Scaling Up for Creative Growth

Creative businesses in Hull and East Yorkshire are invited to attend the launch event for the new Creative Growth Hull & East Yorkshire programme next week.

Designed to support ambitious and growth-orientated creative businesses which require advice and support to grow and access external investment, the free-to-access programme is one of 12 regional schemes funded across England by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Taking place from 8-11am on Thursday 16 May at Social on Humber Street in Hull, the launch event will feature a line-up of speakers, with businesses able to learn more about the new programme, the support available and the associated grant funding competition that is operating alongside the programme.

There will also be ample opportunity for networking with the delivery team and other creative firms and key sector stakeholders.

Breakfast refreshments will be available from 8am, before senior local council leader’s welcome delegates to the event. Jon Brunton, Growth Hub Manager at the HEY Business, Growth and Skills Hub, will then present on the current status of the Creative Industries in Hull and East Yorkshire.

Andrew Richardson, Create Growth Programme Manager at the HEY Business, Growth and Skills Hub, and Joe Bishop, Head of Executive Education at the University of Hull Business School, will then provide an overview of the programme, including who the programme is aimed at, the support that will be available, and how businesses will be able to get involved.

Emma Cooper, Knowledge Transfer Manager for the Creative Industries at Innovate UK will deliver an overview of the new Create Growth grant funding competition for creative businesses, as well as the investor networking and capacity building activities that Innovate UK is overseeing.

The event will wrap up with a Q&A session, followed by further networking opportunities and the ability for businesses to sign-up to the programme.

Jon said: “Creative Growth Hull & East Yorkshire is a great opportunity for small and medium businesses in the creative industries to access the expert advice, mentoring and networks that they need to grow successfully and sustainably.

“By taking part in the programme, businesses will develop a growth action and investment plan which will put them in a fantastic position to attract external investment to fuel their onward business growth.”

Delivered in partnership between the HEY Business, Growth and Skills Hub, Hull City Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council and the University of Hull, Creative Growth Hull & East Yorkshire will support 60 creative firms across four cohort groups.

Via expert workshops, one-two-one advice and mentoring, supportive peer development sessions, social networking events and access to regional and national investors, creative firms will be supported to develop a growth action and investment plan that will help underpin long-term growth and help to access the investment and finance needed to do so.

Following a competitive funding bid submitted to DCMS in autumn 2023, the HEY regional partnership has been awarded £520,000 to deliver the support programme.

Firms from a wide range of creative sub-sectors are eligible to access the programme including: advertising, marketing and PR; architecture; crafts; design and fashion; film, TV, radio and photography; IT, software, apps and video games; museums, galleries and libraries; music, visual and performing arts; and publishing and translation services.

To access the Creative Growth Hull and East Yorkshire programme, businesses must:

• Be based in Hull or East Yorkshire.
• Have generated sales revenue in the last two years (i.e., not be a pre-start firm).
• Employ at least two full-time equivalent staff (either directly or as freelancers).
• Be able to demonstrate growth potential with ambitions to scale up the business.

To register for free tickets simply click on the following Eventbrite link: Creative Growth: Hull and East Yorkshire - Launch Event Tickets, Thu 16 May 2024 at 08:00 | Eventbrite

Creative businesses interested in enrolling on the Creative Growth: Hull and East Yorkshire programme can express their interest by e-mailing: a.richardson@HEYBusinessGrowthSkillsHub.com