51Âþ»­

Final year students from 51Âþ»­ Leicester (51Âþ»­) will be turning LCB Depot into a stage this week for their end of year show with a difference.

Instead of showcasing designs they will be diving into new ideas and innovations as part of the cohort for 51Âþ»­’s MSc Creative Industries (Management and Enterprise) programme, which focuses on how to manage creative innovation.

THUMB creative industries

Many of the students already run their own businesses will be transforming a space at the LCB Depot on Friday to showcase their final year projects and sharing insights into upcoming trends and challenges facing the creative industries post-Covid.   

They will also be networking with some of the 200+ businesses based at the LCB Depot, in the heart of the city’s Cultural Quarter.

Chintu Lamba, one of the organisers of the end of year show, runs his own media and events production company and has run that alongside his Master’s studies. He said: “We are all looking forward to being able to present our work and talk about the different projects that we have taken part in. To be able to do that at LCB Depot which is at the heart of the creative industries in Leicester will give us the opportunity to meet up with other creative businesses in Leicester and make connections.”

Among the topics the students will cover will be ethical fashion, publishing, research into changes to film distribution post-Covid and Asian representation in cinema. The event runs from 2.30pm to 4.30pm on Friday at the LCB Depot, just before Last Fridays, the venue’s monthly foodie-themed get together.

Leicester is home to the second largest cluster of creative businesses in the country, with only London having a bigger creative footprint. Data from the Leicester, Leicestershire Economic Partnership (LLEP) found the county is home to 4,400 businesses and supports more than 14,000 jobs.

Hiu Man Chan, Lecturer in Creative and Cultural Industries, said, “I supervised most of these students. They have achieved a great deal during the most difficult year, academically and personally. They now deserve to shine, stretch their wings and impress the public.”