DCMS Create Growth Programme Competition 4: Large Projects

Overview

The aim of the Create Growth Programme is to provide a package of targeted support to high growth creative businesses, to scale, build investor networks and reach their potential. This funding is designed to help creative businesses explore new innovation projects as a stimulus for growth.

The funding is for twelve regions across England appointed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) Create Growth Programme.

Scope

Your proposal must:

• be from the creative industries
• be a micro, small or medium enterprise registered or operational in a DCMS Create Growth Programme region
• focus on a clear growth opportunity and the proposed innovation to address it
• demonstrate the impact funding and support can have on the growth plan of your business
• demonstrate how your business has either engaged with, or intends to engage with the ongoing regional support provided by the programme

Your project must:

• offer an innovative and ambitious idea which demonstrates a clear growth opportunity
• be new to your business
• have a demonstrable impact to your growth plan, for example, start the process of creating a new revenue stream, such as new products, services or intellectual property (IP)
• demonstrate a route to commercialisation within 12 months of receiving support with a clear plan for attracting additional private finance
• benefit the wider creative cluster or region in England you are based in
• be able to start rapidly
• demonstrate value for money
• start on or after 1 October 2025
• end by 31 March 2026

Key themes and topics

The creative industries are defined by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Your project must focus on one or more of the following sub-sectors:

• advertising and marketing
• architecture
• crafts
• design and designer fashion
• film
• television
• video
• radio
• photography
• IT, gaming, software and computer services
• publishing
• museums, galleries and libraries
• music, performing and visual art

Creative industry businesses refer to those with a high intensity of creative occupations. You can refer to the DCMS Economic Estimates for a list of the sub-sectors and their associated SIC codes, that DCMS classifies under the creative industries

Project duration

• Must last between 3 and 6 months
• Start on or after 1 October 2025
• End by 31 March 2026

Award value

Must have total project costs between £50,000 and £200,000

Funding rates

For industrial research you can get grant funding for your eligible project costs of:

• up to 70% if you are a micro or small organisation
• up to 60% if you are a medium sized organisation

Eligibility criteria

Project lead must be a UK registered SME and registered or operational in one of the twelve Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) Create Growth Programme appointed regions
Businesses who have accountants registered in one of the twelve regions but are not operational in one of the appointed regions will not be eligible to apply.
The twelve DCMS Create Growth Programme appointed regions are:

• Greater Manchester
• Norfolk, Suffolk & Cambridgeshire
• North East of England
• West of England and Cornwall
• South East Coast
• Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Greater Lincolnshire
• Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
• Hull & East Yorkshire
• West Midlands
• West Yorkshire
• Devon
• Hertfordshire

Subcontractors must be UK-based with fully justified and appropriate costs up to a maximum of 75% of your total project costs.