I was born a miners son with a voice too loud for the valleys and a hunger that frightened me. Unmasking Burton is my reckoning. Not the legend, not the films, not the voice you think you know but the man beneath it. A boy who escaped through poetry, who conquered stages, who loved fiercely and drank harder, and who never quite outran himself. Through memory, verse, and sharp humour, I lay bare ambition, class, fame, and failure. This is not a tribute. It is a confession. And for once, I am speaking plainly.

Join us for a focused half-day at Bath Spa University. BSU: Open for Business offers a unique chance to save yourself from navigating labyrinthine departments trying to track down the opportunities, and focus your energy on accessing all the exceptional talent, expertise and practical support you need. Solve real business challenges Identify future talent Access expertise, funding and specialist facilities Upskill your team for long-term resilience Whether you're tackling a specific issue, looking to grow, or need new people and ideas, this first-of-its-kind event brings together everything BSU has to offer - all in one place, in one morning. No fluff: just useful conversations, practical ideas and clear next steps. Solve real business challenges Got a problem you cant quite crack? Bring a real, current challenge and explore how BSU can help you move forward. From HR, legal and leadership to sustainability, storytelling and customer experience, our experts work with businesses to solve real problems through consultancy, student projects and collaborative work. Hear directly from clients who have already benefited, saving time, reducing costs and unlocking new opportunities. Meet and develop future talent Struggling to find and retain the right people? Discover how to: Recruit new talent Develop your existing workforce Build capability through internships, projects and training From first hires to leadership development, BSU can support your workforce at every stage. Access expertise, funding and specialist facilities Need resources you cant access inhouse? Use BSUs facilities, expertise and funding to move faster: Specialist facilities (TV, film, podcast and creative studios) Technical, consultancy and academic expertise Funding support for collaborative projects Learn how other businesses are already using these resources to improve their marketing and resilience, develop new ideas and grow. Upskill and grow your team for long term resilience How are you building resilience in uncertain times? Develop your team with flexible, practical training shaped by real business needs: Leadership and change management Workforce development and retention Creative approaches to growth and innovation Delivered by academics and practitioners with real-world experience, from short courses to tailored programmes. What to expect A practical, half-day format designed to add value to busy businesses: Networking breakfast, 8am start Short, focused keynote and case study sessions Real examples of businesses working with BSU Opportunities to connect directly with experts, staff and students Opportunity to tour our world-class facilities Networking lunch to continue conversations Tickets cost 25 and include breakfast, lunch and full access to all sessions and tours. Book your place now and learn how BSU can support your business in practice. Agenda 8am 9.15am Breakfast networking 9:15am 9:30am Welcome address BSU is Open for Business Andy Salmon, Professor of Social and Creative Enterprise at Bath Spa University, discusses why BSU is Open for Business and how this aligns with the newly announced Strategy 2035. This will be followed by a quick introduction to the morning by BSUs Head of Business Development, Peter Russell. 9:30am 9:50am Keynote: Veronica Hannon and Daniel O'Connor, Transform Comms Discover the unexpected ways in which collaboration, communication and innovation can bring fresh ideas to business, support sustainability and equip you with cutting-edge ideas to solve your business challenges. 9:50am 10:15am Pitch and Panel: Talent acquisition and development How can BSU help you to identify, recruit and develop your staff? Join Ronnie, Dan and a panel of BSU experts as they explore the different ways the University can respond to your staffing related challenges and opportunities. 10:15am 10:30am Transformation in Practice: Developing Human Skills and Wellbeing during times of change Hear from the team at Bath Building Society, and Helen Gormley, BSU Academic Consultant and Executive and Leadership Coach, how the organisation has benefited from the training designed to underpin their business transformation programmes. 10:30am 11.00am Solving Business Problems Join us for an interactive session in which you have the chance to learn how the Bath Business School has been working with local companies and influence how we can support you in the future. Led by Steven Goulton, Course Director in Law, and Leslie Redwood, Head of Marketing and Business Development at Mogers Drewett LLP. 11.00am 11:20am Networking Break and First Tour Departure 11:20am - 11:40am The Impact of Creative Thinking on Organisation Culture and Performance Join our panel of creative innovators as they discuss the ways that BSU has worked with businesses in the region to develop creative thinking and the value of creative mechanisms such as artists in residence, installations and creative sub-contractors. 11:40am 12:10pm Where Research Meets Business Need Led by BSUs Research and Enterprise team, find out how your business can access the expertise of the University and hear real examples of how collaborating on storytelling, technology and products have improved businesses in the region. 12:10pm - 12:30pm Creative Digital Media Innovation in BaNES and beyond Join The Studio as they explore how businesses have benefited from our Innovation Hub, how businesses can access our innovative facilities, equipment and expertise, and how BSU has helped to grow a creative digital business. 12:30pm 12:45pm Growing Sustainable Businesses Lessons from the world of fashion, design and retail Future Fashion Works and the SOMER team will discuss how businesses can work together towards sustainability through local supply chains and shared retail channels. 12:45 1pm Closing Keynote and Wrap Up 1:15pm Networking Lunch and Second Tour Departure Keynote speaker: Transform Comms Our first Keynote address will be from local entrepreneurs Veronica Hannon and Daniel O'Connor, co-founders of Transform Comms. Ronnie and Dan have together built several successful businesses and supported the success of many more. Transform is over 16 years old and helps organisations of all sizes (from owner-founded ambitious businesses to large international corporations) navigate growth, change and complexity. Ronnie and Dan will speak about the importance of collaboration, communication and innovation in building a sustainable business. They will show how companies and their employees can benefit - sometimes in unexpected ways - from working with academic institutions like Bath Spa University. Ronnie and Dan are regularly invited to share their knowledge including through TEDx talks and industry and academic events. Get in touch Please get in touch with us via [email protected] if you have any questions about our event.

Placemaking, Practice and Policy: Research in the Spaces Between Dr Cara Courage is a placemaking researcher, practitioner and writer whose work sits at the intersection of arts practice, community engagement and cultural policy. In this session she will introduce placemaking as a field and a practice, drawing on her own trajectory through research and creative work to explore what it means to operate in the space between those roles. She will share examples of projects that have straddled practice and research, and reflect on how theoretical ideas can be translated into accessible, usable resources and policy-relevant work. The session combines short talks, live case studies, practical activity and group discussion, and no prior knowledge of placemaking is required. To prepare for this session check out Cara's website her and her open access resources on placemaking here;https://www.caracourage.net/ Date: June 3rd 2-4 Location: ANG01 Booking required

Thinking of applying for funding to support a knowledge exchange project? Thinking funders like Arts Council England, the National Lottery or charitable trusts and foundations may be a better fit for your project than UKRI or other research funders? This practical, hands-on session will take you through what KE funders are looking for, how this differs from research funders, and how to tailor your application to the funders priorities. Well also cover aspects of project planning and how to work with external partners. Participants will receive ongoing support after the session, through to submitting their applications. This session is geared towards academic staff, but PGR students with a firm KE project idea in mind are also welcome to attend. The session will be run by Dr Katherine Shingler, Bid Writing Manager in BSUs Knowledge Exchange team. Lunch will be provided at the beginning of the session please let us know of any dietary requirements when you register.