Creative Cities Challenge - winners announced

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said:

In London we have been doing everything we can to support our brilliant cultural sector build back better together in 2022. I am delighted that, with the support of Bloomberg Associates, the dynamic world cities of London, Berlin, Paris and New York City have come together on the Creative Cities Challenge, to harness our innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit and help our culture sector adapt and thrive.

Culture is in London’s DNA. It is the reason many of us choose to live here and why so many visit each year. Coronavirus has had a devastating effect on London’s culture and nightlife, with countless cancellations and closures.

The Mayor pledged to do all he can to protect the capital’s LGBTQ+ nightlife after the number of LGBTQ+ venues decreased by 62 per cent from 124 in 2006 to just 47 in 2017. And that was before the pandemic.

Coronavirus has brought with it many challenges for us all to overcome – not least in culture in London – and across the globe. On 20 March 2021, the Mayor announced the Creative Cities Challenge, supported by Bloomberg Associates, Microsoft, university partners (including UCL The Bartlett) and Nitrous. An international competition to investigate innovative solutions to these challenges and bring together support and insight from four key cities – London, New York, Paris and Berlin.

Innovators were invited to apply to the challenge by submitting ideas to help the cultural and creative sector to recover from the COVID-19 crisis.

The aim was to identify ways to support artists, freelancers and small businesses across the creative and culture sectors to bounce back from the pandemic stronger than before, using data and digital or other tools.

We were delighted with the strength of applications and inventive ideas as wide-ranging as an immersive cinema (Dream Factory), an AI powered digital stage (Flairbox) and a platform for the global hip hop community (Hip Hop Community).

Night Czar, Amy Lame, was one of the judges of the 15 finalists shortlisted across the cities. On 1 December 2021, the winners were announced.

The finalists:

• Alive & Streaming 
• Art Mavens 
• ArtULTRA
• Dream Factory
• Flairbox
• Hip Hop Community
• Jumbotron in Your Hand
• PlanBase
• PublicTicket Solution 
• Shop Local Stores in One Place. All Delivered in One Box. Same-Day 
• Tempelhof Lab

We’re excited to announce the following winners:

• BavAR(t) 

An augmented reality platform for artists, cultural institutions, creative marketing, and outdoor scenography.

• Clubtopia

Sustainability advisory service for nightlife venues.

• Gesso

An AR company that will empower cultural organisations and independent creators to publish location-based experiences anywhere from an audio tour to an immersive moving play.

• INTERACT: Smart Virtual Platform for Small Creative Businesses and Events

An interactive software product and technology platform for artists, designers and craftspeople to create personalised virtual showrooms and host virtual events.

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