Full-day workshops for entrepreneurs, start-ups, innovators and creatives to identify their strategic challenges and devise practical ways to unlock their business potential will be held in Connemara on the August 27 and 28 next 2010 as part of Féile Icarus which is supported by the Western Development Commission (WDC ).
“Given our strategy to promote and develop the creative sector in the Western Region, we are delighted to endorse the Féile Icarus project” said Joanne Grehan, Regional Development Executive at the WDC.
“Our 2009 study ‘Creative West: The Creative Sector in the Western Region’, showed that there are 4,779 creative businesses operating in the western region, directly employing over 11,000 people. This generates an annual turnover of €534m and contributes €270m to the Gross Value Added of the regional economy. It is therefore a major economic contributor to the region that we believe can be grown significantly, and events like Féile Icarus are critical to driving that growth”, she added.
Féile Icarus promoter, Chris Mortimer added: “Entrepreneurs are driven by their passions and learn from their failures. Through this event, we endeavour devise plans that will help them capitalise on the passions.” He continued, “Traditional training programmes tend to overlook these elements, whilst at Féile Icarus we aim to harness them as a springboard for business and creative planning.”
During the workshop, participants will work through a number of business critical questions, drawing on the expertise and insights of the group. All delegates will develop a ‘flight plan’, and identify a ‘tag-team’ partner, with whom they will collaborate after the event, as they implement their action plans.
“Féile Icarus adopts a unique approach to helping entrepreneurs by encouraging them to learn through facilitated peer discussions set against a backdrop of clear structure, discipline and a value proposition. By supporting entrepreneurs turn their ideas into viable businesses, we move closer to realising the potential to create an extra 2,000 jobs in the creative sector in the Western Region”, added Ms Grehan.
Féile Icarus is inspired by the Greek tale of Icarus who fashioned makeshift wings to aid his escape, only to fall fatally from the sky due to flying too close to the sun.
“Modern entrepreneurs have a lot to learn from Icarus,” added Chris Mortimer. “Icarus had the passion to succeed and the creativity to devise an innovative solution. His biggest mistake was not recognizing when he was failing and changing his focus accordingly. As entrepreneurs we know that failure can be a fantastic catalyst for change, however we must be honest about where there is scope for improvement”.
Tickets for the events are priced at €19.50 per day and can be purchased at www.feileicarus.com Further information Chris Mortimer, Féile Icarus, 087 096 3818 or Joanne Grehan, Western Development Commission, 086 856 5802 or Bernadette Mullarkey, Bane Mullarkey, 086 806 2540.
