OUR VISION
While the creative industries contribute £160bn to the UK economy with 3.2 million jobs, these numbers are much lower in North Devon and Torridge – representing just 1.8% of total employment.
We recognise the untapped economic potential of the Creative Industries sector in North Devon and Torridge. We are working with partners to create appropriate career pathways into the industry, with flexible learning options to build skills as needed.
OUR AIMS
SECURE FUNDING
Securing funding to provide advice and support to creative businesses, while advocating for creative spaces in our town through improving infrastructure and embedding culture into regeneration programmes.
CREATE COLLABORATION
Collaborating with key delivery partners and local businesses to deliver quarterly Creatives Meets, share opportunities and learning, explore innovation grants and feed into local regeneration planning.
SUPPORT REGENERATION
Supporting key delivery partners in embedding culture into regeneration and economic programmes to increase cultural development, preserve heritage, and boost a healthier evening economy.
ADVOCATION & INVESTMENT
We’re working hard to support our key delivery partners in improving infrastructure, making creative industries more visible, and developing a bespoke centre for Media and TV to attract investment from this sector.
HOW WE'RE DOING IT
BUSINESS GROWTH SUPPORT
We help business owners directly with our business support services, supporting with workshops, mentorship and applying for funding and grants for innovation.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT & DELIVERY
We offer project management for larger creative projects, from the first stages of planning to final delivery, including for grant management.
PARTNERSHIP
FACILITATION
We encourage growth through knowledge sharing, collaboration, networking opportunities and even facilitating places for creative businesses to work and innovate.
SKILLS & TALENT
Boosting the creative industries in North Devon and Torridge would have a significant impact on the economy, both locally and on a national level.
To do this, we must uplift existing businesses and creators, encourage upskilling, improve infrastructure and access, and secure investment to make these industries more visible.
HOW WE’RE SUPPORTING THE LOCAL SKILLS AGENDA
CREATING CAREER PATHS
We're working with academic bodies and businesses to develop boot camps, apprenticeships and T Levels to create clearer pathways into the creative industries, while also making these routes more visible.
SKILL HUBS & ACTION PLANS
We're supporting the creation of bespoke hubs for skill building, and setting up town teams for culture and delivering bespoke action plans in line with the North Devon and Torridge Flourishing Culture Strategy.
HOLISTIC
VISION
Local authorities are removing divides between the cultural and creatives sector with other strands of our local economy, community, place and wellbeing offers to increase productivity and efficiency.
NORTHERN DEVON MAKES
We support Northern Devon Makes - a centralised hub to easily find relevant businesses in the area, make creative industries more visible, and attract new talent. Check out the Makers Map!
OUR DELIVERY PARTNERS
Our delivery partners for this cluster include the below, as well as other local pharmaceutical and life sciences businesses, as well as care home providers throughout the region.
WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS
DO WE DELIVER?
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
Supporting creative industries and retaining key skills.
EXAMPLE PROJECT:
Boutport Street Studios – providing new spaces for creative industries to collaborate and network, due to be opened by June 2026.
CULTURE
Preserving heritage and making our communities great places to live and work!
EXAMPLE PROJECT:
The Heritage Construction Skills programme. Bootcamps are already running with more coming over the next couple of years.
