Accelerating growth of East Midlands creative businesses

EMC² is an East Midlands creative consortium funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport.

After securing £1.2m of funding in 2022 and through the delivery of the Create Growth programme hundreds of regional creative companies have accessed our support.

The programme has now been extended with funding secured until March 2026. Support is available to regional creative companies.

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See if you qualify

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The Create Growth programme.

The Create Growth Programme was set up in 2022 by the Department for Culture, Media, and Sports (DCMS), with £17.5 million investment in the six original regions, of which £7m was provided to Innovate UK to invest via a series of awarded competitions.

During that time EMC² has managed intensive and fully-funded support helping 100 regional businesses develop their growth ambitions through tailored workshops and 1:1 mentoring.

And our industry specific webinars have also supported hundreds of regional businesses and advised on issues such as IP, managing finance and exploring R&D credits.

Investment readiness workshops have helped prepare East Midlands companies to access finance and initiatives aimed at helping creative companies grow.

Earlier this year, DCMS confirmed an extension to the scheme with funding now in place until March 2026.

”“It’s like business therapy. I’m taking the time to apply everything I’ve learned and I’m seeing results.”
Andy JuppPaper Starlights

Create Growth at a glance

The Create Growth programme offers:

Support
Free tailored business support for high-growth creative companies

Learning
A curated blend of workshops and expert masterclasses

Community
Valuable peer-learning and shared growth sessions

Mentoring
Focused 1-1 mentoring to build investment readiness

Get started today

How Create Growth can help you

Our aim is to develop business skills, as well as helping creative companies learn more about different finance routes to support business growth.

Our programme sees businesses offered industry specific workshops focussing on key areas including finance, HR and sales strategy.

These are delivered by our trusted partners and either online or in-person.

The programme usually lasts between 6 and 8 weeks with weekly support sessions lasting between 2 and 3 hours.

Our 2025 programmes will be announced soon!

Who is eligible for Create Growth?

The investment is aimed at creative businesses in the East Midlands with high-growth potential which have yet to reach the scaling stage.

Eligible businesses should be registered in:

Leicester and Leicestershire
Derby and Derbyshire
Lincoln, Lincolnshire, and Rutland

And can be:

Companies of any size
Trading for at least 2 years
Have potential to scale up

Please contact us if you think you may be eligible: CreateGrowth@bizgateway.org.uk

”“It has been an incredibly valuable experience for me to step back from the day-to-day
running of the business and invest time in working on the business itself.”
Andy GundelachCreated by TEN

Industries we support

EMC² wants to hear from growing creative businesses operating in creative sectors including:

Advertising & Marketing

Craft bold campaigns that captivate, connect and convert. This is your space to experiment, elevate your brand and own your audience.

Architecture

Design beyond the blueprint. Shape skylines, reimagine spaces and bring structure to vision with purpose and creativity.

Crafts, Design & Fashion

Make with meaning. From handcrafted pieces to runway-ready designs, showcase your style, story and skill.

Film, TV, Video & Radio

Lights. Camera. Innovation. Whether behind the lens or on the mic, it’s your time to tell stories that move people.

Photography

Capture the moment, frame the future. Push your practice, refine your craft and turn snapshots into standout visuals.

IT, Gaming & Software

Code your own path. From game dev to digital tools, build brilliant tech that entertains, empowers and evolves.

Publishing

Words matter. From print to pixels, shape narratives, amplify voices and get your stories into the world.

Museums, Galleries & Libraries

Preserve the past, inspire the present. Create spaces where ideas live, history breathes and curiosity leads.

Music, Performing & Visual Art

Make noise, make magic. Whether it’s on stage or on canvas, express your vision and connect with your crowd.

Join the programme

Who are EMC2?

East Midlands Creative Coalition (EMC²) is a community of organisations from the East
Midlands. Members include local authorities, universities, local enterprise partnerships, and many other organisations in the private, public and voluntary sector.