Yesterday the government announced a major new investment in the UK’s creative industries. Six regions, including West Yorkshire, will each receive £25 million through the new Creative Places Growth Fund. This is part of a national plan to strengthen the creative economy and help more organisations thrive, innovate and create impact in their communities.
For those of us working in culture, charities and the wider social value sector in West Yorkshire, this is an important moment. It signals recognition of the role creativity plays in local growth, wellbeing and place-making. It also means new opportunities for organisations across our region to secure support, build capacity and deliver bigger impact.
Building on what’s already here
This isn’t starting from scratch. West Yorkshire is already home to the Create Growth Programme, delivered by Creative UK and the Combined Authority. That programme has supported dozens of creative businesses with mentoring, business planning and access to investment. In its first phase, participants collectively secured over £1 million in new investment and many reported growth in both turnover and team size.
The new Creative Places Growth Fund sits alongside these initiatives and brings fresh investment into the region over the next three years. While the exact detail of how funds will be allocated locally is still to be published, the headline message is clear: there is significant new backing for creative industries in West Yorkshire.
Why it matters for charities, culture and social impact organisations
For arts organisations, museums, cultural venues and charities with a creative mission, this funding could open the door to new projects, collaborations and long-term resilience. For social enterprises and public sector bodies, it offers the chance to work with creative partners to strengthen engagement, storytelling and community impact.
Our experience shows that when funding becomes available, the organisations that succeed are those who are ready to evidence their impact, communicate clearly and demonstrate strong digital and brand foundations. A well structured website, a compelling impact report, or a brand identity that connects with funders and audiences can make the difference when applying for support or scaling a project.
What to do now
Although the detailed guidance for West Yorkshire has not yet been released, there are some practical steps organisations can take straight away:
- Keep an eye on announcements from West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Creative UK, who will be central to rolling out the programme.
- Review your current digital and brand assets. Do they show the full scope of your impact and ambitions?
- Map out the projects or initiatives that could grow with additional support. Be ready to present them when funding calls open.
- Explore potential partnerships now. Many successful bids in this sector come from collaborations rather than single organisations.
Our role in supporting this growth
Out of Place Studio work with charities, cultural bodies, healthcare organisations and other social value leaders across Bradford, West Yorkshire and nationally. We help organisations evidence their impact, connect with their audiences and strengthen their digital presence. As more funding becomes available in our region, we see our role as helping organisations put their best foot forward so they can make the most of these opportunities.
We’ll be following the rollout of the Creative Places Growth Fund closely and will share updates as more detail emerges. In the meantime, if you would like to talk about how your organisation can prepare, get in touch.
