ManchesterWeek » cfeore

Manchester : Imagine Create Innovate

cfeore — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:40:41 +0000

The Manchester City Region is home to some of Europe’s leading cultural attractions, from Manchester United to the Hallé Orchestra. Manchester places culture at the heart of its ambitions, from creating a cohesive and inclusive
society to developing creative businesses. The signifi cant move of the BBC to Salford’s Media City and the proposed establishment of a Royal Opera House in Manchester are just two of the high profi le plans for culture in the city region.

European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009
Roger O’Keeffe, Deputy Head of Unit, Lifelong Learning: Innovation and Creativity
An Overview – Manchester : Imagining Creating Innovating

Lyn Barbour, Head of Cultural Strategy, Manchester City Council

Aftershock : An International Collaborative Project for Emerging Artists
Jeremy Davies and Debra Farman-King, Aftershock International

The Sharp Project : Digital Entrepreneurs
Dave Carter, Manchester Digital Development Agency

Manchester City Region NEW Integrated Transport Authority

cfeore — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 12:06:42 +0000

Using Transport in Cities to Drive Economic Growth

What is the role of public transport in ensuring economic prosperity?

Passenger Transport Authorities, or PTAs, have been in existence in the UK’s major conurbations for many years now and, during that time, have had many successes in delivering major improvements to public transport passenger facilities and services such as Greater Manchester’s Metrolink light rail network.

However, last year the UK government recognised that, if this level of success was to continue through the next decade and beyond, the PTAs needed to be given more powers and additional responsibilities to meet the challenges ahead.

The UK Local Transport Act 2008 renamed the former Passenger Transport Authorities as Integrated Transport Authorities or ITAs and has given them new duties and responsibilities. Find out more about how the new ITAs will work and how we will be using transport to ensure future economic prosperity in our city region.

Prague Manchester Concert

cfeore — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:12:53 +0000

Greater Manchester is possibly more widely know for its contribution to Pop Music, bands like Oasis, Happy Mondays and New Order, as well as their more recent successors.

However, we do have an equally venerable classical tradition. The Hallé orchestra, established be a German emigré Charles Hallé, over 150 years ago, is the oldest professional orchestra in Europe, with Mark Elder at its helm, it continues to grow in reputation. Chatham school of music and the Royal Northern College of Music, RNCM, are world leaders in training the performers and composers of the future. We also hope that we will soon have a decision on the Royal Opera House establishing a centre in Manchester.

We will have the opportunity to hear from one of RNCM’s composition students Ewart Hodge. Ewart has composed a piece for solo viola, called ‘Sola’.

We are also very happy that Manchester born pianist Peter Donohoe, also a RNCM alumni, is here this evening. Peter Donohoe is one of the very few pianists who has been awarded the musical equivalent of an Olympic gold medal, the Tchaikovsky competition, which he won jointly in 1982. Peter’s profound understanding of music and artistry, has that very rare quality of making something you know well, sound fresh. We are very happy that Peter has made space for his home city, in what is a very busy schedule of concerts.

We are delighted that we are working together with the City of Prague for this evening’s concert. It is, ofcourse, the Czech Presidency of the European Union, but Prague also has a strong tradition and international reputation for its quartets. The Skampa Quartet is one of the Czech Republic’s leading quartets.