A groundbreaking new festival is set to transform Bristol into an international beacon for technology, creativity and culture this October.
Taking place from from 6-11 October 2025 in and around Bristol’s Old City, BTF+ will offer an accessible and impactful experience for founders, technologists, creatives, investors and culture-makers.
The festival, curated by techSPARK in collaboration with Bristol Creative Industries and MyWorld plus headline partner Ghyston, will feature bold keynotes and panels alongside breakthrough tech demonstrations in several venues. They range from the prestigious Bristol Beacon and Bristol Old Vic to more intimate locations.
Attendees will experience cutting-edge tech showcases, immersive performances, live music and future-facing learning opportunities. Businesses involved will be able to speak, raise their profile and connect with potential partners and investors.
Inspired by legendary festivals like South by Southwest in Austin, BTF+, an evolution of the much-loved Bristol Technology Festival, is designed for start-ups, scale-ups, creators, storytellers, founders, technologists and anyone with curiosity about what’s next.
Whether attendees work in film or fintech, programming or performance, strategy or software, the festival provides a platform to grow businesses, launch ideas, discover emerging trends and help shape the future of their industries.
All profits from the festival will be reinvested into supporting local talent, start-ups and communities. It has been created with inclusivity and accessibility at its heart, through low-cost tickets and many free events to ensure broad participation reflecting Bristol’s spirit.
BTF+ is being brought to the South West with the intention of further cementing the region’s reputation as one of the most exciting and innovative not just in the UK, but in Europe. The event will look to drive growth, investment, and job creation across the region, emulating the impact seen from SXSW in Austin, Texas.
The compact city setting allows people and ideas to move freely, encouraging discovery and purposeful connections. Days will feature talks and workshops from regional talent across tech, creativity and culture, alongside national-level speakers sharing inspiration and insights. As evening falls, music and networking events will provide opportunities for attendees to connect, share experiences and celebrate together.
Confirmed speakers so far include:
Ben Shorrock, co-founder of BTF+, said:
“BTF+ represents an exciting evolution for Bristol’s tech and creative communities. This festival embodies everything that makes our city and wider region special – the collision of technology, creativity and culture in a place that excels at all three.
“The event will be a platform where breakthrough innovations meet artistic expression, where established corporations can connect with emerging talent, and where the brightest minds come together to build the future.”
For our involvement in BTF+, we’ll be running an exciting two days of events on 7 and 8 October, with some high profile and inspiring speakers from across the creative industries. Look out for announcements over the coming weeks.
Early bird tickets for the BFT+ Summit which takes place on 6-10 October, and tickets to free events during the festival are available now. Find out more here.
Delivering a project on time can be a rewarding experience but often than not, it can be very stressful if deadlines are missed or delays occur. Fortunately, with the right project planning and management tools available, you can get your projects over the line without the late nights and last-minute panics.
Here are five easy ways to help ensure clarity, structure and support to your projects:
Before you start your project, define exactly the ins (and outs) of your project scope, including any deliverables that need to be included and a timeline indicating when each deliverable or phase will be completed. This helps to ensure and avoid any “additional requests” that could eat into your delivery time.
A clear project scope provides clear focus which leads to on-time project completion.
A larger-scoped project lasting 10-12 weeks for example can feel overwhelming if you only see the finish line. Break down your project plan into smaller milestones and deadlines so your team is aware and knows what’s coming next and that progress throughout the project cycle feels tangible.
Whether it’s an in-person catch-up at the start or end of the week, a shared project tracker, or a quick Teams call; consistent updates throughout your project, especially with multiple stakeholders involved will keep everyone aligned and prevent last-minute surprises. No news is not good news in project management!
There are multiple project management tools that are easily accessible at little to no cost. The likes of Trello, Jira, and Notion are great for tracking your progress with very simple features to keep your tasks, files, timelines and feedback all in one place. A clear view of what’s completed, what’s outstanding and identifying blockers means you can act before things slip behind or delay your project’s delivery time.
Things will change during the project cycle, that is inevitable. Whether that’s receiving feedback later than planned, various teams being away on annual leave or sudden shifts in resource planning. That’s why it’s important to plan ahead and factor in extra buffer time during key stages of your project to allow for such circumstances when they occur.
