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Reflections on 2024 and looking ahead to 2025

December 18, 202414 minute read

As 2024 draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to reflect on an incredible year of progress, innovation, and collaboration for Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet (CCIS). In our 2nd year since the formation of CCIS, this year has proved to be one of many challenges, opportunities and successes as we grew our team and our reach across Ireland’s amazing creative and cultural sectors.

From launching groundbreaking initiatives to hosting memorable events, here’s a look back at some of our proudest achievements in 2024—and why we’re excited to continue this momentum into 2025.


Launch of the National Talent Academy for VFX

A standout moment in 2024 was the launch of the National Talent Academy for VFX, a pivotal initiative managed by CCIS on behalf of Screen Ireland. This marks a significant step forward in developing Ireland’s VFX sector, ensuring a sustainable pipeline of talent to meet industry demands.

It was great to launch the new Talent Academy for VFX with special guest, Richie Baneham, an Oscar
winner for his VFX work on ‘Avatar’. Other special guests included Minister Catherine Martin and
Minister Jack Chambers, along with RTE presenter Miriam O’Callaghan who moderated a fireside
chat with Richie Baneham.

Under the management of Barbara Henkes, the Academy has already made a strong impact—delivering a series of tailored programmes, supporting panels, and hosting events that spotlight the growing opportunities within Ireland’s VFX industry. These efforts are designed to equip emerging and established talent with the skills needed to thrive in this exciting and dynamic field, further cementing Ireland’s impressive reputation for VFX production.


Championing Inclusion and Diversity

In 2024, CCIS extended our programming to strengthen our work towards inclusion and diversity, and create more meaningful opportunities for underrepresented voices across the creative industries. We believe the creative sector should be a place where everyone can thrive. By championing diverse voices and creating fair opportunities, we’re working to build a stronger and more inclusive creative community for all. Our work focused on a number of initiatives including but not limited to:

  • Flipping the Script: Evolve: This programme in partnership with Cartoon Saloon introduced diverse and underrepresented writers to animation scriptwriting through workshops and mentoring, empowering participants to bring fresh perspectives to the screen.
  • Flipping the Script: Listen Hear: Designed specifically for blind and visually impaired writers in partnership with Turnip & Duck, this programme offered accessible training and paid shadowing opportunities, breaking barriers in animation storytelling.
  • Neurodiversity in Creative Sectors: In collaboration with Eleanor McSherry at UCC, this programme was designed to help the arts and creative industries better understand and support neurodiverse talent, fostering more inclusive workplaces.
  • Animation and VFX Pathways Fund: Through this Screen Ireland scheme, we awarded funding to animation and VFX projects, creating tangible opportunities for individuals facing barriers to employment while highlighting the need for greater diversity balance across key industry roles.

Feedback from participants reflect the importance of going the extra mile to ensure everyone feels not just welcome and supported, but that they have a place within the creative industries to thrive.

Feedback from EVOLVE course
Feedback from LISTEN HEAR course

Leading Innovation and Technology Development

2024 also saw the release of the Irish Immersive Technology Strategy for Growth, developed in partnership with Eirmersive. The ImTech report provides a strategy for making Ireland a global hub for immersive tech. Key findings included a need to address a critical shortage of skilled personnel through dedicated training programmes and closer collaboration between industry and academia.

Immersive technology represents a multi-billion-dollar opportunity. For Ireland, the potential is immense. The domestic immersive technology sector already generates over €92 million annually, with vast opportunities for expansion. Key recommendations from the strategy include addressing skills shortages, encouraging cross-sector collaboration, and improving access to funding and resources. These efforts aim to align Ireland with global trends and expand our footprint in this growing multi-billion-dollar market.

Supporting innovation doesn’t just keep Ireland competitive—it empowers our creative communities to tell better stories, connect with global audiences, and thrive in an ever-changing industry landscape. As a leading source of research, innovation, skills and talent development for the Cultural and Creative sectors in Ireland, we have our ear to the ground to ensure that we are identifying new industry trends and providing suitable training to our communities.

In partnership with Screen Ireland, National Talent Academy VFX and Final Pixel, our Virtual Production Roadshow is an example of the CCIS team bringing new filmmaking techniques to creatives across Ireland. VP merges live-action and real-time computer graphics, enabling creators to blend physical and virtual worlds on set, which offers opportunities for productions to both reduce their carbon footprint (less travel for crews), and work with more visual cues and content upfront rather than at the end of the pipeline.

Key highlights of the Roadshow included:

  • Interactive Demonstrations: Participants experienced firsthand how LED screens and real-time rendering can replace traditional green screens, offering greater creative control and flexibility.
  • Professional Insights: Industry experts from Final Pixel shared their experiences and practical applications of VP, helping filmmakers explore new possibilities for their projects.
  • Accessibility: By taking the training nationwide, we ensured professionals from diverse regions could gain access to this transformative technology.

