North Somerset Creative Industries Support Plan

The council has developed a Creative Industries Support Plan, which identifies priorities and the actions the council will take. To help your business we are:

• promoting business opportunities for enterprises and freelancers
• representing the sector at a strategic level within the council
• promoting work and career opportunities in creative industries
• setting up a forum of creative practitioners to inform support and raise the profile of the sector in North Somerset

We have created some sector guidance documents:

• NSC Creative and Cultural Grant Directory
• Temporary Public Art Guidelines
• Environmental Sustainability for our Creative Industries

Image: Trigger’s The Hatchling Photo by Carl Robertshaw

Providers of business support

The Hive runs comprehensive business start-up courses, workshops and 1 to 1 specialist advice session.  To find out more: hivebusinesssupport.org

West of England Combined Authority Growth provides fully funded business growth programme for creative enterprises and freelancers; to find out more: Create Growth Programme – Growth Hub

Culture Weston delivers programmes of cultural activities and events in Weston-super-Mare and across North Somerset and provides a creative and professional development programme for freelancers and monthly Creative Meet-ups.  To find out more:  https://cultureweston.org.uk/

Image:  Spray Jam Photo Mark Gray

Creative and Cultural Membership Organisations

Weston Artspace provides space for members to create, rehearse, work and meet, delivers funded arts projects and runs exhibitions and open days.  To find out more: https://www.westonartspace.com/

North Somerset Arts promotes artistic and cultural activities by professional and amateur artists, signposts to financial support, engages with businesses on how arts can support businesses, organises events for members.  To find out more:  https://www.northsomersetarts.org/

Visual Arts South West promotes exhibitions and events, publicises opportunities and shares documents, insights and tools.  To find out more:  https://www.vasw.org.uk/

Image: Arcadia Spectacular’s Spider  Photo Ben Daure

Workspace

The Stable:

• provides creative workspace in Weston-super-Mare aimed at start-up businesses
• provides room hire for events and meetings
• runs a board games pub
• houses a café serving breakfast, brunch and lunch

Image: West of England Combined Authority

Careers and Education in Creative Industries

Weston College/University Centre Weston:

• delivers a range of creative courses for school leavers in Art and Design, Performance, Games, Music and Film and Photography, including at degree level through its University Centre Weston courses
• provides adult Education courses in Art and Design, Performing and Production Arts and Photography

Employers are involved in the design of courses through the Creative Careers Excellence Hub, ensuring college students gain the skills required to secure careers in industry. Contact employers@weston.ac.uk to discuss ways in which your business can access future talent.

Image: Culture Weston

Resources

Creative Skills

• https://www.ccskills.org.uk/our-services/creative-careers-programme

Industry Placements

Weston College has hundreds of talented students that can support you with projects through their Industry Placement Programme, applying their skills alongside their course.  For further information click here or email employers@weston.ac.uk

Research and Reports

• Policy and Evidence Centre https://www.pec.ac.uk/
• Creative Industries Federation https://www.creativeindustriesfederation.com/publications
• LGA: Creative Places https://www.local.gov.uk/publications/creative-places-supporting-your-local-creative-economy

Image:  Finelinelighting

Local Projects

Stunning murals have been created by local, regional and national street artists for the new initiative Weston Wallz, part of Bristol’s urban paint festival Upfest.  The artwork will form a permanent art trail which will transform the town’s streets and encourage visitors.  The artists include Irony, Hazard One, Dan Kitchener, Farrah Contemporary, Jody, Tozer, John Curtis, Damian Nicholson, Andy Council and Shruti Ashish.

The initiative was set up after Upfest teamed up with Culture Weston and Weston Town Council.  The town council granted £20,000 for the project and Upfest also received support from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.  A further £15,000 was secured from Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants, to enable a programme of engagement activity with local schools and community groups.

Mural: Dan Kitchener

Tweets by DanKitchener

The Create Growth Programme

The West of England Combined Authority and Watershed are thrilled announce that applications are now open for Cohort 2 of the Create Growth Programme.

This is an exclusive opportunity for high-growth potential creative businesses in the West of England to take their journey to the next level.

About the Create Growth Programme

The Create Growth Programme, delivered in partnership with Watershed, is tailored to meet the unique needs of creative businesses like yours. The comprehensive program includes:

• Monthly Training Sessions: 8 sessions delivered by creative industry specialists, designed to equip you with cutting-edge knowledge and skills.
• Peer-to-Peer Networking: 7 facilitated peer group sessions led by Watershed, offering a platform to connect, share, and collaborate with like-minded peers.
• £2,500 Grant: A grant to invest in professional sector-specific expertise, such as mentoring, coaching, or consultancy.