Tom’s Creative Canvas

09/07/2026

We got a lot into Session 1!

The Emerging Digital Creative Producer programme packs a lot in! The first stage is “Who am I?”

It’s all about connection with place, with each other, building the team and taking on the project brief. It’s a lot of fun 😄

I designed the first Creativity Scavenger Hunt V.1 back in 2022. This is V.4. A few tweaks and enhancements including the addition of the Igloo. Great to get the whole team involved too!

25/06/2026

It was boiling! 🥵
We probably picked the hottest day of the year to dress up in giant inflatable costumes and build towers out of cardboard boxes.
I tip my hat to the Esports students at Oldham College. They group started developing ideas a few months ago - how can they get others to engage with Esports? Yesterday, they actualised one of those idea, bringing it to life for the rest of the campus to see.
Here’s a quick look 👀 behind the scenes.

14/05/2026

Today was GMColleges first GM CAVE Showcase event! Hosted at Oldham College.

Over the last few months I’ve been facilitating ideation workshops at each of the colleges to help them develop new concepts for the CAVES. Today was a chance to share experiments, discoveries, challenges and possibilities. It’s a network of people exploring how immersive technology, storytelling, simulation and interactive learning can genuinely transform education.

Well done to the 5 colleges who shared their work. Looking forward to developing new projects and building the network.

29/04/2026

Ideas be cooking today!

27/04/2026

A special moment this weekend watching Stockport County Women with my girls (and friends).

When the goal went in, the reaction said it all.

The moments that stay with us are the ones we feel.

But what really stood out wasn’t just the result. It was the attitude on the pitch.

My daughter said to me, “They do a lot of low fives. They must be really good friends.”

Gratitude is a winning mindset.

Every tackle.
Every save.
Every pass.
Not just the goals.

Acknowledged. Valued. Celebrated.

That kind of culture says a lot. It shows my girls that success isn’t just about winning games. It’s about recognising each other, lifting each other, and being part of something bigger.

Stockport County Football Club

18/04/2026

Applications are now open for the Sky Studios Elstree Future Talent Programme. A paid, year-long opportunity for those looking to break into the film and television industry.

If you have any questions about the Future Talent Programme, please email [email protected]

16/04/2026

Last night’s Big House Short Film Festival has hit the road with a cinema showcase. Congrats to Mrat and Louise. We started this journey more than 1yr ago.

It was great to see them present their short films.

I’m looking forward to developing more Digital Creative Producer programmes this year.

19/03/2026

Today I ran a brand new “Innovation Stories” session with the GMColleges FEIF team. I’ve been piloting a variety of ideas this year on the theme of immersive storytelling. This was a great opportunity to experiment and pull a number of those ideas into a single experience.

For context, 2 years ago I joined the Innovate UK funded programme. This month marks the end of the programme.

I really wanted today to be a fun celebration so I attempted to turn the session into a realtime story experience. The plan was to set a narrative in motion, positioning the attendees as main characters and encourage them to reflect and share their FEIF stories. It was really inspiring. We packed a lot into the morning.

13/03/2026

I've got a fun Friday question for you ...

Imagine yourself at 10 years old. What has happened between then and now that has allowed you to reach this point? How did you open the doors to get into the next room of opportunity?

I came up with 2 important things that helped me get into those rooms ...

08/03/2026

I did it. At the start of this year, I set myself a challenge: release 8 songs.

Ideas that might never have seen the light of day unless I made a conscious effort to finish them.

This is “Six Words” 🎵

This song actually gave me a big burst of creative momentum. I started writing it last December, and while working out the lyrics and melody it put me in a space where I was recording little song ideas almost every day.

Some songs take me years to write, but Six Words came straight out of a conversation.

The main reason I didn’t release it sooner was the arrangement. After recording the original idea, I experimented with it in Suno. The first version kept that raw expression, but the more I refined it (the more generations), the more AI smoothed everything out and it started to lose something. It was too polished.

So this version is the best balance I could get and it required me to return back to the starting version.

Looking ahead, I’ve set myself a new goal: record some of these songs with human musicians. Maybe that will turn into live sessions — who knows.

When I look back on 2026, I’m pretty sure this will be one of those creative projects I’m glad I didn’t keep waiting on.