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Open Call: Cultural Industries Cluster Development in the UK

Deadline: 28-Nov-22

The Cultural Industries Cluster Development Open Call invites proposals for projects to be delivered by individuals, businesses, organisations or consortia which will contribute to the sustainable growth of the cultural industries sector in Tees Valley.

Investment in this programme is part of Tees Valley Combined Authority’s Growth Programme for the Creative and Visitor Economies.

Funding Information

There are three investment pathways in this Open Call –

  • Test & Explore – over £1K up to 10K.
  • Mobilise – over £10K up to £150K.
  • Scale Up – over £150K up to £350K.
Projects
  • Examples of the types of projects they will support:

    • Development and delivery of a business plan to expand a cultural organisation.
    • Development of a new product or service to tour/sell outside of Tees Valley which generates a new sustainable revenue stream. (Please note that they will not support the creation of new artistic product/services which will have a limited shelf life and which does not create a new revenue stream for a business. E.g., a theatre company which creates shows for touring as a main strand of its activity would not be eligible to apply for funding for a new show as this would be part of an existing revenue stream rather than a new one.)
    • Skills development programme targeted at a particular sub-sector of the cultural industries.
    • Knowledge Transfer Partnership with an organisation from another sector to develop a new innovative product or way of working.
    • Introduction of new platforms to improve sector connectivity or organisational operations (with supporting skills development programme).
  • All projects supported via this Open Call must:

    • Create changes for the longer term rather than be a ‘quick fix’.
    • Leverage external funding (TVCA will not be the sole funder. Cash match funding is a requirement).
    • Be delivered in the Tees Valley for the benefit of Tees Valley’s Cultural Industries.
    • Be ‘Varifocal’ by design: align with TVCA’s strategic objectives for the region (see Sustainable Sector Growth framework) with a delivery plan which is suitable for the place(s) in which the project is going to be delivered.
    • Be delivered in an environmentally responsible way.
Eligible Expenditure

Investment made through this programme can be used to support the following costs:

  • Staff costs – new or expansion (e.g., increased hours, from part time to full time) of existing roles – where sustainability beyond the programme can be shown
  • Consultancy costs.
  • Small capital investment.
  • Access costs.
  • Direct project costs.
  • Marketing and communication costs, including documentation of project activities such as photography or film-making.
  • Research and evaluation.
  • Planning, CRM upgrades or other relationship management systems.
Outcomes
  • The Open Call Test & Explore, Mobilise and Scale Up pathways will invest in projects which respond to an identified sector need and set out a clear methodology for an approach which could achieve the following outcomes.
  • Strengthen business models – enable businesses to make a strategic step change in business activity with a view to diversifying income streams, building resilience and safeguarding and creating jobs.
  • Foster innovation, collaboration and connectivity – build new partnerships and networks (including with the wider creative industries & other sectors) leading to established/formalised practices of knowledge transfer/exchange and skills sharing which have been developed and embedded.
  • Increase regional cultural and creative export – create new products/services that are distinctively from Tees Valley, can be exported and result in new income streams.
  • Develop, attract and retain skills and talent – create identifiable, highquality pathways for continuous professional development and skills development which are evident and being taken up.
  • Grow diversity and representation in the workforce and resulting programmes.
  • Improve environmental impacts and demonstrate sustainable leadership.
  • Unlocks inward investment (money coming in from outside of Tees Valley).
Eligibility Criteria
  • Creative and cultural freelancers, organisations, businesses and consortia working in the cultural industries sector.

    • Individual(s) – Freelancers, Partnership of sole practitioners.
    • A business (registered with Companies House).
    • Local Authorities and FE or HE institutions (must have independent sector partners).
    • A charitable organisation or social enterprise (Registered Charity, CIC, CIO, constituted group).
  • A consortium of any of the above organisations/businesses (with a lead applicant) working in/for the benefit of the cultural industries in Tees Valley. For this programme TVCA define the Cultural Industries as Museums, Galleries, Libraries, Music, Theatre, Dance, Visual Arts and Creative Writing.
  • Applicants Must:

    • Have a business bank account which is not a personal bank account.
    • Be working within the cultural sector or partnering with a cultural sector organisation and have a demonstrable trading record of at least 12 months within the culture sector;
    • Be able to demonstrate that the primary activity of the business is concerned with the sustainable development of the cultural industries of Tees Valley.

For more information, visit Tees Valley Business.

For more information, visit https://www.teesvalleybusiness.com/cultural-industries-cluster-development-open-call/