Are you a creative enterprise looking for business support or funding?
ARTSADMIN
Supports UK-based artists working in contemporary performance, at all career stages. They offer free advice and information, development and training opportunities, awards to support research and experimentation, and a programme for graduate artists.
ARTQUEST
Provides professional information, advice and projects for visual artists and professional working artists, at any stage in their careers, working in any medium.
www.artquest.org.uk
ARTS & CULTURE FINANCE
Operates the Cultural Impact Development Fund, which offers small-scale repayable finance to socially-driven arts and cultural organisations for improving the quality of impact practice and evaluation.
BRITISH COUNCIL CREATIVE ECONOMY
Works with UK and international partners to develop projects which support innovation and enterprise in culture. They share information about programmes, latest opportunities and research findings, as well as toolkits, research and online resources for creative entrepreneurs.
BUSINESS IS GREAT BRITAIN
A useful resource for information on support, advice and inspiration for growing your business.
BUSINESS & IP CENTRE NORFOLK
Business and IP Centres are equipped to enable you to conduct your own research, and offer assistance with a range of activities including targeting customers in specific business sectors, researching your competitors, sourcing products, and researching grants. The IP team can also help you work with patents, registered designs, copyright and trade marks and signpost your next move.
COMMUNITY ACTION NORFOLK
The leading organisation for engagement with the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector in Norfolk, providing help with things like finding funding, running an organisation, engaging communities, and strategic planning.
COMMUNITY ACTION SUFFOLK
Supports organisations in Suffolk’s Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector, to enable them to operate more effectively.
CRAFTS COUNCIL
Offers talent development support for makers across the UK, running a variety of programmes including one-to-one advice sessions, a biennial conference, and free online resources. They also run Hothouse, a part-time, six month programme that gives makers the tools they need to build a successful and sustainable craft business.
CREATIVE ENGLAND
Offers bespoke investments, loans and growth mentoring for creative businesses, and connects national investor networks to regional creative businesses.
CREATIVE UNITED
Supports the arts, cultural and creative industries through innovative business growth programmes and membership schemes.
www.creativeunited.org.uk
CULTURAL GOVERNANCE ALLIANCE
Champions, shares and promotes best practice in the governance of culture, offering workshops, seminars, training and professional development. Their website features a knowledge library of legal guidance, reports, and toolkits.
DIGITAL CATAPULT
Digital Catapult helps UK businesses overcome barriers in undertaking R&D and innovation in advanced digital technologies across the creative industries – not only around content production and technology development, but also the creative processes, problem solving and development that precedes them.
DBACE
Supports visionary creative entrepreneurs between the ages of 18-30 who are driven by a mission to create and sustain social value through their enterprise. Award includes up to £20,000 investment to start or grow your enterprise and 12 months business support with MeWe360 and Deutsche Bank’s high calibre industry & business mentors.
ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
Offers grant and learning support for charities and social enterprises looking to become more enterprising. Suitable for organisations that are thinking of exploring new models of trading to help them become more financially resilient and require financial or business support to make the transition.
ENTERPRISE EUROPE NETWORK
EEN is the world’s largest support network for SMEs with international ambitions and helps businesses to innovate and grow on an international scale.
FUNDING CENTRAL
Provides access to information on grant funding opportunities from local, national and international funding sources as well as social investment from a range of providers.
GOOD FINANCE
A collaborative project to help improve access to information on social investment for charities and social enterprises.
GRANTS 4 NORFOLK
A free search facility that serves both businesses and communities looking for funding.
IMMERSE UK
A membership organisation supporting UK businesses in the immersive tech sector. Brings together industry, research and academic organisations, public sector and innovators to help fast track innovation, R&D, scalability and company growth.
INDEPENDENT THEATRE COUNCIL
Represents, supports and develops the professional performing arts in the UK.
www.itc-arts.org
INNOVATE UK
InnovateUK supports businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas, including those from the UK’s world-class research base. They fund and connect businesses to develop new products, processes and services.
