To help stimulate the growth of the creative industries, the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) has backed a project to support the provision of creative workspace and business advice across the region.
The project is led by the South East Creative Economy Network and has secured Arts Council and county council support.
The project will cover the whole of East Sussex, Essex, Kent and Medway, Southend and Thurrock, and be delivered by Team East Sussex, one of the local federated boards of SELEP.
The £70,000 Creative Workspace Plan and Prospectus research project will map out the needs of the creative community in terms of the business support, workspace and skills needed to help it grow.
With access to workspace already identified as a challenge for the creative industries sector, the project is tasked with developing the infrastructure needed to underpin growth of creative workspace including planning policy guidance.
It is anticipated that this guidance will be adopted by local authorities to help support the inclusion of creative workspace in new developments and the re-purposing of under-used buildings.
SELEP, through its Sector Support Fund is providing £49,000, with the remaining £21,000 being made available by Arts Council England and the county councils of East Sussex, Essex and Kent.
This latest funding follows the Government’s announcement in January that it was to provide £4.3m to support the Thames Estuary Production Corridor from the DCMS Cultural Development Fund.
For further information on the Creative Workspace Plan and Prospectus Scope project click here