Create South East
Create South East is a fully funded programme to support creative businesses in Kent, Essex and Sussex to develop the skills to secure investment and grow their companies. It is tailored to the needs of different creative disciplines, their respective markets, governance and distribution models.
What is Create South East?
Create South East is a Create Growth Programme, funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and delivered in Kent, Essex and Sussex by a partnership between Creative UK with Kent County Council, South East Cultural Economy Network (SECEN), Screen South, Creative Estuary, University of Kent Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries (ICCI), Angels@Essex, University of Essex Innovation Centre Knowledge Gateway, West Sussex County Council, Brighton and Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council, Essex County Council, Medway Council and Basildon Council to support high-growth creative businesses to scale and become investment ready.
To date, the programme has supported over 150 businesses in the region across eight cohorts. Create South East offered two strands of support: Stage 1 supported businesses looking to establish solid foundations for future growth. Stage 2 supported more mature companies seeking to refine their growth strategy and explore different routes to investment, culminating in pitches to fellow founders, stakeholders and investors.
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Stories from the programme:
Create South East is a Create Growth Programme, funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and delivered in Kent, Essex and Sussex by a partnership between Creative UK with Kent County Council, South East Cultural Economy Network (SECEN), Screen South, Creative Estuary, University of Kent Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries (ICCI), Angels@Essex, University of Essex Innovation Centre Knowledge Gateway, West Sussex County Council, Brighton and Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council, Essex County Council, Medway Council and Basildon Council.
Programme feedback
Infinity 27
Cohort 1
“I think the programme has been brilliant. I'm excited for future cohorts to benefit from it. I've been surprised by how much support I've received from everyone."
Candle and Bell
Cohort 1
“The programme has definitely increased my knowledge. Definitely happy I was accepted onto it.”
Tull Stories
Cohort 2
“Feel so much more confident after the coaching. I can do things now I wouldn't have been able to do before the programme.”
Ghostwriter / Giglab
Cohort ?
“At Ghostwriter Consultancy & Events, we’ve been incredibly lucky to have the support of some fantastic organisations in the North East while developing Gig Lab. Being part of the Creative UK Growth Programme has been invaluable, helping us make the most of the Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award we received. It definitely helps when everyone involved is such great craic, but with a bunch of North East creatives, what else would you expect?!”
Bamboo Media
Cohort 2
“I've really enjoyed the programme and got so much out of it. I think the CUK team have been really great, very quick to answer any questions I had.”
Changing Relations
Cohort 2
“My mentor has been such a good match for me. The relationship has really worked and I've learnt so much. [They have] really helped with business planning and I feel I've really moved forward because of this.”
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