Northern Ireland – Creative Trails Opportunity

The Creative Momentum project is offering creative businesses that have a premises open to the public the chance to be part of a heavily marketed initiative connecting their business with visitors to their region.

“Creative Trails” will be a mobile app that showcases the creative industries that offer a visitor experience to a previously unconnected market of tourists and visitors.

It is also envisioned that successful applicants to this opportunity will be able to avail of a further opportunity where professional photographs will be taken representing their business where applicable, which can be used for promotional purposes.

What should the app do and why should it exist?

This app will exist primarily to act as a means to connect creative businesses with a previously unconnected market – the tourist market. It has been recognised that the areas this app will address do not have any mobile based active trails that promote the creative industries in the area. The app will inform users where the creative industries in the area are, where they are in relation to the user and what these industries can offer the user of the app.

The app will allow the user the ability to search the businesses featured in the app offering various filters and then allowing the user to view these hits on a map. Our aspiration is that this app will be the ‘go to’ medium for tourists to connect with the creative industries in the region, providing the means to easily plan a trip of a chosen duration and offering places and experiences that satisfy their interests.

Who will use the “Creative Trails” app?

The app will be aimed at tourists, walkers, day trippers and people interested in the creative industries. It will be also be used by councils and tourist offices to promote the region.
The users will be of all ages, but it should be as intuitive as possible and the user should not need a high comfort level with technology. The app will be marketed for down load at tourism offices and at centres with high visitor numbers where there will generally be free wifi available, however once downloaded, the app should be able to operate without having an online connection. Where functionality is compromised by lack of an internet connection the user should be notified that this is only available with a connection and the rest of the functionality of the app should be unaffected.

Example of a typical user experience

The visitor will arrive at a tourism office. The app will be promoted and the visitor downloads it in the premises. They select one of two trails and are brought to a visual user interface. An arrangement of the creative industry ‘profiles’ is displayed, the user can opt to get more details by clicking on respective profiles. A trail suggestion starting at the current location may be displayed, including travel times. Eateries, accommodation, other places of interest that will increase dwell time in the trail region will also be displayed.

Why should a creative business apply to be featured on the Creative Trails app?

The businesses that are featured on this app will be showcased throughout the EU countries involved in the project (Sweden, Iceland, Finland and the Republic of Ireland). Featured businesses will also benefit from the Northern Ireland marketing of the apps which will be widespread through the council areas of:

Ards and North Down Borough Council
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council

This will give the businesses on the app the opportunity to featured and marketing on a new platform, and allowing them a new way to engage with potential customers. Participation also ensures that featured businesses are showcased through the MyCreativeEdge.eu platform through the EU counties participating on the project.

Who Should apply to be featured on the app?

Businesses applying to be featured on the app must adhere to the following criteria:

• based in one of the following NI council areas:

Ards and North Down District Council
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council

• Must have a profile on MyCreativeEdge.eu that represents their creative business
• Must be a creative business
• Need to have a venue open to the public that offers an exhibition of the applying businesses creative works or a showcase of their service. Applying businesses that offer any of the following on site will be looked upon favourably:
  • Shop that sells creative works
  • Opportunity for the public to view creative process
  • Opportunity for public to take part in creative process (ie. Wood turning, glass blowing, clay throwing)
  • Information/reading area where the visitors can learn about the products/services, the process involved and where applicable the history and wider significance of the creative business
  • Café
  • Parking
  • Further incentives to attract and engage with the visitors to the region

How Should a creative business apply?

Creative businesses wishing to apply can download an application form or can request an application by email to:
Niall.Drew@ArmaghBanbridgeCraigavon.gov.uk

The closing date for application form return is the 15th June 2017