Support programme perfectly timed to help grow digital and creative businesses

Applications are now open for the second cohort of Creative Warwickshire, a business support programme for Warwickshire-based creative and digital businesses.

The project gives businesses access to an intensive training programme including personal mentoring diagnostic sessions, workshops, seminars, guest speakers and networking opportunities. If you run a business of a digital or creative nature based in Warwickshire and are looking for ways to grow, then Creative Warwickshire is there to help.

The programme has been developed to meet the growing need for specialised support of all businesses across the digital and creative sector – web developers, photographers, filmmakers, game developers, designers and artists. With the Warwickshire region identified as one of the top 20 creative clusters in the UK (The Geography of Creativity: NESTA/Creative England, 2016) it is the perfect time to grow businesses in that sector.

“This is a timely programme to help catalyse the growth of the creative sector in Warwickshire," said Sheridan Sulskis, project manager for the Inclusive Enterprise Programme. “It has been exciting to help our first cohort grow their businesses, grasp new market opportunities and take their business skills to the next level and now we have opened applications for the next group to be involved in this programme.”

Creative Warwickshire is the latest initiative delivered through the partnership between the Coventry and Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust (CWRT) and the Women’s Economy (WE). It is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and forms part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme which is managed by Warwickshire County Council.

Creative Warwickshire is for all creative and digital companies based in the county and particularly welcomes applicants from groups under-represented in the sector such as women, ethnic minority businesses, entrepreneurs with disabilities or older participants.

For full information and applications, please visit http://www.inclusive-enterprise.co.uk/creative-warwickshire/programme-details/.

Meanwhile, Coventry and Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust (CWRT) has received a £34,600 donation from NatWest to support the expansion of the Inclusive Enterprise Programme which is currently being delivered in Warwickshire.

The funding has enabled CWRT to develop a specialist women’s support programme centred in Nuneaton and Bedworth.

The programme will offer confidence building, employability skills, business start-up support and financial literacy training for at least 50 women in the area. It will also develop the Women’s Loan Fund which is unique to the region. This will offer women and girls of working age loans of up to £500 to invest in their personal and professional development.

 “We are so thrilled to be launching this initiative, which is the first stage of our partnership with The Women’s Economy in developing a comprehensive support service for girls and women in Warwickshire," said Sally Arkley, specialist delivery director for the Inclusive Enterprise Programme and director of The Women’s Economy.