2019 Experience UK A guide to creative excellence May in visitor attractions 17 Withdrawn 2 Experience UK Experience UK 3 Contents Visioning 4 Planning 10 Designing 16 Exciting 22 Engaging 28 Advising 36 There’s much more online... For a comprehensive online directory of UK expertise, creativity, products and services for the experience economy, visit A guide to creative excellence www.experienceuk.org in visitor attractions The UK is a global leader in the experience economy – the creation and operation of visitor attractions such as museums, galleries, science centres, heritage sites, zoos and aquaria, and theme parks It is home to many world-class visitor supply or management consultancy, attractions whose success is built the UK has companies able to deliver on the imagination, ingenuity and these capabilities with experience, expertise highlighted in this brochure know-how and cultural sensitivity. UK Trade & Investment – skills which UK companies are keen to offer attraction developers all A brochure of this size can only offer a snapshot of what the UK can offer – UK Trade & Investment is the UK Trade & Investment offers Withdrawn 17 May 2019around the world. but it will hopefully serve to illustrate Government Department that helps expertise and contacts through its Whether a project calls for feasibility, the country’s leading status in this UK-based companies succeed in the extensive network of specialists in architecture, construction, exhibit fast-growing sector. global economy. We also help overseas the UK, and in British embassies and design, interpretation, equipment companies bring their high-quality other diplomatic offices around the investment to the UK’s dynamic world. We provide companies with the economy, acknowledged as Europe’s tools they require to be competitive best place from which to succeed on the world stage. in global business. Front cover: Aerial view of London buildings at night To find out more, scan this with the London Eye code with your smartphone. www.ukti.gov.uk Left: A scene from War Horse at the New +44(0)20 7215 5000 London Theatre 4 Experience UK Experience UK 5 2019 May 17 Dubai skyline Case Study creative businesses and the to a community of local creatives. ecosystem of micro and major TFCC’s response: to conceptualise Tom Fleming Creative companies seen in major cities a set of flexible hubs for creative Consultancy elsewhere. TFCC has worked entrepreneurs. Similarly, Dubai lacks to identify the key elements specialist knowledge platforms for Based in London, Tom Fleming that constitute a successful the creative industries, so TFCC Creative Consultancy (TFCC) is a Visioning cultural district in other areas has devised a curated programme leading practice for developing of the world, adapted them and of talks, surgeries, showcases and cultural, entertainment and leisure identified specific opportunities some targeted resources such as a districts across the world. Many for distinctiveness and innovation new media and IP library. Moreover, Great ideas – and the ability to make them come alive – of its projects involve research, for a high rise, vertically integrated Dubai does not have the mix of feasibility and planning activities are the foundation for every successful visitor attraction Withdrawn model in a new-build tower close to specialist rehearsal spaces, editing for cultural districts where there Dubai’s World Trade Centre. suites, digital printing studios and is already considerable cultural collaborative hack spaces. Therefore, and creative activity underway in Visioning is the first, vital component There are many companies in The project, which is still in the TFCC has developed a business the city in question. However, in in the development of a visitor the UK that offer this expertise. planning phase, has required TFCC model for them to be co-located the case of Dubai, TFCC has had to attraction. Embryonic ideas have They have played a key role in to identify points of differentiation within this new cultural district envisage a cultural district almost to be fully defined, researched the proposing and development that will give this development a which, when completed, will be the from scratch. and developed before they can of concepts for leading visitor unique market position as part go-to place for mobile creative talent of the wider agenda to establish be brought to life and become a attractions both at home and Its work in the Emirate has involved and discerning cultural audiences. Dubai as a global creative city. For reality. Originality and innovation are abroad, including the world-famous conceptualising how to fast-track example, the Emirate currently lacks fundamental, but so are feasibility Eden Project in Cornwall and the development of a cultural www.tfconsultancy.co.uk those informal co-working spaces and sustainability. Success is often numerous cultural district projects district without the luxury of the where mobile international creative down to 10 per cent inspiration and across the globe. type of embedded community businesses can turn up and plug in 90 per cent perspiration! of local cultural organisations, 6 Experience UK Experience UK 7 Case Study Formative evaluation with Saudi London and Techniquest, Cardiff, teenagers and teachers supported in addition to training in Saudi KCA London the development of a coherent Arabia. The training was supported vision that united stakeholders and by robust operational planning, KCA London is a partnership of a multidisciplinary project team, retail consultancy, communication designers, learning specialists ensuring the content was culturally strategies and visitor programming. and experienced operations relevant and that the planned KCA London continues to work managers which works worldwide experiences truly connected. closely with Mishkat, supporting to define, develop and deliver this talented and enthusiastic team compelling visitor experiences. This early work spearheaded to succeed in their mission – to The team’s background of working ongoing content messaging, inspire a new generation of Saudi in national museums and science interpretation planning and an Arabian energy innovators. centres underpins its approach, operational infrastructure. KCA championing message-driven London championed the design www.kcalondon.com design, content that is accessible and content throughout the project and truly engaging, and operational lifecycle, safeguarding the integrity and financial sustainability. of the science, the robustness 2019 of the exhibits and the design Recent international projects language of the destination. include the new Mishkat Interactive Center for Atomic and Renewable Enabled by the client’s commitment Energy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. to staff excellence, KCA London Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku Working closely with local partners led the recruitment process for the May National Talents, KCA London led core Mishkat team and delivered the content, design and operational a series of training programmes set-up of this world-class science designed to orientate, inspire Case Study AEA is known to approach cultural centre, which was transformed and build capacity. This included 17 planning with a holistic perspective, from a 4,200sqm retail space in placements at the Science Museum, AEA Consulting addressing issues such as capital only nine months. cost and space programme or London and New York-based AEA brief through the lens of mission; Consulting worked on the early programmatic content (a detailed concept and business plan for the understanding of how the building recently opened Heydar Aliyev will be used); audience and visitor Center, a 619,000sqft cultural profile (a realistic understanding facility designed by Zaha Hadid of who will use the building and in central Baku, Azerbaijan. The in what numbers); and operating complex features a museum viability (how much it will cost designed for state-of-the-art to operate and what are the temporary exhibitions of modern anticipated sources of funds). and contemporary international Withdrawn The company also emphasises and Azeri art; a conference centre sensitivity to local context, and with three auditoria; and a media so its work on the Heydar Aliyev and library centre. AEA developed Center was based on extensive the concept and preliminary research and time on the ground programming strategy for the in Baku visiting cultural and Center; then a detailed space educational facilities and listening programme and schedule of to stakeholders to understand local accommodation; business plan; and needs and opportunities. an in-depth implementation plan. The Center opened in 2013 – some www.aeaconsulting.com six years after the initial feasibility work – and is receiving substantial Mishkat Interactive international press coverage and Center, Riyadh praise. 8 Experience UK Experience UK 9 Case Study including New York, Paris and Shanghai, to assess their cultural BOP Consulting resources and exchange strategic Operating internationally from ideas. offices in London, Edinburgh, Components of WCCF include an Shanghai and Taiwan, BOP online platform Consulting has an impressive track (www.worldcitiescultureforum. record of planning ambitious new com) for disseminating data on 60 venues. As well as advising on cultural indicators and effective numerous major projects practice by member cities; an in the UK such as the London 2012 annual summit in which member Olympic Park, the company has cities discuss and learn from each carried out a significant