YORK'S first IT and digital convention takes place at York Racecourse next Thursday - and several companies from the York area will play a starring role.

The event is a showcase for hi- tech companies and a chance for them to exchange ideas about topical issues in the thriving industrial sector.

It is a sector specially targeted by Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency.

IT & Digital York is one of three technology business community "clusters" supported by Science City York and it is growing hugely.

The sector employs more than 2,400 people in 100 organisations in the region and employment in the sector is expanding at a rate of seven per cent per annum.

Among the York ventures taking part is a company which uses technology in the performing arts, two inventors of website-controlling software and a firm which has perfected intelligent CD-Rom business cards. They include KMA Creative Technologies, of St Denys Court, York, which wowed the York public last March with its Dancing in the Streets display, pictured above.

Digital light rays fluttered and swirled on the pavement, enticing people to dance, the beams choreographing with their every step.

Its managing director, Kit Monkman, will demonstrate the digital technology behind it and other examples drawn from work with professional dance companies, academics and the public.

David Kirkham, managing director, of Dot Com Imaging based at the IT Centre in York Science Park in Innovation Way, Heslington, will focus on "Effective Internet Technologies" by demonstrating his innovative website solution website*turbine.

The software enables companies of any size to manage and control their own websites and has been a huge success since its launch in 2002, with scores of York firms adopting it. It is now working on a major project to set up eight European websites for Hitachi, the Japanese technology giant as part of it contract to help it with its global brand strategy.

Another York website software firm will be represented by Michael Jeffrey, of Human Computer Interaction, who will demonstrate internet examples such as the Castle Howard Estates and York City of Festival websites.

Oliver Barrett, IT & Digital York Cluster Development Officer, said: "The IT & Digital York Convention will be an ideal opportunity for companies to exchange ideas about topical issues in this thriving industrial sector and for York to demonstrate its strength and vitality in this area."

For more information and to register to attend the IT and Digital York Convention, visit www.sciencecityyork.org.uk or phone Rose Lindsay Smith on 01904 554433.

Updated: 11:21 Friday, May 13, 2005