Strategy & Engagement

Richard Holt

Richard Holt MSc ILM PGCE FRSA - Holder of the Queens Award for Enterprise and Promotion Creative Sector

Richard is passionate about our world leading creative industries sector in the UK and continuously promotes the economic, cultural and social benefits it brings to our communities. Over the past 25 years Richard has been instrumental in a number of key strategic creative sector development regionally. He developed the Somerset Design Enterprise network and South West Design Forum which informed design thinking and CI skill development for the UK. He was a member of the Universities South West’s Creative Industries Special Interest Group, Creative Somerset, Exeter Cultural partnership and Somerset and West Taunton Cultural strategy.

In recent years he has held the following positions as Co-Director of Creative Innovation Centre CIC, Creative Industries Centre Ltd, Core Business design and Arts Hub manager, Taunton, Co-Director of Go Create, Community Arts Organisation, Taunton , Cultural Forum member and Cultural strategy representative for Somerset West and Taunton, social enterprise and health and wellbeing group lead, Dementia Task and Finish Group member, Somerset, Creative Industries Federation UK, South West member and representative, Local Enterprise Partnership, Heart of the South West, Economic and opportunities group, Innovation Leadership Group, Somerset West & Taunton and LEP, Creative Industries Sector representative.

Richard also delivers innovation development and research programmes through his consultancy CORE business design and curates’ exhibitions and events across all sectors supporting creative industries and enterprise development in the region. He was previously the Arts and Design Manager at Exeter College, Curriculum manager of Arts and Design at Somerset College and head of 3D Design at West Thames college. He is also a designer maker and has created and designed a wide range of products from financial interface terminals for the stock exchange to mass and low batch produced lighting and interior furnishings. He continues to exhibit his work in group exhibitions both in the UK and abroad.