A celebration of the creative industries in the North East, West Yorkshire and Hull

Earlier this month, Creative UK North East, Creative UK West Yorkshire and Creative Growth Hull & East Yorkshire came together for the Create Growth Programme Summit, delivered by Creative UK.  

Held at Leeds Playhouse, the event connected founders from across these three regions, bringing them together with investors, policy makers and industry leaders, to celebrate the investment potential of the creative industries. 

The evening before the Summit Creative UK hosted an exclusive Pitch and Dine event, hosted by Charlotte Scott (Roast My Pitch, The New Monday), and featuring creative businesses from the North East and West Yorkshire. A curated room of founders, national and regional investors and stakeholders enjoyed pitches from a range of high potential creative businesses. The founders demonstrated the breadth of the sector, with representation from tech, screen, music and fashion, but all were united by their clarity and commercial ambition.  

On the day of the summit, 30 businesses participated in an exhibition, and attendees were able to visit these interactive and innovative stands throughout the course of the day, and hear from founders about their plans to grow, scale and secure investment.  

A programme of panels, keynotes and showcases were hosted by Danni Hewson (Broadcaster, Commentator and Head of Financial Analysis at AJ Bell), who kick started the event with a warm welcome and spoke about what the creative industries mean to her. 

Danni was followed by Carl Jones (Creative UK Board Member, Games Industry Executive and Creative Leader), who highlighted Creative UK’s work nationally and regionally, and its mission to connect the dots between creative leaders, investors, and policymakers, to unlock the growth potential that’s inherent in the creative sector.   

We then welcomed Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin to the stage, who reaffirmed her commitment to the region’s Creative Sector with plans for a new Growth Hub and Cluster Action Plan which aims to create over £100,000+ jobs and £4bn GVA by 2035. Mayor Brabin also celebrated ongoing pan regional creative collaborations including the Great North Creative. 

A panel chaired by Jordan Dargue (Lifted Ventures), featuring Gordon Bateman (Climb & Investor Ladder), Malcom King (Creative UK Investments) and Create Growth Programme participants Rojin Yar (Polybox), Adam Bennett (Sticks & Glass) and Angus Young (Net Zu), spoke about the importance of targeted support and finance being available to early stage creative businesses at a regional level. We heard firsthand about the clear investment potential of the North from the perspective of both founder and funder, and further opportunities arising from devolution and international investment.  

Later in the day attendees heard from three female founders who have been supported by the Create Growth Programme, Carley Armstrong (True Moon Pictures), Bok Goodall (Ms A London) and Kayleigh Laverick (Mamma Social), who spoke eloquently about their journeys and plans for growth.  

This was followed by a Fireside Conversation with Mark Adamson, (Principal Manager – Sectoral Growth and Delivery, North East Combined Authority) and Carol Bell, (Associate Regional Director (North), Creative UK) highlighting the growth and investment opportunities in the North East creative industries. 

A panel chaired by Dominic Lusardi (Digital Thinkers) Emma Brown (XR Stories), Emma Cooper (Innovate UK), Matt Runham (Tiny Dragon) and Simon Green (Edge Innovation) explored how innovation in the creative and createch sectors translates into real commercial success, regional growth and scalable businesses. 

The day ended with a powerful performance from Create Growth Programme participant Electric Press Productions, who performed a selection of numbers from their five-star, award nominated off-Broadway show The Mad Ones, leaving us with a lasting reminder of the power and vitality of the sector.  

Huge thanks to our partners North East Combined Authority and West Yorkshire Combined Authority for their support.