Create Growth Programmes

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Six English regions outside London to benefit from £17.5 million to help scale up creative businesses and increase job opportunities

Companies in six regions will receive support through the Create Growth Programme to help get themselves investment ready. The regions are:

  • Greater Manchester, including Wigan, Bolton, Bury, Rochdale, Salford, Oldham, Trafford, Manchester, Tameside and Stockport
  • East Anglia, including Norfolk, Suffolk, Peterborough and Cambridgeshire
  • North East, including North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland, Durham, Northumberland and Newcastle
  • West of England, including Bristol, Bath, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
  • South East, including Essex, East Sussex, West Sussex, Kent, Medway, Brighton and Hove, Southend on Sea and Thurrock
  • East Midlands, including Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Rutland

A key aim of the Create Growth Programme is to support creative businesses to explore and secure commercial investment opportunities. To this end each of the selected regions will have a Programme of activity that will enable businesses to be ready for investment and facilitate access to  additional funding from Innovate UK and commercial investors in 2023 and beyond.  

Creative UK will be working with partners in three of the regions (North East, Cornwall and South East), to launch Programmes in January 2023 that are tailored to each specific region and the creative sub sectors based there. More information, and an opportunity to sign up for news and announcements about these regional Programmes, can be found in the links below:

Innovate UK - Funding Competition 1Apply now for up to £30K in grants

Innovate UK – Funding Competition

As part of the Create Growth Programme, Innovate UK have launched a brand new funding opportunity for businesses in the Creative Industries in six English regions. Business can apply for £10-30k each for innovation projects.

The eligible regions are:

  • Greater Manchester
  • West of England and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
  • Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire
  • Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire
  • Kent, Essex and East and West Sussex
  • North East of England.

More information and how to apply can be found here

Innovate UK – Funding Competition

As part of the Create Growth Programme, Innovate UK have launched a brand new funding opportunity for businesses in the Creative Industries in six English regions. Business can apply for £10-30k each for innovation projects.

The eligible regions are:

  • Greater Manchester
  • West of England and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
  • Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire
  • Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire
  • Kent, Essex and East and West Sussex
  • North East of England.

More information and how to apply can be found here

North East Create Growth ProgrammeSign up now

North East Create Growth Programme

North East Create Growth Programme is designed to support creative businesses from across Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland and County Durham with the support and the investment they need to grow their business and turn their innovative creative ideas into the leading creative businesses of the future. 

Find out more and sign up here

South East Create Growth ProgrammeSign up now

South East Create Growth Programme

The South East Create Growth Programme (CGP) is designed to support creative businesses within the administrative boundaries of Greater Essex, Kent, Medway, East Sussex, West Sussex or Brighton and Hove with the support and the investment they need to grow their business and turn their innovative creative ideas into the leading creative businesses of the future. 

Find out more and sign up for here

Cornwall Create Growth ProgrammeSign up now

Cornwall Create Growth Programme

The Cornwall Create Growth Programme (CGP) is designed to support creative businesses within Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly with the support and the investment they need to grow their business and turn their innovative creative ideas into the leading creative businesses of the future. 

Find out more and sign up for here

North East Create Growth Programme

North East Create Growth Programme is designed to support creative businesses from across Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland and County Durham with the support and the investment they need to grow their business and turn their innovative creative ideas into the leading creative businesses of the future. 

Find out more and sign up here

South East Create Growth Programme

The South East Create Growth Programme (CGP) is designed to support creative businesses within the administrative boundaries of Greater Essex, Kent, Medway, East Sussex, West Sussex or Brighton and Hove with the support and the investment they need to grow their business and turn their innovative creative ideas into the leading creative businesses of the future. 

Find out more and sign up for here

Cornwall Create Growth Programme

The Cornwall Create Growth Programme (CGP) is designed to support creative businesses within Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly with the support and the investment they need to grow their business and turn their innovative creative ideas into the leading creative businesses of the future. 

Find out more and sign up for here

East Anglia Create Growth ProgrammeFind out more

East Anglia Create Growth Programme

The East Anglia area encompasses:

  • Norfolk
  • Suffolk
  • Peterborough
  • Cambridgeshire

Website: www.newanglia.co.uk

Email address: creategrowth@uea.ac.uk

Greater Manchester Create Growth ProgrammeFind out more

Greater Manchester Create Growth Programme

The Greater Manchester region encompasses:

  • Wigan
  • Bolton
  • Bury
  • Rochdale
  • Salford
  • Oldham
  • Trafford
  • Manchester
  • Tameside
  • Stockport

Website: www.businessgrowthhub.com/creative-scale-up-programme

East Midlands Create Growth ProgrammeFind out more

East Midlands Create Growth Programme

The East Midlands region encompasses:

  • Leicestershire
  • Derbyshire
  • Lincolnshire
  • Rutland

Email: admin@llep.org.uk

East Anglia Create Growth Programme

The East Anglia area encompasses:

  • Norfolk
  • Suffolk
  • Peterborough
  • Cambridgeshire

Website: www.newanglia.co.uk

Email address: creategrowth@uea.ac.uk

Greater Manchester Create Growth Programme

The Greater Manchester region encompasses:

  • Wigan
  • Bolton
  • Bury
  • Rochdale
  • Salford
  • Oldham
  • Trafford
  • Manchester
  • Tameside
  • Stockport

Website: www.businessgrowthhub.com/creative-scale-up-programme

East Midlands Create Growth Programme

The East Midlands region encompasses:

  • Leicestershire
  • Derbyshire
  • Lincolnshire
  • Rutland

Email: admin@llep.org.uk

West of EnglandFind out more

West of England Create Growth Programme

County Councils:

  • Bristol City Council
  • Bath and North East Somerset Council
  • South Gloucestershire
  • North Somerset

Email: creative@westofengland-ca.gov.uk

West of England Create Growth Programme

County Councils:

  • Bristol City Council
  • Bath and North East Somerset Council
  • South Gloucestershire
  • North Somerset

Email: creative@westofengland-ca.gov.uk