“This is really exciting news for creative businesses in West Sussex. The funding award by DCMS recognises the fantastic potential of these businesses in our region and provides an opportunity to support them to realise that potential and achieve growth for them, and our local economy.” – Paul Marshall, Leader of West Sussex County Council.
West Sussex is set to be one of a few areas in England to benefit from the Government’s Create Growth programme. West Sussex County Council, bidding as part of a South East consortium, has been successful in securing funding from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to deliver the Create Growth programme across the county.
The programme will provide support for high-growth potential businesses in the creative industries to grow including through developing the knowledge and skills they need to access private sector investment. Additional grant funding provided nationally will be available to creative businesses in West Sussex.
West Sussex County Council is part of the successful Create Growth South East consortium alongside Brighton & Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council, Kent County Council, Essex County Council, Medway Council and Thurrock Council. The partnership also includes sector leads Wired Sussex, Screen South and Creative UK.
The consortium has been awarded funding of £1.275m to deliver business support as part of the programme, over three years. An additional £7m has been allocated by DCMS to Innovate UK, to deliver finance to small creative businesses as part of the same programme.
Businesses who will be eligible for support under the programme in the South East will come from one of the following sub-sectors:
- Film, TV, video, radio and photography
- Design and designer fashion
- Music, performing and visual arts
- IT, software and computer services
In addition to directly supporting creative industry businesses, the programme will work to develop the network of investors in the region, and build their understanding of the benefits of investing in this sector. This will increase the ability of creative businesses in the South East to access private investment in the future.
The grant fund element of the programme launches on Monday 28 November. The Create Growth grants fund is designed to help creative businesses explore new game-changing innovation projects as a stimulus for growth. The fund offers grants of between £10,000 and £30,000, and is open to micro and small businesses in the creative industries. Applications must offer an innovative and ambitious idea which demonstrates a new and clear growth opportunity for businesses.
In light of this, Innovate UK, who are responsible for managing this fund, will be hosting a briefing event about the fund on Monday 5 December. This event is for both interested businesses and anyone else who may like to join – you can register, and find out more, here: https://web-eur.cvent.com/event/28fffc28-d4a1-45bf-bbd6-2d7c85685d54/summary.
Access to the programme is likely to close in October 2024 when the final cohort of businesses will be recruited.
If you would like to register your interest please contact: info@createsoutheast.org.uk. For further details about the wider Create Growth South East programme, click here.
