By Barbara Simpson, Sarnia Observer
Thursday, April 7, 2016 2:54:15 EDT PM
A group of Sarnia-Lambton creative professionals are now formally working together to grow their businesses and their industry.
Organizers behind Makers, Artists, Designers and Entrepreneurs (MADE) Lambton held their first networking meeting in Thedford recently.
Guest speaker Sara Washbush offered up insight on exporting to the U.S. based on a year-long research project she did for Craft Ontario.
“With the dollar the way it is, we thought it’s a great opportunity to be looking at export opportunities with local creative businesses, whether they’re studio-driven or studio manufacturing-driven or media,” said Marie Bohm, a Port Franks glass artist and painter with MADE Lambton.
She and Ted Zatyiny, of the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership (SLEP), recently launched MADE Lambton to help creative businesses network and share resources with each other.
More than 460 creative businesses were involved in Sarnia-Lambton’s $275-million creative economy in 2011, according to SLEP’s most recent industry data.
The creative sector includes, but is not limited to, professional crafts people, interior designers, architects, media firms, graphic designers, videographers, photographers, and social media and advertising professionals.
“People often think creative industries are these nice little hobby things, but my business is connected with 20 other businesses quite intimately and we help each other out,” Bohm said. “I use a number of woodworkers, I use a number of professional finishers and engravers and different metal suppliers.”
A former owner of a London branding and graphic design firm, Bohm now runs Studio 109 – a production studio and gallery – in Thedford.
Most of her clients are large institutions that commission large-scale painting installations and glass walls. She also crafts custom awards for small, medium and large-sized businesses.
“As a painter and a glass artist, I have all different types of vendors and suppliers who make these projects come together,” she said.
Officials with the County of Lambton and SLEP – its economic development arm – have been working to better support and grow the local creative sector over the last few years.
“As a community, we need to find other areas outside of traditional industry for expansion,” said George Mallay, general manager of the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership.
Creative businesses are typically people-intensive and require less funding to start up, he noted.
“It’s a great way to get more jobs made across the county,” he said.
Hamilton-based consultant Cobalt Connects recently surveyed local creative businesses and produced a report listing the needs they see to grow their sector.
Some of those needs include more marketing and networking efforts.
Mallay said the creation of shared space is being investigated in order to provide creative professionals both a place to work and network.
“Shared space has been fairly common in this sector, and there’s been a number of buildings that have been looked at in the county where shared space could work.”
MADE Lambton plans to hold meetings several times a year to provide networking and educational opportunities. No date has been set yet for the next meeting.
Email marie@mariebohm.com for more information about the group or to join its mailing list.
bsimpson@postmedia.com
— — —
BY THE NUMBERS
$275 million in revenue generated through creative economy
1,970 jobs exist in the local creative sector
463 companies make up the local creative industry
26 per cent of those companies – the largest chunk of the industry – are involved in design work, such as advertising, interior designing and architectural services
(Source: Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership reports based on 2011 statistics)
Posted in: Headlines