Creative businesses and freelancers outside London could benefit from increased support following a government announcement aimed at accelerating growth across the sector.

Six regions with established strengths in film, TV, music, fashion, and video games will each receive £25 million to expand their creative industries. The funding forms part of the new Creative Places Growth Fund, first introduced in June’s Creative Industries Sector Plan.

£25 million each for six regions
The funding will be divided equally among:
• Greater Manchester
• Liverpool City Region
• North East
• West of England
• West Midlands
• West Yorkshire

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy confirmed that the allocations will be devolved to local Mayors, giving them the flexibility to address regional challenges and opportunities within their communities. The funding will be distributed over three years, beginning in the 2026 financial year.

£8 million in grants for SMEs today
In addition to the regional funding, more than 100 micro, small, and medium-sized creative enterprises across 12 regions are receiving a share of £8 million in Create Growth Programme grants.

Grant amounts range from £20,000 to £140,000 and are designed to support businesses in commercialising new ideas and accessing resources, expertise, and private investment to help them scale.

Some of the grant recipients include:
• Translating Nature, an art and design studio in Margate
• King Bee, an animation studio in Hertfordshire

Whether or not your business is in line for government support, if you run a creative enterprise and would like guidance on growing and scaling your business, please get in touch. We would be happy to help you!