Digital North Coast Action Plan
Why focus on Digital?
In June 2010, the 4 councils in Ballymoney, Coleraine, Limavady and Moyle prepared a Creative
Industries Review of the North Coast area. The review highlights the value of the creative
industries sector in driving innovation and growth in the local economy and identifies a range of
creative and commercial priorities for the creative industries sector. Priorities are grouped under
three key themes:
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Creating the right environment - Building understanding of Creative Industries; influencing
regional policy and funding to benefit of the sector, and maximising the creative potential of
existing/potential capital development projects.
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Raising the Profile - Showcasing the creativity of the North Coast, promoting the region as a
creative place to local audiences, tourists, people/businesses looking to re-locate or invest;
supporting networking, communication and collaboration within the sector.

Supporting Enterprise - Providing appropriate business support mechanisms; promoting
access to funding to support business growth; assisting North Coast creative businesses and
individuals to access markets for their goods and services; encouraging innovation within the
sector; supporting opportunities around new media and creative content; maximising the
creative potential of existing/potential capital development projects.
Rationale for Support
Having carried out the Review, the councils’ Economic Development officers believe that an
opportunity exists to maximise the opportunities offered by the digital economy and focus on this
specifically as a model for development and future growth in the North Coast region.
This was decided on the basis that digital technologies have transformed the lives of people
throughout Northern Ireland in recent years. Digital literacy has grown at a rapid rate and digital
devices have proliferated – from personal computers, to mobile phones, laptops and mobile
wireless devices.
The new digital environment is not only changing the way people live, it is also transforming the way
people do business, and is stimulating creativity and innovation across the economy and society in
general. This new environment presents immense economic, environmental and social opportunities
– however, it also poses new challenges, which include:
An increasingly participative web. With the widespread availability of broadband, the internet has
moved from a network of largely static webpages and email to a network characterised by rich
content, user interaction and real-time participation. Upload speeds are now just as important as
download speeds, where users create, remix and share their own content while communicating with
online community networks.
Digital broadcasting. Apart from the switch to digital television services which is due to be
completed in the UK by 2012, other digital platforms such as game consoles, mobile phones, ipads
etc. have become popular on-demand digital content sources. This means that consumers are now
gaining access to an unprecedented amount of audio-visual content from across the globe.
Converging technology markets. Broadcasters, phone companies and internet service providers are
rapidly converging, offering integrated services and competing for content and customers.
Digital business. Apart from seeing a new type of firm that does business digitally and uses the
internet as its only channel to market, more traditional businesses such as tourism providers,
photographers, craft producers etc. are taking advantage of the opportunities made possible by the
internet and can now offer their products to customers around the world without having to leave
their offices.
Digital technologies can also raise economic productivity by improving business processes and can
also capitalise on commercial opportunities arising from the need for environmental sustainability.
The internet generation. The internet generation are those young people born since the World
Wide Web was created in 1989. This generation has now started entering third level education and
joining the workforce. They now play, shop and communicate using digital technologies. They are
the future innovators, creative workers and leaders in the digital age.
Digital culture With an entire generation now having grown up with the internet, mobile phones and
digital music, content not accessible in digital form risks being ignored or forgotten. At the same
time, digital technologies are now enabling many opportunities for local creative and cultural
expression in the fields of music, the performing and visual arts, film, television, radio, literature and
design. The challenge now exists for local content creators and those charged with maintaining
cultural identity to ensure that the region’s non-digital content can still be discovered, while
improving the use, visibility and management of locally produced digital content for local audiences
and visitors to the region, either in-person or on-line.
North Coast Digital Action Plan
The North Coast Digital Action Plan is a response to these challenges. Its purpose is to:
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Provide a framework and a vision for digital development in the North Coast area;
Highlight opportunities and challenges in the digital economy;
Provide a call to action for all stakeholders to rise to the challenges and opportunities
presented by the digital economy;
Outline key actions through which the area’s local councils, working in collaboration with
other bodies, can actively support the development of digital technologies in the region.
Principles
In developing this action plan, the four councils have set out four enablers for the development of
the digital economy in the North Coast area. These are:

Connection – the councils recognise the faster, cheaper broadband and direct international
telecoms connectivity offered by Project Kelvin provides the region with the means to be
digital.

