Fineline joins West of England Creative Scale Up scheme
16-12-2020
Fineline Lighting is one of 57 businesses to join the West of England Combined Authority’s Creative Scale Up scheme, which provides online peer support and mentoring to help them tackle the challenges of the Covid-19 shutdown.
Creative Scale Up is a two-year pilot programme funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport. It aims to help creative businesses in the West of England access finance through an intensive sustainable growth support programme.
Creative businesses that demonstrate a genuine ambition to grow, innovate and strengthen the local economy are eligible to apply.
Creative Scale Up mobilises regional and national investors and educates and encourages them to invest in our hot-bed of creative businesses. The programme runs until March 2021, and each business on the programme will be part of a cohort receiving a minimum of six months intensive business support. The scheme was in existence before the pandemic but has been re-focused to ensure the support remains relevant and effective.
Businesses receive an individually tailored package of support, including:
- A £6,000 grant to spend on mentoring support
- A dedicated Peer Support Network facilitated by Gill Wildman (Watershed Business Development Advisor) and Mark Leaver (DIT Creative Industries Advisor)
- Business development training
- The opportunity to pitch for a grant of up to £2,000 to spend on business development activity
- Continued engagement with investors until the programme ends in 2021
West of England Mayor Tim Bowles commented: “I launched the Creative Scale Up programme to support our wonderful creative businesses to become the household names of the future.
“In response to Covid-19 we’ve made crucial changes to the programme to ensure our creative sector gets the help it needs to survive and emerge stronger, supporting the jobs in the region that depend on it.
“I’m proud that we’ve been able to offer increased support to a total of 57 creative businesses. I know our latest participants will also find new ways of working together to survive and thrive, cementing the West of England as an excellent home for the creative industries.”
Fineline Director Sevim Sangwell added: “We’re very pleased to join other West of England Creative businesses on the Creative Scale Up. At a time where much of our events work has been put on hold, it’s fantastic to use that opportunity to grow the business and take advantage of this fantastic programme.”
