For the next entry in to our panellist deep dive series we’re taking a closer look into the background of Craig Chettle MBE, Founder and Chief Executive of the Confetti Media Group.

Born and raised in Nottingham, Craig is a former tour manager, sound engineer and music producer for acts such as Tindersticks, Whycliffe, Maria McKee and Nick Cave. Inspired by his own experiences in the business, Craig established the Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies in 1994 to fill a demand for vocational, industry-led creative technology education courses. Speaking about working in the music industry at the time, Craig says: “Back then, places like Confetti didn’t exist. Growing up, my passion and pastime was music, but I had no idea how to turn that passion into a job. Plus, wanting to work in music without relocating to London seemed impossible”.

Craig was awarded an MBE in the 2020 New Year’s Honours List for Services to Entrepreneurship and the Creative Industries Sector.

Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies started small in the mid-90s, offering a handful of music and sound design courses. It is now one of the country’s leading creative technology education organisations, has developed an award-winning campus, and is home to over 2,000 college and degree students, studying towards careers in music, film, TV, games, VFX, esports and live & technical events. Confetti offers industry training and education from Level 1 (school leaver) through to Level 7 post-graduate degrees, and is one of a number of companies within the Confetti Media Group (CMG), of which Craig is CEO.

CMG contributes over £100m to Nottingham’s creative economy, supports a wide range of cultural events including the Nottingham Poetry Festival, the Splendour Music Festival and the Hockley Hustle, and is a key regional employer with well over 300 staff. For over a decade now, CMG has also provided space and support for around 450 SME creative businesses ranging from PR firms to games developers at its own creative business hub, Antenna.

CMG’s other commercial divisions include Constellations – specialists in the design and install of contemporary education and creative industry spaces; Spool Films – an award-winning production and post-production company with a diverse portfolio including working with Shane Meadows on The Virtues and This Is England. 

In 2012, with Craig at the helm, CMG and NTU launched Nottingham’s award-winning local television station Notts TV, now considered to be one of the most successful in the national network of local television channels.

Most recently, CMG are also the creators of the world-class music and events complex Metronome, which as well as being a 400-capacity performance venue features 6 recording studios, 14 rehearsal rooms and a mastering suite equipped with a vintage vinyl lathe. Jools Holland described the facilities as “the best he has seen anywhere”. Designed in partnership with industry specialists Whitemark, Metronome delivers an ambitious and diverse public programme of music, moving image, esports, comedy and spoken word performances.

In 2015, Confetti became part of Nottingham Trent University. With their support, Confetti has experienced a period of unparalleled growth, its city centre campus becoming a lynchpin of Nottingham’s Creative Quarter, creating significant new opportunities for students, graduates and local businesses.

My HR Hub’s event for the festival, Reigniting your people plans, will be delivered on Wednesday 11th November 2020 at 11:10am. Tickets are FREE and open to all.

Click to find out about the Confetti Media Group and the Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies.

Follow Confetti on Twitter and Instagram.

Read more about our session for the Creative Coalition festival here.