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Calling all Sex and the City fans!

Empty Creative, in conjunction with Broadway Casino, are delighted to present a fabulous Sex and the City inspired evening to be held on 28th May 2010.

Celebrate the launch of the long awaited SATC sequel in style as we bring you a lavish champagne and cocktail reception, exclusive screening of the film on its opening night and fabulous after-show party with live entertainment from West End performer, Peter Cutler. Having lined up a whole host of fantastic sponsors including Umberto Giannini, Selfridges, Tatty Devine and Hyatt Birmingham, we'll be bringing news of some fantastic SATC treats for guests to enjoy!

Tickets are £15 and selling fast!

For information on the event and details on how to book, visit our blog.

The team at Empty have strong experience of event management and oversee all details from the design and production to running the event on the day from start to finish. So if you’re looking for a company to take the stress out of the organising and deliver a successful event contact us on 0121 233 4323 or email events@emptycreative.com – we’d be delighted to hear from you.

Calling all freelancers

We are looking for a number of freelancers in the next few months. Get in touch if you have expertise in any of these areas. Design, Artworking, Web Design, CMS, Flash, Showreel creation, Illustration. Please send samples of work, availability and rates for working in-house to Mark at hello@emptycreative.com

Six months and counting...

For those who’ve yet to meet me, my name is Claire and I’m the Marketing Administrator at Empty Creative.

Looking back none to long ago it dawned upon me that I’ve reached my six month anniversary at the company. Whilst to most this won’t seem like a particularly long period of time (and I’ll happily admit that it feels like it has absolutely flown by) the amount I have learnt, achieved and developed in that time gives me the sense that I’ve actually been here a whole lot longer.

The big question, I suppose, is the one I asked myself when I was throwing my mortar board in the air over 18 months ago: Where do I see myself in a year? The honest answer? I don’t think I really knew, not at the time anyway. Moving on from the safe student lifestyle into the world of employment is a hugely daunting step, and despite always being ambitious and driven, nothing and no-one can prepare you for the journey you embark on when you start looking and finally get that all important first ‘proper’ job. But what you do need is a team and a family that will support you as you grow and develop personally and professionally into your new role and this is exactly what I have at Empty Creative.

The draw of a big company was always something that was at the forefront of my mind, feeling that this would be the best place to gain as wider range of experience as possible in a fast-paced and exciting environment. I couldn’t have been more wrong and indeed the phrase little fish in a big pond is particularly fitting to any new graduate joining a company, however loud, driven or ambitious you may be. From the moment I walked through the door at Empty, I have been part of the team and I have been involved in every aspect of the business - in turn learning more than I could ever dream possible in a six month period.

I think of one the biggest things I’ve learned from being at Empty has been about the relationship with your client. Being honest, transparent and showing that you are committed and passionate about every aspect of your work goes a long way and this was one of the first but ultimately one of the most important things the Empty Team, and specifically our MD Jo Sheridan, could have taught me. Be yourself, work hard, enjoy yourself and the rest will all follow.

So, have my six months here been successful? I’d definitely say so.

As for the next six months and beyond? BRING IT ON!!

Claire

@claireridgway

Movember has arrived...

With Bonfire Night far behind us and Christmas too far off to spark much excitement, there is something new brewing, well growing. You may have spotted the odd hairy caterpillar gracing the lips of many of our male friends and colleagues but no, this isn’t some mass tribute to Tom Selleck, this is Movember.

Originally starting out with just 30 participants, Movember has swiftly grown into a global phenomena, with men uniting worldwide to grow a moustache in aid of men’s health, specifically prostate cancer. With so many female focussed charitable events, such as Race for Life and the Moonwalk taking place each year, its great to see men joining forces to fight a cause that can affect up to 35,000 people in the UK each year.

Movember has already proved hugely successful with over £30 million raised to date. Over 35,699 men have signed up in the UK alone, and with over £850,000 already pledged, this event is invaluable in not only raising vital funds but also generating the necessary awareness that can change habits and attitudes towards men’s health and in turn increase early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment.