Visiting Galway, Limerick, Cork and Dublin in August/September, the Roadshow was designed to equip Irish filmmakers with VP expertise, to ensure we’re future proofing the industry and positioning Ireland as a global leader in screen innovation. As demand for VP continues to grow globally, growing Virtual Production practices in Ireland would help to secure our position as a hub of excellence in filmmaking.


Empowering the Next Generation of Talent

One of our continued successes is our ongoing Animation, VFX, and Games Graduate Traineeships, which in 2024 saw 19 talented graduates gain hands-on experience with leading studios across Ireland. With over 90% of past participants securing long-term roles in the industry, this programme continues to bridge the gap between education and employment.

We also introduced the Digital Arts Mentorship Scheme, born out of the Arts Council’s Digital Arts Policy, for the first time this year. The Arts Council initiative offered emerging digital artists paid one-on-one mentoring from seasoned professionals, equipping them with the skills and confidence to innovate in their chosen fields.

Additionally, through Skills Connect, we introduced three on site training programs addressing critical skills gaps in the industry:

  • Administrative and Project Management Skills for the Creative and Cultural Sectors, developed to equip the participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the creative and cultural sectors effectively, focusing on the role of administration and project management.
  • VP-LED Tech Training, designed to equip participants with cutting-edge virtual production expertise.
  • Sustainability Coordinator Training, focused on embedding sustainable practices into creative industry workflows.

These opportunities reflect our commitment to nurturing new talent while ensuring the workforce is future-ready, skilled in emerging technologies, and aligned with sustainable practices.


A Sustainable Future for Creativity

In June CCIS proudly launched the Sustainability Toolkit, a free resource designed to help creative professionals and businesses adopt environmentally friendly practices. By providing practical guides, templates, and case studies, the toolkit empowers users to align creativity with climate action, showing that sustainable choices can drive positive change without compromising innovation.

In September, as part of 2024 European Sustainable Development Week, along with our project partners Native Events, we held a Lunch & Learn webinar to introduce the toolkit to the industry, with case studies and demonstrations of how to use the toolkit across all creative sectors.

Our dedication to weave sustainability into all our practices was also carried through to our Virtual Production Roadshow, where we introduced the role of a Sustainability Coordinator. This learning opportunity highlighted how embedding green practices at every stage of production can reduce environmental impact, while equipping participants with skills to champion sustainability on future projects.

And of course, we cannot talk the talk without walking the walk—at our flagship event, Culture Crush 2024, where we embraced the Toolkit’s principles, ensuring all materials were biodegradable, encouraging recycling, and minimising waste wherever possible.


Masterclasses and Culture Crush +

Our team pulled together an exceptional lineup of masterclasses and workshops, catering to both seasoned professionals and emerging talent. A highlight of the year was the highly anticipated presentation by John Musker, the legendary Disney director, whose session at the Lighthouse Cinema drew an incredible response from the industry, inspiring attendees with his insights into the art of storytelling and animation. Equally impactful were smaller, intimate workshops such as Sarah Maizes’ Prepping Your Pitch for a Global Market, which gave participants tailored, practical advice for bringing their creative projects to an international stage. Both presentations were in partnership with Animation Ireland and Coimisiún na Meán

Our partnership with Bow Street Academy further expanded access to top-tier training, with funding support for the Gerry Grennell Masterclass on performance coaching and the Finding the Moment workshops led by acclaimed director Cathy Brady, designed to help actors and directors create more powerful, authentic performances.

We saw the launch of our very own hosted spin off event, Culture Crush+, which presented a A Case Study of the VFX on ‘Bodkin’, where industry leaders, including Lisa Maher, Laura Livingstone, Deborah Doherty, and Nicky Gogan, discussed the collaborative efforts behind the Netflix show’s VFX work and the opportunities for Ireland’s growing VFX sector. This was followed by The New Track? – Future Opportunities for Film, TV & Media, a thought-provoking panel exploring shifts in the creative landscape, from AI’s impact to the challenges facing traditional media, and envisioning new ways to tell stories and engage audiences in an uncertain future.


Collaboration for Training Excellence

In a programme co funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union, this year CCIS embarked on a new suite of certified training for the Irish creative sectors. Through our collaboration with Creative Futures Academy and leading educational institutions across Ireland, together, we delivered 14 targeted certified programmes designed to address Ireland’s evolving skills needs in the creative sectors. From technical training like the Post Graduate Cert in FX for Film & TV and the Post Grad Cert in Production Management for Animation to forward-thinking programmes such as the Post Grad Cert in Strategic Development for Creative Professionals, these offerings bridged education and industry.


