Room, and is funded by Manchester City Council and Arts Council England.

The partnership has a shared vision to re-position the site: to showcase the best in creative talent through quality editorial, and provide an online community for the creative sector. The partnership brings ongoing technical expertise, a new editorial and business focus, and a physical venue for Creative Times events.

Leading the site’s editorial is Chris Sharratt (formerly executive arts editor at Metro and editor of Manchester’s City Life magazine) who will be developing video and text-based features with a team of respected and up-and-coming industry contributors. Launch articles include video interviews with Doves, Future Everything and the producers of the feature film ‘A Boy Called Dad’.

The site has been radically re-branded and re-built ‘from the ground up’, allowing companies and individuals to post their own content directly onto the site, and share news and articles through social media platforms such as Twitter.

The White Room’s Project Director, Phil Birchenall led the development of Creative Times in its previous print incarnation at the Creative Industries Development Service (CIDS). He explains, “Having been so close to Creative Times during my time at CIDS, it was a real blow to see it disappear – especially given the work that had been done to take the publication online in 2008. We’re very excited that this partnership has come together.”

Cornerhouse CEO Dave Moutrey said “Talent is the bedrock of the world’s creative industries, and the new Creative Times site will put a spotlight on that talent. Cornerhouse is proud to be a part of the new team running it.”

Fudge MD David Eccles adds “We’ve got a long-standing relationship with Creative Times and we were honoured to have the chance to become permanent technical partners in the new company. We’ll be ensuring that the new site stays ahead of the curve – now the new site is live we’re already turning our attention to the next phase of development for CT.”