what we do
As a creative investor, Creative England addresses the financing gap for creative businesses by offering bespoke investments, loans and growth mentoring. We also connect national investor networks to regional creative businesses. Find out more about Creative England’s investment portfolio and current investment opportunities, and Creative England’s growth programmes across the regions.
As a creative influencer, we make the case for national and local policy to be developed in a way that helps creative people and businesses to grow and succeed. Find out more about the policy work and research we do.
As a creative collaborator, we discover new voices and help shine a light on creative talent and screen businesses from across the country. Find out more about Creative England’s CE50, an annual celebration of the most exciting, innovative and disruptive creative companies and individuals across film, games and digital media; our short film initiative shortFLIX in partnership with Sky Arts and ScreenSkills; our annual feature film lab, iFeatures delivered in partnership with ScreenSkills, BBC Films and BFI; our work with the Wellcome Trust and the West of England AHSN on our Create Open Health programme;
Creative England, with its sister company the Creative Industries Federation, is part of the non-profit group, Creative UK.
uncovering talent
Every year Creative England celebrates and recognises the achievements of 50 of the best up and coming, innovative and disruptive individuals and companies across film, games and digital media. The people featured in the CE50 are the talented minds at the very forefront of creativity. Find out about CE50 for 2019 here.
investing in businesses
Since 2012, Creative England has invested over £20 million into over 350 creative business across the country, investing an average of £4m per year during 2012-2017. Our supported businesses show an average of 25% revenue growth in their first year of investment and go on to achieve outstanding long-term sustainability, evidenced by 3-year survival rates of 83% compared to the business national average of 60%.
Creative England understands the needs of SMEs, particularly those in the creative sector. We know how difficult it is to access finance from traditional sources and that in order to take your business to the next stage, you need a cash injection to make your growth plans a reality. With an average investment size of £67,000, we are filling the access to finance gap to enable creative companies to scale-up and succeed. Find out more here.
growth programmes
Creative England builds programmes that create opportunities for original storytellers to hear the latest ideas and access the best support. Our specialist programmes offer skills development, business support and investment opportunities to screen-based businesses and freelancers working in film, TV, games and digital platforms. Working with regional, and national, companies and organisations Creative England connects its partners with creative networks across the regions to support industry growth. Current growth programmes include; Creative Enterprise, a nationwide initiative bringing together companies who work in moving image for storytelling, spanning film
and television, games and technology; building meaningful connections and create opportunities for business growth. Creative Enterprise has been developed with National Lottery funding from the BFI. Regional growth programmes include: Be More Birmingham, a talent development and showcase initiative, supported by ERDF and Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP, and delivered through a series of creative workshops and a showcase event.
policy & research
The Creative England team works with talented people and ambitious businesses, day in and day out. So we understand the barriers they come up against and the challenges they face. We use that insight and experience to make the case for better policies at a national and a local level to remove some of those barriers, open up opportunities and help our creative industries to grow and succeed. Find out more here.
filming in England
Creative England is the first port of call for productions looking to film in England, outside of London. Our Production Services team offer free comprehensive production support to Film and high-end TV productions. Alongside our Film Office partners and our Regional and National networks, we are on hand to help at every stage of production, from early feasibility to post. From people to places, our team can help you find and access the industry’s finest to gain filming permissions and facilitate a smooth shoot. Find out more here.