Confidence – the councils recognise the need to provide people with the skills and
knowledge to enable them to take advantage of the opportunities the digital economy
affords.
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Content – content is the driver for the previous two enablers (connection and confidence).
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Collaboration - Collaboration between local communities, businesses, the university and
colleges, government agencies and the councils is vital if meaningful progress is to be made.
Key Players
Business
The North Coast’s digital content industry, as in the rest of Northern Ireland, is very small and in its
infancy. The creation and growth of digital businesses in the long-term will undoubtedly make a
contribution to the economy of the North Coast region.
Perhaps of more importance in the short-term is the need for local businesses to harness the
opportunities that digital technologies present to drive productivity and innovation throughout
the local economy.
Firms in sectors such as manufacturing, tourism and the creative industries sectors need to become
aware of the potential of digital tools to improve productivity and how they can use them in
practice. Opportunities should therefore be created to allow firms to share knowledge about the
application of digital tools in the same industry and across different industries.
The local councils will play an important role in disseminating knowledge. Firms will also have to
work with each other, and with ICT suppliers, to adapt best-practice solutions to their needs. Leading
firms from within or outside the region can be used as champions and best practice examples to
stimulate and motivate local firms to become more aware of and to adapt new digital technologies.
Councils
The four councils can also take a leading role and act as an best practice example in the use of digital
tools that save time and money and can offer better services to local rate-payers and to council staff.
They are therefore well positioned to promote collaboration and partnership and to promote the
development of Digital Communities in the North Coast. A ‘digital community’ is a connected
community that combines broadband communication, infrastructure and innovative services to meet
the needs of government, business, education and citizens to increase economic vitality and enhance
the wellbeing of communities.
Communities
To promote and develop a Digital Community in the North Coast, the intrinsic value of digital
technologies in helping communities to achieve their social, cultural and economic aspirations must
be recognised.
From this regard, there is a need to work collaboratively with community and voluntary sector
organisations to share knowledge, interact in new and better ways, and to develop effective
partnerships. Community and voluntary sector organisations may be encouraged to develop new
digital content and create innovative digital products and networks. These have the potential to
provide significant economic and social benefits, as well as opportunities for community workers to
gain better skills and confidence in using digital technologies.
Ideas
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Hold Community workshops and meetings to create awareness and interest in the digital
economy.
help community and voluntary sector organisations to develop plans and initiatives that will
allow communities to benefit from the use of digital technologies
Provide funding for new digital projects
Cultural Bodies
Throughout the world, significant efforts are being made by governments, universities and
businesses to digitise and distribute cultural and heritage content. The councils will build on this
work at a local level by engaging with commercial, community and public content creators and
producers to see what content could be digitalised and made more accessible.
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improving access to culture in the digital environment
increasing production of creative digital content
Improving the creation, discovery and use of locally-grown content.
University/FE Colleges
The University of Ulster at Coleraine’s School for Media, Film and Journalism has an unrivalled
reputation for innovation in new technologies and processes. This resource, coupled with the
location of the Project Kelvin hub in the North Coast region, is a key asset for the Digital North Coast
initiative and provides is a resource for innovation, skills development, student placements and
profiling the region as a centre of creative media excellence.
Digital North Coast Action Plan – Strategic Themes
1.
Creating the right environment
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Objective
Build
understanding
of Digital
Economy
Building understanding of the Digital Economy
Influencing policy and funding to the benefit of the sector and the region.
Actions

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Showing
LEADERSHIP
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Collation of Best Practice examples and
promotion of them
Set up a database of Digital and Creative Content
firms in the North Coast region
Collate information on relevant business support
programmes relevant to local firms
Ongoing analysis and collation of information on
the sector
Develop supports based on local needs as
identified.
Establish a cross-council ‘Digital Working Group’,
charged with managing and leading Action Plan
Ensure coordinated input and co-operation from
each of the four councils
Put the North Coast at the centre of the Digital
Economy debate through ongoing lobbying and
involvement in response to consultations and
other opportunities.
Create a policy within councils to include an
innovative digital media element to their
communications materials – phone apps,
podcasts, web forums etc.
When
Who
Cost
2
Raising the Profile

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Showcasing “Digital” in the North Coast, and promoting the region as a creative place to
local audiences, tourists, people and businesses looking to re-locate or invest.
Supporting networking, communication and collaboration within the sector.
Objective
Promotion of
Best Practice
Supporting
networking,
communication
and
collaboration
within the
sector.
Digital Economy
Events
Actions

Employ a Digital Development officer to liaise
with the sector to identify good practice,
promote role models and success stories and coordinate activities

Develop a Digital North Coast brand and ensure
its use on all creative events, publications, etc.
in the region
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Develop a ‘Digital Networks’ initiative – raising
the profile of creative content businesses to
each other and to businesses in other sectors
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Develop a website and online forum to set up a
‘virtual’ creative/digital content cluster and to
promote and distribute information to
individual businesses on development supports
offered by INI, Digital Circle, Arts Council, DCAL,
Craft NI, NI Screen etc.
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Support the ‘virtual’ creative cluster in
organising a series of digital business
information, networking events and informal
meetings to share expertise and resources.
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Ensure buy-in / input from local enterprise
agencies and business support agencies into this
Network

Organise one major Digital North Coast event
per year, e.g. an “unconference” or a
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Showcase Festival – a creative content festival
that combines public festival with industry
focused workshops, panel debates, business
advisory supports and a showcase for
prospective buyers.
When
Who
Cost
3
Supporting Enterprise
•
•
•
Providing appropriate digital business support mechanisms
Assisting North Coast creative content businesses and individuals to access markets for their
goods and services.
Encouraging innovation within the sector, and supporting opportunities around new media
and creative content.
Objective
Actions
Engaging
Talent

Harness the resources of the University of Ulster at
Coleraine’s School for Media, Film and Journalism
for innovation, skills development, student
placements and profiling the region as a centre of
creative media excellence.
Business
Skills

Develop a focus on digital technology for all
businesses, regardless of size, product or level of
development; to ensure firms are capable of
maximising new opportunities offered by digital
technologies.
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Facilitate visits from relevant agencies for
information seminars, workshops, specialist advice
to businesses.
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Actively Promote and Maximise opportunities
presented by Project Kelvin
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Maximise participation of local firms on existing
programmes
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Develop a four Council-led e- Procurement
initiative to enable the councils to take a lead in
digital procurement a practices and to encourage
local suppliers to tender online supply of products
and services within and outside the region

The following actions may lead to new business
opportunities for provision of external supports:
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Creation of a policy within the councils to include
an innovative digital media element to their
communications materials
Encouragement of Community and voluntary
sector organisations to develop new digital
content and create innovative digital products
Digital Culture Actions aimed at improving access
to culture in the digital environment, increasing
production of creative digital content and
improving the creation, discovery and use of
locally-grown content.
Creating
Opportunities
for Digital
Content
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When
Who
Cost