Projects in Croydon, Hounslow and Lambeth will support access to the creative sector, particularly for Black, Asian and minority ethnic Londoners and women
The Mayor’s Creative Enterprise Zones are a key manifesto commitment to supporting jobs and innovation in the creative sector, and drive the economic recovery
Funding includes £650,000 from the European Social Fund – the last round of funding that London was eligible for before Brexit
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has launched a new £1.3m fund to help increase employment and training opportunities in the creative industries for Londoners.
As part of the Mayor’s Creative Enterprise Zones, the fund will support jobs and small businesses by providing skills and training to under-represented groups in the industry in Croydon, Hounslow and Lambeth.
It will particularly help create opportunities for young Black, Asian and minority ethnic Londoners and women, through work placements, training and mentoring delivered in partnerships in the boroughs. These Londoners are already under-represented in the industry and are likely to have been further disadvantaged by the impact of covid-19.
The fund is designed to help more than 225 Londoners into education, training or employment between April 2021 and June 2023, and a further 120 creative sector employees to improve their career prospects.
The Mayor created his Creative Enterprise Zones programme in 2018 to support artists and creative businesses, and develop skills and jobs for Londoners in distinctive zones across the capital. The zones are providing funding and creating affordable workspace to help innovation and create jobs that will help accelerate the economic recovery.
This new dedicated skills funding will be delivered through the zones in Croydon, which is developing as a music city, Hounslow, which is focusing on television and broadcasting, and Lambeth, which supports creative and digital businesses.
It comprises £650,000 from the European Social Fund, £450,000 from the Mayor’s Creative Enterprise Zones programme and £200,000 from Hounslow and Lambeth.
It’s the latest in a series of work from the Mayor to help the creative industries deal with the impact of covid-19. This includes supporting venues and artists through the £2.3m Culture at Risk Business Support Fund, the London Growth Hub and Pay It Forward London, and lobbying Government for a long-term support package for the culture sector.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Culture and the creative industries are at the heart of our city, and they will play a huge role in our economic and social recovery. That’s why we must do all we can to support jobs and small businesses at this challenging time, and that includes ensuring there are opportunities available to all. Our Creative Enterprise Zones are designed to inspire innovation and nurture talent across the capital, and this funding will help to provide further education, training and employment to develop the next generation of creative leaders.”
Caroline Norbury MBE, CEO at Creative Industries Federation said: “With the impact of Covid on the creative sector, it is more important than ever that we invest in the next generation of creative talent and continue to nurture and support young people to access opportunities, regardless of their background. These funds are a lifeline for local creative clusters, and a great example of the important work being done through the Mayor’s Creative Enterprise Zones. It will support jobs and training in the sector, help drive economic recovery and ensure that our world-leading creative industries continue to thrive.”
Cllr Steve Curran, Leader of Hounslow Council and Cabinet Member for Strategy, Planning and Regeneration said: “I’m delighted Hounslow will be receiving this funding from the Greater London Authority through the Creative Enterprise Zone programme. Continued investment in our local creative businesses forms an integral part of our economic recovery planning. It will support a key objective for our CEZ in helping our residents, many from BAME communities who may not previously have considered a career in the creative industries, into work. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Hounslow is forecast to be one of the hardest hit boroughs in London, this financial support will provide a timely boost.”
Cllr Matthew Bennett, Cabinet Member for Planning, Investment and New Homes, London Borough of Lambeth said: “The Brixton Creative Enterprise Zone is using innovative approaches to safeguard and support the existing creative community whilst providing the space and conditions for growth. Brixton has long been responsible for world class creative production, entertainment and social impact driven practice but the sector has been significantly impacted by the pandemic. This support will be vital in supporting our existing businesses and their employees to gain new skills and that local young people are able to benefit from new opportunities in the creative industries”
Cllr Oliver Lewis, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Sport, London Borough of Croydon said: “Croydon’s creative enterprise zone has been incredibly important in helping our local industries to flourish and more recently, it has enabled us to provide local cultural organisations, artists and entrepreneurs with a much-needed boost during the pandemic. We very much welcome the Mayor’s continued commitment to the creative skills project in these challenging times, which will support the borough’s recovery by providing skills and training opportunities for local people, access to affordable workspace and business support.”