By doing this, even with the hiccups, your project will cross the finish line on-time and within schedule.Delivering a project on time is more than just ticking boxes, it’s about building trust, providing direction and letting your best work shine.
Need help getting your projects over the line? Let’s have a chat and we can talk through what you need and how we can support you.
We also have Tell ‘em Fridays, our free 30-min project check-ins every Friday to help identify any blockers, prioritise next steps or just get a fresh pair of eyes on any projects you may be working on at the moment. Limited to just four slots so secure your spot.
While many agencies have well-established contracts with clients, it’s surprising how often subcontractor arrangements are left vague or informal. In some cases, contractors are expected to provide their own terms, or agencies proceed without clear documentation.
To ensure smoother operations and mitigate risk, it’s advisable to formalise all subcontractor engagements with a clear, written agreement, particularly around insurance requirements. But what type of insurance should contractors hold? How much coverage is appropriate? And does it need to reflect your client contracts?
The type of insurance stated within a terms of engagement varies and is dictated by the activities an agency undertakes. Common policies relate to:
Any contractor offering services for a fee should have Professional Indemnity cover and if they’re delivering a physical product, they’ll need Public Liability too. It’s also wise for them to have this cover if they attend in-person meetings with your agency, in case they accidentally damage something or hurt someone whilst meeting.
As for Cyber & Data liability, it’s increasingly common for this to be at the forefront of contracts. Any freelancer who delivers a product that’s digitally driven, or involves the use of personal data, should have this in place.
Some agency insurance policies require that all subcontractors meet specific insurance thresholds. If this applies to you, those obligations must be mirrored in your subcontractor agreements, usually by stating a minimum indemnity level.
However, such clauses can be difficult to enforce across all third-party partners, especially when terms change. Agencies may want to consider negotiating these requirements with their own insurer, where appropriate.
A client might insist your agency carries a £5 million Professional Indemnity policy, but that doesn’t mean your subcontractors should carry the same. For tasks involving low-value deliverables such as content editing, or design tweaks, requiring such high limits is often disproportionate and may deter contractors due to high premiums.
A more balanced starting point suggestion would be £1 million in cover for lower-risk contributions, with increased requirements only when justified by the scope or nature of the project.
In some cases, client contracts stipulate that subcontractors must match the insurance limits held by the agency. Failing to comply could result in a contractual breach, so it’s vital to review any such requirements during contract negotiations with clients.
Try to consider how these stipulations will impact your ability to work with preferred subcontractors, particularly if they’re independent or freelance professionals.
Contracts often include unique terms, such as requiring a contractor to maintain insurance for several years after the project ends (commonly up to six years). These details should always be flagged to subcontractors to avoid future complications.
When working with subcontractors, the key is to clearly define their role and tailor your terms accordingly. Ensuring your agreements are fair, well-documented and aligned with your own policies and those of your clients can save time, money and legal headaches down the line.
If you want to check you’ve got the right insurance in place for your agency, or you’re looking to take out a new policy, RiskBox can help. Speak to a member of our team today on 0161 533 0411, or fill in our online contact form.
Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash
Join a community of unique workspaces with original heritage features!
The Courts is not your normal office. It offer unique, high-quality workspaces with retained original heritage features in the centre of Bristol. The building also boasts a publicly accessible immersive heritage offer to share the story of The Courts.
The Courts forms part of Bridewell Island, a complex of repurposed buildings including our youth venue, The Station (the city’s Old Fire Station).
Tenants benefit from:
Reception support
On-site catering
Shared kitchen facilities
Meeting rooms and rehearsal spaces for hire and events
Networking with other creatives and like-minded organisations
Flexible and accessible spaces
Offices in a range of sizes
Interested in becoming a tenant?
Contact catherine.ruffles@creativeyouthnetwork.org.uk
For more information, click links below:
The Courts | Home | Creative Youth Network
https://www.instagram.com/thecourtsbristol
Becoming a member of Bristol Creative Industries brings many benefits. We regularly add new opportunities so here is a guide to the latest benefits you can enjoy by signing up. This post is regularly updated.
Join Bristol Creative Industries from only £4.95 a month.
Showcase your best work and attract new clients with a company profile in the Bristol Creative Industries member directory. The directory receives lots of visits every month from people looking for services from creative businesses.
