The Create Growth Programme – designed to grow creative businesses and the local economy – returns to the North East after supporting 101 North East-based businesses over 18 months

Today, 12 May 2025, it has been announced that the Create Growth Programme is returning to the North East. 

• A programme of support including mentorship and tailored workshops will support 40 creative businesses in the North East until March 2026. 
• The Create Growth Programme is funded by DCMS and delivered by Creative UK in partnership with the North East Combined Authority to support high-growth creative businesses to scale and become investment ready  
• In its first iteration, the programme supported 101 creative businesses from across the region.   

Funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and delivered by Creative UK in partnership with the North East Combined Authority, the Create Growth Programme has been designed to support creative businesses to explore and secure commercial investment opportunities. Selected businesses will gain access to a programme of activity including tailored workshops, one-to-one mentoring, and opportunities to connect with investors.  

The first iteration of the programme, which ran from over 18 months, saw 101 creative businesses benefit from one-to-one mentor support, access to tailored workshops, and critical introductions to investors through pitch and dine events and larger-scale summits.   

Since the programme, 45% of participating businesses have successfully raised investment, totalling £3million. 

In January 2025, Creative UK featured at the DCMS Creative Industries Growth Summit in Gateshead celebrating the Creative Industries and shining a light on the opportunities in the sector. 18 creative businesses from the North East Create Growth Programme exhibited at the event, which was attended by industry leaders from across the country as well as local figureheads.  

The programme culminated in The Big Creative UK Summit: Investment for Growth, a landmark national summit which took place in London in March 2025. Six creative businesses from the North East were invited to exhibit, whilst three were also invited to pitch to an audience of over 100 investors.  

Commenting on the launch, Caroline Norbury OBE, CEO of Creative UK, said:    

“The North East Create Growth Programme has proven the benefit that it brings to creative businesses in the region who are ambitious for growth and seeking opportunities to achieve their goals. In its first iteration, delivered by Creative UK and the North East Combined Authority, we were able to tap into an incredibly broad range of businesses across creative disciplines, who have gone on to achieve over £3 million in investment since their time on the programme. We’re pleased to be able to continue our work in the region, and to continue to support the amazing creative businesses who are powering the local economy.”

Learn more on our webpage.