eXpression Umeå is today one of the country's leading business incubators for the artistic and creative industries.
Together with all creators, we at eXpression have built a strong and vibrant community in design, art, architecture, music, media, games, film, photography, fashion and retail. Now we are taking the next step together with the creative power that exists in our industries to continue to be at the forefront, says Marlene Johansson, CEO eXpression Umeå.
The fact that companies in the creative industries are at the forefront of digital development helps explain why they export almost twice as much as the average company in the country. Their strength lies in the fact that they are small, innovative and fast-moving, and that their business models are more collaborative - usually in their core activities such as production, distribution, marketing and exporting.
In addition, the growth potential of the arts and creative industries (KKN) is also higher than average. As many as 80 per cent of KKN companies say they want to grow, which is more than 10 per cent higher than the national average (Tillväxtverket's report, Give space on stage - Cultural companies want to grow, 2019).
To meet the need for a strong creative community, which develops the creative industries both locally and on the international stage and contributes with business development that enables companies to grow in a global market, eXpression Umeå is hiring two top experts in their respective fields.
Emil Hägglund takes on the role of business developer and will strengthen communication through the development of the eXpressions digital platform to bring together power and and strengthen the creative industries in Umeå and throughout northern Sweden.
Emil comes from the concept agency Nicke & Nico and has extensive experience in developing both communication concepts and marketing strategies as well as driving innovation and design processes.
- I am both happy and proud to be a part of eXpression Umeå and the growing community that surrounds the incubator, says Emil Hägglund. What I hope to contribute is new perspectives and excellence in marketing, communication and various forms of strategy work. Working at the intersection of the creative and the business is not only inspiring and fun, it's where the sustainable growth of the future will happen. A success factor is daring to break norms, combining new and old and allowing room for both failure and success - for me this is eXpression Umeå.
Johanna Forsberg is a designer and runs an international design company of own designed products. Johanna has built up High Coast Creative, a trade association and network for the creative industries in the High Coast. The network brings together around a hundred creatives through various initiatives and has a clear focus on creating international collaborations and raising the visibility and the role of the creator.
Sweden's export strategy points out that cultural and creative industries to increase their internationalisation and that we should promote culture-driven export. This is where eXpression is now making a major investment for companies that want to grow globally.
Johanna will have overall responsibility for building the eXpression Design programme in Örnsköldsvik and, based on her experience of taking her own design to the world, will lead a strategic effort to strengthen profitability, find new markets and develop local production.
- I feel deeply grateful to be working with the eXpression team to change the landscape for creatives in northern Sweden. Together we will draw the new map, where manufacturers and creators are mapped and platforms are built to enable local manufacturing. I wish my 15 years of experience as a creative entrepreneur can contribute. I know what it feels like to stand in your workshop and strongly doubt yourself and your ideas, while the product that will take you out into the world is in your own hands. I so wish that my journey can inspire others to dare to take the plunge and make smart business by using their creative skills.
CONTACT
MARLENE JOHANSSON
CEO eXpression Umeå
+4670-674 95 39
marlene.johansson@expressionumea.se