Got some business advice or news to share? As a Bristol Creative Industries member you can self-publish content on our website and it will automatically appear on your member profile. We upgrade great content to the newsfeed and homepage, while four posts by members are included in our monthly email newsletter.
To get an idea of the content topics that do well, here are the top 30 most popular posts by members in 2024.
Bristol Creative Industries member Jessica Morgan from Carnsight Communications discussed the benefits of posting content in this interview.
The Bristol Creative Industries jobs board attracts thousands of job hunters every month. Business members can post unlimited free job adverts, saving you on average £3,500 per candidate.
Piers Tincknell, co-founder of Atomic Smash, is one of BCI’s longest serving members and he told us in a member profile interview how he regularly uses the jobs board to recruit new employees.
BCI’s monthly members’ lunches are a perfect opportunity for members to catch up with fellow members and the BCI team.
Everyone has a slot of up to three minutes to tell the others a little about who they are and what they do and share any news and/or challenges. You don’t need to fill the full three minutes. We usually find some common themes emerge to discuss over the course of the session. It’s all very informal with no need to stand up and present slides.
The events are free to attend for members, take place at The Square Club in Bristol and include a free buffet lunch.
Check the events section of details of the next lunches.
Our flagship keynote events and workshops feature world class speakers sharing their expertise. It’s a unique opportunity to access valuable insights for growing your business. Bristol Creative Industries members receive a ticket discount.
An example of a keynote event is the brilliant annual presentation on social media trends delivered by Drew Benvie, founder of global social media consultancy Battenhall, and Graham MacVoy telling the inspiring story of the Wake the Tiger immersive world of adventure in Bristol.
Our regular freelancer networking drinks are free with a free drink for members. Remaining events in 2025 take place at 5.30 – 8pm on 9 September and 11 November.
Keen an eye on the events section for the latest events. You can also sign up to the monthly BCI Bulletin to be notified of events.
Big thanks to everyone who joined us at @SquareClifton last night for the Bristol Creative Industries freelancer networking drinks
Sign up to the BCI Bulletin to be notified of new events: https://t.co/5WgBWPoN1C#BristolCreativeIndustries #Bristol #freelancers pic.twitter.com/1BvT60KZFp
— Bristol Creative Industries (@Bristol_CI) June 21, 2023
Wake Up Call is a member exclusive live webinar that takes place every other Friday at 8.30-9am. The content is delivered by members for members.
Attending the free event gives you access to valuable insights from your fellow members and if you host a Wake Up Call, you can share your expertise and attract potential new clients.
See details for upcoming Wake Up Call events in our events section.
If you’re a BCI member and you’d like to deliver a presentation on a topic of your choice during a Wake Up Call, email Dan Martin.
Research shows that diverse teams are more creative problem solvers, bringing fresh perspectives to solutions, against the echo-chamber effect that results when people in a business come from too-similar backgrounds. With a strong focus on diversity and inclusion, employees feel valued and that they belong.
To help Bristol Creative Industries members achieve this, we have partnered with The Hobbs Consultancy to provide on demand equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) e-learning.
The CPD certified online course consists of modules to help you bring about positive change in your business, understand the key challenges in the way for different groups, and explore your own biases and how to overcome them.
The training modules take an in-depth look at different diversity and inclusion topics: race, disability, LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, gender (split into female leadership, masculinity, gender identity), age and social mobility in the workplace.
The price of the training for BCI members is £120+VAT. All profits will be ploughed back into our youth engagement activity.
To access this brilliant training opportunity, log into your Bristol Creative Industries account and click on the ‘members’ training’ section.
The regular BCI Walk & Talk networking sessions are for a group of BCI members who don their walking boots and explore the stunning countryside around Bristol and Bath.
It’s a great opportunity for members to make some new connections whilst getting some much needed fresh air!
The next outdoor networking event is on 15 August and you can register here.
We host regular roundtables for agency leaders to discuss strategic challenges. These events are vital for us to hear from the member community about the key issues you are facing and how we can help. A roundtable on funding led to us creating this popular and regularly updated guide to the latest finance on offer to creative businesses.
If you are interested in getting involved with future roundtables, email Alli Nicholas.
We regularly deliver other special member benefits:
Currently on offer is:
To stay updated on the latest benefits, sign up to the monthly BCI Bulletin.
