Launches the West Midlands Ownership Hub, initially focusing on the creative sector

The West Midlands Ownership Hub was launched on Tuesday, promising a range of measures to increase the number of co-operative and employee-owned businesses in the region.

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is working on the center with Co-operatives UK and the Employee Ownership Association, with support from Power to Change. The project was announced under former Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, and has the support of Richard Parker, who took the seat for Labor and Co-operatives at the last regional election.

In his election campaign, Parker promised to double the number of cooperative and worker-owned sectors in the region.

The center will initially focus on the cultural and creative sectors, offering freelancers, creatives and businesses workshops and an ongoing program of support to transition to alternative business models that have a proven track record of increasing productivity, prioritizing the well-being of workers and tackling the challenges of precarious working conditions.

“I see the West Midlands as the beating heart of the country’s creative economy,” Parker said, “and as creatives from our region increasingly excel on the international stage, they should be able to rely on the public sector to champion them.

Related: Interview with Jo Ind from West Midlands Ownership Hub

“That’s why we’re investing over £15 million over the next two years to support the sector’s ambition and potential through programs of work to ignite the region’s creative ecosystem and revitalize our local towns and places, as well as providing more opportunities for everyone to experience the benefits of being connected with culture and creativity.

“We created the West Midlands Ownership Hub to promote cooperative and employee ownership. These business models will pave the way for workers to a more sustainable future and help address the challenges of precarious working conditions in these sectors, recognizing the crucial role these people play in shaping our identity and driving our economy.”

Skinder Hundal, chairman of the West Midlands Cultural Leadership Council, said: “Imagining and collaborating is what artists do best: when they bring their ideas, enthusiasm, knowledge and unique perspectives to the world, new projects, works and exhibitions come to life.

“I am excited to see how the West Midlands Ownership Hub will support creators in our region to work together to explore innovative ways in which they can take ownership of and benefit materially from their work, working in solidarity as a West Midlands sector, consciously engaging contexts both locally and globally.

“This important project builds on our commitment to supporting the arts and creative industries to flourish in the region. I look forward to seeing our artists and creators thrive with this support.”

Rose Marley, chief executive of Co-operatives UK, said: “Ownership and control are the foundation of creativity, but these are increasingly rare commodities for those working in the creative and cultural sectors. Whether it’s artificial intelligence, music sharing or the use of global technology, our creative and cultural communities face new challenges in Industry 4.0.

“Cooperatives are a way for people to assert ownership and control over their creative or cultural communities. We are excited to be part of the West Midlands Ownership Hub and excited to see the positive impact we can make together by creating more worker co-operatives and employee-owned businesses. In this way, we can empower people to unleash their creativity and control their own future.”

James de le Vingne, chief executive of the Employee Owners Association, said: “We are delighted that the West Midlands Combined Authority is taking this innovative step to develop and sustain employee and employee-owned businesses in the region – businesses that will be anchored in the region for the long term , driving growth and greater benefits for people, planet and place.

“After such a spectacular launch, we are excited to see what impact this focus on growing opportunities for individuals and sustainable business models in the arts and creative sector will have on the region, and we look forward to seeing how we can learn from this to make an impact for future national, regional and local activities to increase employee ownership.”

Main photo: Jonny Graney, founder of Artefact Stirchley; Natalie White, Power to Change portfolio manager; Mareen Akhter and Stephen Hawkes of the Developer Society; Hayley Pepler, Director of Culture, Creative Industries and Digital at the West Midlands Combined Authority; James de le Vingne, CEO of the Employee Ownership Association; Rose Marley, chief executive of Co-operatives UK; Jo Ind, coordinator of the West Midlands Ownership Hub project, which was launched at Fazeley Studios in Birmingham (photo: edwardmoss.co.uk)