The Creative Scale Up programme offers regional creative businesses and freelancers a five month support programme with access grants, mentoring, workshops, one to one support and 360 peer feedback.
One of the members of the first cohort, the artist Luke Jerram, explained how the adapted scheme is helping businesses like his in the current climate.
“The Creative Scale Up programme is brilliant; in that it brings arts organisations together – people at a similar stage in their careers and company development – with an opportunity to share best practice and the problems that we’re facing,” said Luke.
“There’s a real sense that we are no longer working in isolation but somehow connected and on the same journey, and we are there to support one another. When the pandemic arrived, we quickly moved from talking about the growth of our companies to thinking about resilience, placing our companies in a kind of long-term holding pattern and how we might need to adapt to survive.
“It’s been amazing to have the support of mentors and the colleagues of the Creative Scale Up programme to share those problems and work through them collectively. It’s been really supportive. There’s a real sense of camaraderie and a sense of us advising one another within the group. It’s been brilliant, especially at a time like this, so I’d highly recommend other creative companies getting involved.”
To hear more from Luke on his Creative Scale Up experience, use this link to take you to a short video - Luke Jerram on YouTube
The training scheme is guided by the participants, and is able to respond to the current and emerging challenges they face due to COVID-19 pandemic. This included a Q&A session with Dick Penny on leading an organisation through difficult times, during which the businesses were able to draw on his valuable experience of leading transformations at Watershed and Bristol Old Vic.
The first businesses on the West of England Creative Scale Up programme were: Arcadia; Crack Industries, Luke Jerram; Trigger Stuff; Waller and Wood; Cognitive Paths; Knowle West Media Centre (The Factory); Complete Control; Limina Immersive; Auroch Digital; Wardrobe Theatre; Encounters Film Festival, Anagram, Visuable, Stornaway Productions and MAYK.
The Creative Scale Up local steering board features a wealth of industry experience, all of whom are keen to support participants. It also draws on support available from national partners, including the Creative Industries Federation, Arts Council England, Creative England, Scale Up Institute, UK Business Angels Association and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport.
