Creative businesses and freelancers outside of London are in line for major government support to help them innovate, up-skill and attract private investment, with two-thirds of the £150m funding headed to the North.
Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, the North East and West Yorkshire will each receive a £25m share of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, with a further two grants headed to the West Midlands and West of England.
The regions will be able to use the funding to boost creative industries such as film and TV, music, fashion and video games as part of Labour’s Industrial Strategy.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said in Liverpool yesterday that the fund will be split equally across the six regions to drive growth, innovation and investment. The fund will empower local Mayors to support creative professionals, businesses and young people in their communities with access to finance, mentoring and networking opportunities to help them connect with investors and skills programmes.
This is a new approach to supporting creative industries by devolving funding to high-growth potential Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs). The £25 million allocations will be awarded to the six MSAs over three years, starting in the 2026 financial year, for them to distribute according to local barriers and opportunities. This is part of a whole range of support announced in the Creative Industries Sector Plan supporting creative growth across the whole of the UK, including providing business support for local creative businesses, regional skills initiatives, innovation capacity building programmes, or by providing sector specific support such as TV and film production funds.
Separately, the Government also announced that more than 100 micro, small, and medium-sized creative enterprises across twelve regions are receiving a share of £8 million in grants through the Create Growth Programme.
The grants, ranging from £20,000 to £140,000, are aimed at helping these high-growth businesses commercialise their ideas and access resources, knowledge and private investment to scale up – turning today’s growing businesses into tomorrow’s success stories.
Northern regions in line for these smaller grants include Greater Manchester, the North East of England, Derbyshire and Greater Lincolnshire, Hull and East Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.
Nandy said: “Creativity has no postcode – whether it’s a musician in Liverpool, a filmmaker in Birkenhead, or a video games developer in St Helens.
“We know that it is not one size fits all. That’s why we are committed to growing our creative industries in every corner of the nation as part of our Creative Industries Sector Plan, and hope that this devolved funding will be just what these regions need to make their creative industries the best that they can be.”
Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “From music and TV to gaming and film, the Liverpool City Region has creativity running through its veins.
“Our world-famous culture is recognised right across the globe, and we’re already home to some of the most talented people and pioneering businesses in the UK. This funding will help us go even further – creating new jobs, attracting more investment and giving local people the chance to showcase their skills on a global stage.
“This is a region where creativity and culture don’t just entertain, they power our economy, and this investment will make sure that continues for generations to come.”
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, added: “For too long, our creative industries have been disproportionately concentrated in London and the South East, fuelled by talent from the rest of the country.
“Now, this government is working with mayors to reset the dial, giving creatives across the country a fair chance to flourish, without them needing to leave to achieve.
“I’m proud of West Yorkshire for leading the way to this landmark investment, from our multimillion-pound You Can Make It Here programme offering a vital leg-up to freelancers, to our screen and script diversity programme bringing fresh and underrepresented talent into the sector.
“By harnessing this new funding collectively as One Creative North, we will continue to retain, grow and champion the talent that is all around us, building a brighter Britain that works for all.”
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham concluded: “This investment is a huge vote of confidence in our creative sector, which is worth more than £3 billion to our economy and is fundamental to our story as a city region.
“With this national investment and our bold vision for Greater Manchester’s creative industries working hand-in-hand, we’re ready to lead the way in shaping the future of the UK’s creative economy.”