To find out more information, visit www.movember.com

Claire

@claireridgway

A Night Less Ordinary

Experiencing the arts is something many people will go out of their way to incorporate into their daily lives. Whether it be a trip to the theatre, viewing a new exhibition at a local gallery or hearing the latest offerings of an artist, orchestra or speaker, art is habit – an impulse built in to the creative sensibilities of nearly all individuals. Nevertheless, times have been hard and getting our fill of culture is often easier said than done - especially for the young.

Recently I’ve been getting to grips with the Arts Council’s theatre initiative, ‘A Night Less Ordinary’ which offers free theatre tickets to those aged 16-25 at arts venues nationwide. Following a high profile launch with celebrity endorsement from the likes of Sheridan Smith and Rupert Penry-Jones it looked set to incite a wave of new, impassioned young theatre-goers as well as recapturing the attention of those who had previously tightened their purse strings on this kind of activity. Judging by the rate at which tickets have been disappearing from the websites of regional arts institutions, the initiative must be experiencing notable success; yet to what extent the scheme has affected the ratio of young people attending the theatre remains unknown.

As a twenty-something seeking affordable access to the arts, I applaud this initiative whole-heartedly and if it hadn’t been for my own bone-idleness I would have taken advantage of the scheme a lot sooner. Despite being in its 9th month now, I will only be experiencing my first ‘A Night Less Ordinary‘ evening tonight, at the opening night of Matthew Bourne’s dance interpretation of Dorian Gray at Birmingham Hippodrome. With other evenings including Alistair McGowan and the Welsh National Opera planned for the next two weeks, it looks like this scheme will be making a few regular additions to my diary. To organise your first ‘A Night Less Ordinary’ visit, check out the website ( www.anightlessordinary.org.uk) to get all the information you need first hand.

Claire

@claireridgway

Moving into Autumn...

I've always been one to dread Autumn. The dark nights, wet streets and the thought of standing on a freezing cold train platform for 15 minutes each morning generally fills me with a feeling of trepidation. Whilst the lower temperature has its upsides (namely being able to wrap up in winter woolies and achieve a permanent sensation of snugness) it is an aspect that I tend to dwell upon far too much. Apart from the slushy trodden down leaves on lamp-lit streets causing many a passerby to slip in a method normally more akin to a banana skin, there are some pretty lovely aspects to the Autumn months. The colourful leaves, the smell of bonfires and picturesque displays of fireworks come November time are all just some of the more enjoyable aspects of this time of year. But even more so, there is a feeling of being alive when Autumn arrives, with events and meetups and an array of creative activities establishing a real sense of community - and particularly of creative community.

Pretty much everyone has been affected in some way by the recession, but with indications that this is lifting there appears to be a sense of regeneration and renewal. With industries being more open and inclined to take creative risks to achieve further success and more conferences, festivals and events providing locations and opportunities for creatives to meet, mix and discuss their industry, a new and exciting future appears to be dawning for the Birmingham's creative sector. Over recent months we have seen some fantastic examples of Birmingham’s creative output: Hustle and Survivors putting Birmingham on the map as a hub for television production; high profile events such as ArtsFest and the Staffordshire gold hoard generating streams of crowds and onlookers; and innovative festivals such as Hello Digital showcasing Birmingham's commitment to digital progression to name just a few. Along with nationally recognised exhibitions such as Bodies Revealed finding a Birmingham home and internationally renowned festivals such as Brilliantly Birmingham and the Frankfurt Christmas Market bringing visitors to the city from as far afield as Europe and the USA, there appears to be a plethora of other exciting events in the pipeline that will continue to showcase Birmingham as a top tourist destination as well as a creative hub that the whole of the UK can be proud of.

So, despite my preconceptions that the only highlight of Autumn would be my birthday (which now I'm getting older is generating less and less excitement) I'm beginning to truly realise and embrace the cornucopia of creative and cultural activity that Birmingham has to offer and I'm certainly going to indulge in my fair share of it. Hopefully see you there!

@claireridgway