Culture Tech set for major success

The Londonderry Chamber of Commerce’s digital marketing training day on today. In addition to attracting substantial interest from local businesses it should provide a practical boost to the city’s commercial knowledge, expertise and understanding of how to exploit digital technologies.

Over the space of the four days, Culture Tech draws upon a rich array of digital talent. Duke Special is headlining the music side of the festival with a performance on Saturday. Sir Nick Kenyon of the Barbican is the main speaker on the Friday, along with Kath Mainland, CEO of the Edinburgh Fringe, and Ben Hammersley of Wired UK. In total, there are 90 speakers at the various Culture Tech events, with many of them travelling internationally to share their valuable experience with the North West of Ireland.

“Londonderry has positioned itself as a digital capital, with the ambition of being the best place in the UK or Ireland to establish a new digital business,” said Sinead McLaughlin, chief executive of the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce.

“That ambition is backed by BT’s provision of the first ultra high speed broadband network in any UK or Irish city and the fastest internet connection speeds with America of any urban centre in Europe as a consequence of Project Kelvin.

“The fact that Culture Tech has attracted such a high calibre of speakers and performers proves that our ambitions are matched by a confidence that has spread internationally in our ability to deliver on our objectives. Make no mistake – Culture Tech is a major event, which is an indication both that Digital Derry is delivering in its support of the emerging digital business sector in Derry and that City of Culture next year will have a very important digital dimension.

“I would also like to pay credit to the people who are enabling this fantastic event to take place. This includes not only Digital Derry, an initiative led by the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, but is also only possible because of the financial and practical support from Seagate, Ilex, Derry City Council, BT, Invest NI, the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland Screen, Arts & Business Northern Ireland and DCAL We thank them all.”