Creative types called on to help Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority secure £1.275m

Do you work in a creative industry? You could help Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority secure a £1.275million grant – but time is running out.

The authority has launched a survey to hear from business owners to support its partnership bid to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. Those in creative industries have until 5pm on Friday, August 19 to take the quick survey, the feedback of which will be used as supplementary evidence in a bid to be part of the Create Growth Programme, which will support creative industries businesses across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

The Combined Authority and New Anglia LEP have partnered together with the University of East Anglia, Anglia Ruskin University, University of Suffolk, Norwich University of the Arts, Norfolk County Council, and Suffolk County Council to bid to become one of six areas delivering the new DCMS Create Growth Programme.

If successful, the group will be awarded a grant worth approximately £1.275million to deliver business support to the creative industry over three years.

In addition to this, businesses will have the opportunity to benefit from a £7m fund for financial support. The local area is expected to benefit from increased investor capacity within the sector.

Louisa Simpson, strategic funds programme lead at the Combined Authority, said: “I strongly urge business owners who work in creative industries to complete the survey. It takes less than 10 minutes to fill out, with a coffee, and will help us to secure a game-changing package of support for the sector from government.

“We want to know what type of support and investment creatives need to thrive across the region.

“We especially want to hear from those who have looked to expand their businesses and are happy to share their experiences. Tell us how we can best support you, we’re listening.”

Julian Munson, head of innovation and enterprise zones at New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “We need to hear from our creative industries about the support they most need as this could help make the case for our region to deliver the Create Growth Programme.

“Taking part is easy and what you tell us will be immensely helpful in terms of where the financial support needs to be directed should our bid be successful.”

The survey can be completed online at tinyurl.com/2jc36ef6.