Boost to creative support and business development

Boost to creative support and business development

The creative sector in North East Lincolnshire has received a boost to its business development activities with the latest appointment through the Grimsby Creates programme.

CDI Alliance, working in a consortium with local expertise and resource provided by Sector Support North East Lincolnshire , Event Show Support CIC, Docks Academy and Centre4, has been appointed to drive the local business development activities to support the creative sector.

CDI Alliance, a consultancy specialising in Creative, Digital & Innovation, has previously, designed and delivered bespoke business development programmes across Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Humber and Lancashire working with pre-start-ups, start-ups and scale up businesses to help them grow.

Along with local delivery partners, and advocates from local creative entrepreneurs, CDI Alliance will deliver showcase and specialist events, networking opportunities, mentoring activities, and individual business support.

Support will be available across North East Lincolnshire for the whole range of creative businesses who are looking to develop their business/industry knowledge, or increase their income from their creative talents, or start/grow a business. 

Additionally, GIFHE students will be supported through specific and targeted programmes for creative individuals as part of their studies. Individual and online mentoring will be available for students who want their future in the creative industries to help them reach their potential. Students will also be able to access group talks, workshops and webinars, complementing the existing work on the campus.

For those students who are considering setting up a creative business, there will be a programme of more intensive business and enterprise skills support.

Guy Lewis, Director at CDI Alliance, said: “We’re really excited to have been appointed to deliver this programme. Each type of creative industry, such as architecture, IT, fashion, photography, theatre and TV will be able to access specific and tailored business support. We’ve got some really exciting plans to bring our well-developed links from Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, and further afield to help support and grow Creative Industries businesses in the area.”

Cllr Callum Procter, Cabinet member for culture, said: “Through the Cultural Development Fund, we’re looking to put the building blocks in place to create a healthy, active community of creative people, whether micro or small size businesses, self-employed or freelancers, who can showcase their talents to the area and beyond. This active business development programme will also help to show young people that a job in the creative sector is something that can be a real life choice.”

James Trowsdale, Strategic Lead for Culture at the council said: “There’s strong and well-established business support organisations in our area already, who continue to deliver fantastic support across a range of sectors.  This new service for the creative sector will provide bespoke and intensive support to the creative sector who face some unique challenges to grow their business’

It’s expected that the new service from CDI Alliance will begin in November 2020 and will operate until March 2023 as part of the Grimsby Creates programme.

Grimsby Creates is funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and administered by Arts Council England as part of the Cultural Development Fund (CDF).

Article and image from NELC.

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