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Watershed gets funding boost
The Watershed has been awarded £500,000 funding from Arts Council England to develop a Regional Arts Incubation Network (RAIN) in collaboration with the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and leading arts and cultural organisations, including UWE, Spike Island, Knowle West Media Centre, The Guild Bath and the Pervasive Media Studio.
The project is intended to increase the contribution that the arts and culture sector make to our creative economy by developing entrepreneurial skills among artists and creative practitioners. It recognises Bristol and surrounds as a hub of creative talent and the artistic economy as an increasingly important contributor, hoping that increased support will encourage talent to stay in the region. Plans include a programme of residencies, research consultancy and workshops.
Reach Robotics and Colourstory are singled out as local success stories that have emerged as a result of nurturing commercial support and advice.
Watershed managing director Dick Penny said: “I am delighted that Arts Council England is investing in the economic potential of the cultural sector. Growth in the cultural and creative industries relies on a constant supply of talented people with great ideas, often working freelance.
“RAIN will build on the work of the consortium partners to create an innovative networked incubation approach, developing and growing creative micro enterprises which are often the invisible engine of the creative economy.”
Arts Council England South West director, Phil Gibby, added: “This is a project that puts culture at the heart of creative economy growth in the West of England, creating the conditions for businesses to thrive long-term not just survive.
“Our investment of £500,000 will lever match funding from the ESIF (European Structural and Investment Fund), which will double the benefits and help create more jobs and more businesses, with the research project likely to provide a lasting legacy as evidence of how investment in the creative and cultural sectors brings strong returns to local economies.
“The Creative Local Growth Fund places arts and culture at the heart of economic growth plans by securing long-term partnership between LEPs, the Arts Council and other local partners to support the cultural sector.”
Image credit – Sensible Object for the Fabulous Beasts
Read about the Watershed’s bid to become the UK’s number 1 creative hub.
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