One of Worcester’s most successful digital creators, with more than 5 million followers worldwide, will reveal the reality behind life as a full-time Youtuber in a free public talk at The Hive.
Terrarium creator Ben Newell will share how he turned his hobby into a thriving global career. His intricate miniature worlds have earned him collaborations with Disney, Marvel, Paramount, and Waterstones.
He has also won gold medals at RHS shows, published two books, and has a packed schedule of creative projects and public appearances.
But being a full-time content creator is hard work. Behind the polished posts sits a world of planning, filming, editing, experimenting, and constant innovation.
In this live public talk, on Wednesday, May 13 from 6.30-8pm the audience will get a rare glimpse into an industry where trends can shift overnight, and millions of people compete for attention.
Ben said: “I remember seeing a survey of children once, and ‘Youtuber’ was one of the most popular career aspirations. It’s something a lot of people aspire to, but there’s so much that goes into the role of sustaining yourself and building success through content creation.”
“We’ll be discussing how I go about creating my content, how I can tell if a post will be successful or not, and we’ll also look at the challenges and perceptions people have about what it’s actually like to do this for a living.”
Ben will be interviewed by former BBC journalist Justyn Surrall, whose current role is at the University of Worcester builds on his work in media and storytelling. “Ben’s journey is a brilliant example of what happens when real creativity is matched with hard work and persistence,” Justyn said. “I interviewed him years ago, and I’ve been a member of his audience as he has built a global audience through thoughtful, long-form content which is genuinely impressive.”
He added: “There’s so much noise in the creator world, but Ben stands out because he teaches, inspires and brings people into his process. Anyone who’s thinking about content creation as a career, who wants to grow their skills, or just have a look behind the curtain of content creation, will get a huge amount from hearing how Ben actually does it.”
Vega Minton, Events Coordinator at The Hive, said: “The timing for this talk couldn’t be better; it follows RHS Malvern, a major regional horticultural event where Ben has showcased his award-winning terrariums in the past.”
“We’re thrilled to bring him back to a home-town audience and give people the chance to learn directly from someone who has excelled both creatively and digitally.”
Tickets are free but must be booked in advance. Book via Worcestershire County Council's website.