Celebrating Collaboration at Culture Crush 2024

November’s Culture Crush 2024 was the pinnacle of our year, uniting creative minds under the theme of “Collaboration.” With dynamic panels, captivating performances, and insightful talks, the event celebrated the power of partnership in pushing creative boundaries.

Check out our brief highlights reel for the event below and our reflection piece is available in our news section.


The above is just a selection of what we managed to achieve this year. There are so many more memorable moments that showcase the breadth of our work across the creative industries – from our hugely popular six-part Lunch and Learn programme, The Legal Aspects of Animation, to our Directing for High-End Episodic Drama training to our Role-Playing Games programme with Maynooth University.

We also continued our commitment to industry connection and professional growth by supporting events such as the Directors Lab, Kilkenny Animated, Minding Creative Minds Career Summit, Beta Festival , Animation Dingle, Nexus Games Conference, Women in Animation events, Rendr Festival, the Choice Music Prize and the Galway Film Fleadh.

Our Impact in Numbers

  • In 2024, CCIS delivered over 170 activities (public training courses, in-company training, report launches, industry networking events etc.) for over 1,000 participants from across the cultural and creative sectors.
  • Through 2024, over 350 companies/organisations (including sole traders) engaged with the CCIS network on training programmes and events.

Participants on our programmes came from all around Ireland and ranged from new entrants on access programmes, to seasoned professionals upskilling to progress their careers, to senior leaders pushing themselves and their companies to reach the next level.


A Well-Deserved Spotlight: Gareth Lee Receives Outstanding Achievement Award

As a bonus cherry on the cake that was 2024, this year, Skillnet Ireland celebrated their 25-year anniversary of supporting Irish businesses and the upskilling of employee’s across multiples industries. We were blown away at the event to learn that our very own Gareth Lee received a very well-deserved award for Outstanding Achievement to the organisation. Gareth’s leadership has been the cornerstone of everything we’ve achieved this year. His efforts led to the development of new standards and career pathways that align with industry needs, as demonstrated by another incredible year of achievements for CCIS.


Looking ahead to 2025

As we close the chapter on 2024, we’re already looking ahead to what promises to be another exciting year. In 2025, we aim to:

  • Launch a New Report on Skills Gaps and Challenges: Developed In collaboration with Counterculture LLP, we’ll release this key report for the Arts and Culture sector in Q1.
  • Introduce a Learning Management System (LMS): Launching in Q1 in collaboration with The Learning Rooms, this LMS will support online, self-led learning programmes.
  • Launch an evolution of the Future Edge Programme: Delivered with the support of Screen Ireland and Coimisiún na Meán in Q1, this highly regarded programme will support industry leaders to develop policies and strategies for Sustainability, Ethical AI, and Gender, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (GEDI).
  • Expand the Sustainability Toolkit: Understanding the urgency of the climate crisis, we’ll expand the Sustainability Toolkit in 2025 to offer even more resources and actionable insights, empowering our community to adopt environmentally conscious practices and drive real change in their industries.
  • Grow the Culture Crush Community: Building on the success of Culture Crush, we’ll bring you more themed events around this brand that are designed to inspire, connect, and strengthen our creative communities, encouraging knowledge sharing across sectors.
  • Increase Regional Outreach: Recognising the need for accessible, in-person training beyond Dublin, we’re committed to delivering more regional programmes across Ireland, ensuring creative talent in all corners of the country has the opportunity to grow and thrive.
  • Explore EU Opportunities: Through partnerships with IADT and EU communities like EIT Culture & Creativity, we’ll pursue new opportunities in 2025.

None of our achievements in 2024 would have been possible without the incredible network of supporters and partners who share our vision for the future of the creative industries. A huge thank you to Furthr and Skillnet Ireland, whose leadership and guidance enable us to do the work we are so passionate about. We’re also deeply grateful to Animation Ireland, Screen Ireland, Coimisiún na Meán, The Arts Council and the National Talent Academies for their unwavering support. To our invaluable steering groups and working groups, and to the educational institutions we collaborate with so closely, including IADT, NCAD, Creative Futures Academy, TU Dublin and TU Shannon and many others —your partnership makes everything we do possible. There are countless other sectoral Stakeholders we worked with collaboratively throughout the year, including the GEC, Minding Creative Minds, Performing Arts Forum, Culture Works, Eirmersive, Imirt, VFX Ireland, Business to Arts, and Screen Producers Ireland to name a few. To all our supporters and partners, we thank you all and we look forward to further collaborations in 2025, to continue to develop and grow the sector in a sustainable way.

Finally, an enormous congratulations to our small but mighty team, whose energy, dedication, and talent drive us forward every day. To achieve so much in just 12 short months is no small feat, and we couldn’t be prouder of everything we’ve accomplished together. Here’s to an even more successful 2025!

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