Solent LEP plans free events to drive region’s creative industry
The Solent Local Enterprise Partnership is planning a range of free events and programmes to support the prosperity and growth of the region’s creative businesses.
The LEP will host a series of events, with each focusing on a different portion of the creative sector, from digital technology, film and photography to crafts and fine arts. The events will feature talks from sector experts on combatting challenges in area such as IP, sales and finances.
The Solent Creative Growth programme launches with a series of network and skills sessions taking place in venues across the region at:
- Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery - 25 October
- River Recording Studios, Southampton - 22 November
- Isle of Wight - January 2023
- New Forest - March 2023
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Anne-Marie Mountifield, Chief Executive at the Solent LEP, said: “The Solent is home to a wide range of creative and cultural industries, from gaming through to radio broadcasting and performing arts. The sector is growing fast, with an additional 10,000 jobs created over the last five years alone.
“The creative industries are at the heart of the Solent’s economic recovery and our ambitions to create an environment where the visitor and cultural economy can thrive.
“Our event earlier this year, in support of the Southampton City of Culture 2025 bid, brought together people working across the creative sector and proved incredibly insightful. We heard from creative businesses from all areas about the type of support they need now, and in the future, for their sector to thrive.
“This has led to the LEP developing a range of support for the creative sector starting with the launch of the Solent Creative Growth programme - a combination of free themed networking events and one-to-one mentoring sessions to help support these businesses to grow, access valuable guidance and overcome challenges preventing them from moving forward.
"Following on from this, we will be launching a Digital Skills Partnership and Tech Mentoring Programme later in the Autumn.”
The programme of four one-hour sessions is aimed at businesses already generating income, those looking to grow, or for start-ups who have made significant investment, including freelances and self-employed creatives.
On top of the sessions, joining the programme will give creative businesses access to free one-to-one support from industry mentors.
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