CQ to attend one of China’s largest industry shows

Next week in Hangzhou, China over 400,000 people will visit the Hangzhou Cultural and Creative Industry Expo one of China’s largest industry shows. Amongst the many attractions will be a stand hosted by a dozen small creative businesses and three universities representing Creative Nottingham and the Midlands Engine.

This trade mission is being paid for and supported by the City of Hangzhou as part of its partnership with Nottingham City Council.

Earlier this year the City of Hangzhou opened Fusion, its first overseas trade office and creative industries showcase at Sneinton Market in the Creative Quarter.

The former market is now an incubator space for creative and digital businesses. It is managed by a small start-up that is jointly owned by the council and Nottingham Trent University.

Two businesses based at Sneinton Market - Boditrax and Art of Football - will join the five-day trade mission to Hangzhou.

Art of Football specialise in creating artwork for clothing and wall art featuring iconic moments in football. They print t-shirts and ship them all over the world and are also a design house for creative social media content and produce animations.

Boditrax designs, manufactures, supplies and supports precision body composition and cellular monitoring equipment creating digital solutions for the health, fitness and wellness sectors.

Oliver Wheatcroft of Boditrax said,

“Having already achieved considerable success in the UK, our future success will depend upon our ability to develop export markets. China has over 4,000 premium gyms that are potential customers for Boditrax and health and well-being is a fast-growing sector. So we are delighted that Boditrax have joined the Nottingham and Midlands Engine delegation to the Hangzhou Cultural and Creative Industry Expo”.

Another Creative Quarter business joining the trade mission is Debbie Bryan Design Studio and Shop, which specialises in selling British and International designer-maker crafted ceramics, glassware, lighting, interior accessories, fashion textiles, jewellery and artwork.

Hino Travel and Momoka53 and SimBrix all businesses based in Nottingham will also be exhibiting in Hangzhou - alongside the Confetti Media Group representing Nottingham Trent University.

Michael Marsden, Nottingham Trent University’s Dean of the School of Art & Design, will speak at the opening ceremony of the Expo on the subject of how collaboration - such as the joint ownership of the Creative Quarter Company by Nottingham City Council and Nottingham Trent University can - foster the growth of a city’s creative economy.

Jon Collins, the Leader of Nottingham City Council is leading the trade mission on behalf of the Midlands Engine. He said,

"When we set out to create relationships with Chinese cities we were of course interested in the potential for cultural exchange. But the real motivation was and is economic. All of our international work is focussed on discovering and creating trade and investment opportunities that will help to grow Nottingham's economy. This is the latest very positive outcome of that work.”

Stephen Barker CEO of Nottingham’s Creative Quarter Company said,

“It’s fabulous that Nottingham has a group of China-ready businesses going to the Hangzhou Cultural and Creative Industry Expo. I’m particularly delighted that so many of them are based in the Creative Quarter and at Sneinton Market”.

He continued, “We all know that China is a massive and growing market. Breaking in to that market can be a life-changing experience for a business owner and it can mean more jobs created and wealth to be shared in Nottingham. That’s what this trade mission is all about.”

Whilst in China Councillor Collins and Stephen Barker will make a one day courtesy visit to Ningbo, Nottingham’s sister city in China which is about two hours from Hangzhou by train.

Trip dates: Monday 17^th to Monday 24^th September
Expo dates: Wednesday 19^th to Sunday 23^rd September