LEADING music venue Ironworks had to adapt when Scotland went into lockdown in March last year. In the past 12 months it has emerged as a destination for innovation. Owner Caroline Campbell works with XpoNorth, a year-round support programme for businesses in the Highlands and Islands. She is now preparing for this year’s digital XpoNorth annual creative industries conference, which takes place on June 16-17.
Name: Caroline Campbell
Position: Owner and director
WHAT IS THE BUSINESS CALLED?
Ironworks
WHERE IS IT BASED?
Inverness
WHY DID YOU SET UP THE BUSINESS
IRONWORKS has been delivering the XpoNorth conference for the last three years. The XpoNorth conference is a year-round event – it's not just about the conference itself. We were planning for a physical event last year but then we had to deliver it virtually, and registrations were higher than what they usually are for a physical event. This year’s conference, which takes place June 16 – 17, will also be virtual. Delivered via the Socio XpoNorth app, the conference will offer dedicated training spaces and networking opportunities.We have a range of sector support specialists employed throughout the year, which is important to the creative community in the Highlands and Islands. We have experts in areas including digital and technology, fashion, TV and writing. We've supported more than 6500 people in the past year through our sector specialists who have given advice and delivered workshops.
I started my career in The Highlands and Islands Development Board before it became Highlands and Islands Enterprise, mainly working with the Gaelic officer. I did all my training through HIE, then worked for Highlands and Islands Arts (HI-Arts) before taking over Ironworks.
HOW HAVE YOU COPED WITH CORONAVIRUS?
OUR focus has changed since Covid. We used to deliver on-the-road events but the virtual world has opened it up further. We’ve had students from all over the UK attend, and professionals from other areas that maybe wouldn’t travel to Inverness for the conference. We upskilled a number of the tech staff in the venue who would normally do sound and lighting – they became virtual managers.
We treated it like we would any other event. It generated income for people that they wouldn’t have had otherwise. By making it a virtual event we could reprofile a lot of staff who would have been on furlough. James Roberts, who is head of creative, brand and digital at XpoNorth, made the event virtual in a short space of time. Since it was so successful we were asked to deliver events for other organisations like the National Trust for Scotland and the John O’Groats Book Festival.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM COMPETING BUSINESSES?
WE don’t compete in any kind of space. The focus has always been the businesses of the Highlands and Islands. Shetland and Argyll is the core area where support has focused on but moving to virtual has spread that out. We are very much a bespoke project.
IS SCOTLAND A GOOD PLACE FOR THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS?
XPONORTH is a great project to offer support here. There is nowhere else in the world I’d want to run a business from other than the Highlands and Islands. You can run a business from anywhere in the Highlands because the connectivity in the past year has brought the Highlands closer to the rest of the world than ever before.
I’m from Skye and I can work as easily from there as I can from Inverness. The University of the Highlands and Islands shows you can study in a rural area.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT RUNNING THE BUSINESS?
I WORK with an amazing group of people. Every day is so diverse. We have all enjoyed working on the project over the last year.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN RUNNING THE BUSINESS?
OUR base was Academy Street in Inverness. We were in regular contact every day and then all of a sudden we were home working. Every Monday we have a catchup so that all staff can still access support.
Last year we met at 8am or 7pm when the conference started or finished. It was very strange not seeing colleagues for six months.
WHERE DO YOU HOPE THE BUSINESS WILL BE IN 10 YEARS?
THE creative industry is growing globally, not just in the Highlands and Islands. I think a crystal ball is a wonderful thing. If we can get through the pandemic, we can get through anything.
To register visit www.xponorth.co.uk
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here