The Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport visited Birmingham City聽University last Thursday 30th November to discuss STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts聽and Maths).
The purpose of the visit was to find out how the institution鈥檚 new creative innovation centre will support economic growth across the聽Midlands from next year.
The 拢3.5 million project known as STEAMhouse will include the refurbishment of a former car dealership in Birmingham鈥檚 Digbeth area to house the new centre and maker space.
By connecting Arts into STEM subject areas STEAMhouse will provide support to 200 sole traders, start-ups and local businesses with access to expertise and finance for growth.
It is a partnership arrangement with Birmingham arts organisation Eastside Projects that aims to bring Arts in line with STEM subjects, encouraging a closer way of working across disciplines and industry sectors.
Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said: 鈥淚t was fantastic to meet the brilliant team behind the STEAMhouse project and hear all about the exciting plans to create a world-leading innovation centre.
鈥淚 was particularly impressed by the collaborative spirit of the project, which will help boost skills in the fields of arts, science, technology, engineering and maths.
鈥淭his will help make sure the creative talent in the West Midlands can go on to develop the innovative businesses of tomorrow.鈥�
The initiative will inform a second phase of the STEAMhouse project, which has already received 拢14 million from the Government in the 2016 Budget.
It will see the development of incubation and office spaces, teaching facilities, co-working and maker spaces, and artists鈥� studios and has the potential to create thousands of new jobs.
Due to open on Digbeth High Street in early 2018, STEAMhouse鈥檚 pilot phase will bring together academics, entrepreneurs, designers, makers, future talent and organisations to foster greater innovation, develop new products and support economic growth with a programme of business support.
It will house substantial new fabrication facilities with equipment and staffing to support production and making.
Professor Julian Beer, deputy VC at Birmingham City University, said: 鈥淥ur STEAMhouse project will optimise the potential to create new jobs, skills, knowledge and alliances between businesses, academics, artists and citizens like never before.
鈥淲e were delighted to have the opportunity to showcase this to the Secretary of State, explaining our fantastic free programme of support for businesses, including research collaborations with our academics, that will ensure every interaction is a success.鈥�
Funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Arts Council England, STEAMhouse will drive innovation and research to create business solutions that fuel long-term economic growth.
STEAMhouse supports the growth sectors of health and life sciences, low carbon, creative and digital technologies and advanced manufacturing across the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) region, in turn, aiding the development of the Government鈥檚 Midlands Engine.