INSPIRE 2 ENTERPRISE
Supports individuals and established businesses to create and develop social enterprises across the UK, offering a variety of remote and 1-2-1 support options that can be tailored to your needs.
INVESTEAST
A free investment readiness programme for Norfolk and Suffolk businesses, offering investor led workshops and masterclasses, specialist advisor and mentor support, and networking opportunities with experienced entrepreneurs and investors.
www.investeast.co.uk
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER NETWORK
Helps businesses get the best out of creativity, ideas and the latest discoveries. The Digital & Creative Team accelerates innovation in UK creative, digital and design businesses by creating a place for innovators to meet, share ideas and work together.
LOW CARBON INNOVATION FUND
Provides equity finance for small and medium sized enterprises in the East of England that are contributing to the low carbon economy.
www.lowcarbonfund.co.uk
MENTA
Provides impartial one-to-one business advice, specialist business skills training, bespoke business courses, networking opportunities and events designed to help all business people in Norfolk and Suffolk start or grow their business.
www.menta.org.uk
MEWE360
Provides bespoke networking, mentoring, consultancy, and investment support to UK entrepreneurs in the arts and creative industries.
NESTA CREATIVE ENTERPRISE PROGRAMME
A practical capacity-building programme to support creative entrepreneurs around the world and encourage sustainable and resilient livelihoods. The programme’s core offer is a three-day capacity-building workshop to support creative entrepreneurs in establishing and growing their businesses. Their downloadable Creative Enterprise Toolkit is a practical resource to help you plan, build, test, communicate and launch your new creative business.
NEW ANGLIA GROWTH HUB
Helps businesses in East Anglia access a range of business support services from hundreds of sources. Service is free and impartial and can help you access grants, finance, start-up support, international trade support and other specialist advice.
POWER TO CHANGE
Supports people to start and grow community businesses to revive local assets, protect the services people rely on, and address local needs.
SCHOOL FOR SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS
Runs courses that equip people to start, scale and strengthen organisations that make a positive difference. SSE East currently delivers two learning programmes for social entrepreneurs across East Anglia.
SECCADS
Offers either workshops and mentoring, intern support, grants, business growth or digital + data experts for creative businesses based in Essex, East Sussex, and Kent.
SHOUT ABOUT SUFFOLK
Nurtures the next generation of business start-ups via innovation and entrepreneurial thinking. Provides support facilities, expert mentoring, and networking opportunities within a three year incubation period.
www.shoutaboutsuffolk.co.uk
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE EAST OF ENGLAND
Membership organisation for social enterprises in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. They support social enterprises across the East to grow, communicate and demonstrate their impact and social value.
STAGE ONE
Supports new UK theatre producers and productions by offering a series of development programmes, ranging from practical workshops to financial awards.
START UP LOANS
Government-backed personal loans available to individuals looking to start or grow a business in the UK. In addition to finance, successful applicants receive 12-months of free mentoring and exclusive business offers to help them succeed.
STEADFAST VOCATIONAL TRAINING
Delivering the ‘Skills Support for the Workforce’ programme in New Anglia. Along with 7 other providers, the project supports businesses and employees through the delivery of skills training which is fully funded. A wide range of training is available including courses in IT, Social Media, Customer Service, Management, Tourist Economy, and Team Leading.
THE AUDIENCE AGENCY
Helps cultural organisations to understand audiences, build audience strategy, evaluate activities, and strengthen skills through training. Offers off-the-shelf products and services with bespoke research and consultancy for organisations at any stage of development. Website features useful resources including research reports, case studies, and how-to guides.
TRANSFORM FOUNDATION
Offers grants of up to £18,000 for registered charities, CICs and not-for-profit organisations to build new websites.
UK YOUNG ARTISTS
Develops artists’ practice through cross art form opportunities and celebrates creativity at national & international biennials.
www.ukyoungartists.co.uk
UNLTD
Finds, funds and supports social entrepreneurs. Support is tailored to the needs of the enterprise and can include funding, investment, one to one support, workshops on business and specialist skills, tools to measure impact, and mentoring.
www.unltd.org.uk