Reductions on co-working spaces, meeting rooms, hotel accommodation, a recruitment strategy review and a coffee subscription are just some of the many discounts and offers we’ve negotiated for members.
Join Bristol Creative Industries from only £4.95 a month.
If you have any questions about membership, email Alli Nicholas
The creative industries are a vital component of the local economy and here at Bristol Creative Industries, we encourage young people to look to the sector for a rewarding and inspiring career. As modern technologies like gaming, VR and AI continue to develop, we need a new generation to take on the jobs of the future that the local economy needs if it is to thrive.
See below for our updated guide to creative industries-related further and higher education in Bristol, Bath, Weston-super-mare and beyond.
A selection of the creative post-16 courses offered by sixth form departments at Bristol schools and academies:
Among the A-levels at Bath Academy are art and media studies.
A-levels on offer at this Bath sixth form for boys include creative design and music.
Bristol Cathedral Choir School
Founded in 1140 as part of what was then Bristol Abbey, Bristol Cathedral Choir School is one of the city’s most popular sixth forms. Among the A-levels offered by the school are art, drama and music.
The sixth form at Bristol Creative Industries member Bristol Grammar School offers creative IB Diploma and A-level courses including art, dance, drama and theatre studies, design technology, music and music technology.
The IB Diploma is an alternative to A-levels which the school describes as “offering breadth of learning as well as academic rigour”.
Opened in 2016, Bristol Free School offers A-levels alongside selected BTEC Level 3 courses. Creative courses include art, drama and theatre, music and music technology and photography.
Cabot Learning Federation Post 16
The Cabot Learning Federation Post 16 is an independent provision located in two of CLF’s 20 secondary academies; Bristol Brunel and John Cabot. Among the A-levels on offer are art and design, dance, music and photography.
The sixth form at this school offers A-levels in subjects including art and photography, drama and theatre studies and music.
The sixth form at this school offers A-levels including art, design and technology and drama and theatre.
The North Bristol Post 16 Centre is a collaboration between Cotham and Redland Green Schools. Creative A-levels include art, photography, film studies, and media studies.
St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School
Located near Bristol Temple Meads, creative A-levels offered by this school are art, film studies, media studies, music, music technology and theatre studies.
Providing education to 10,000 learners across two campuses, Bath College offers a wide range of courses including post-16, apprenticeships, part-time courses, traineeships and degree-level education.
Subjects include art and design, fashion and textiles, fashion business and retail, photography, graphic design, digital production, and performing arts.
As one of the South West’s largest further and higher education colleges, Bristol Creative Industries member City of Bristol College operates from seven centres across the city. It offers a range of post-16 qualifications including A-levels, Level 2 Diplomas and BTEC Nationals.
For school leavers, several courses relevant to the creative industries are on offer. They include specialist subjects include visual arts and design, photography, fashion, performing arts and creative digital technologies (film and TV production, games design, computer graphics and animation).
The college also offers university-level creative arts and media courses in subjects including games design, animation and VFX, graphic design and photographic practices.
Abbeywood Community Schools is part of Olympus Post 16 with Bradley Stoke Community School and Winterbourne Academy.
Courses include art, design and technology, digital media, drama and theatre studies, film studies, music performance, music technology, photography and textile design.
Digitech delivers a specialised curriculum for progression into the creative digital and high tech sectors. Studio schools are small by design and only take 90 students into each year group. The school opened in 2015 and moved into a new purpose-built building in Warmley in November 2016.
For years 12 and 13, Digitech offers courses in partnership with boomsatsuma (see below), Bristol School of Acting and Robins Foundation. They include digital media, e-sports, film and television, music, and photography.
South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
This college has six campuses.
The college has a very extensive programme of Level 2 and 3 courses including computer games design, film and TV production, music production and musical and technical theatre.
At university level, the college offers a range of courses at foundation degrees, many of which also offer the opportunity to top up to a full Bachelor’s degree by adding a year. Subjects include fine art, game art, media production and computer games design and production.
Since September 2022, the college has offered the new vocational skills focused T-levels. The two-year technical courses are equivalent to three A-Levels and include a 45-day work placement. Courses include digital production, design and development.
St Brendan’s Sixth Form College
This college provides a diverse range of over 60 different A-level and Level 3 Applied General courses to 16 – 18 year olds. Courses include media studies, music, music performance, music technology, textile design and graphic communication.
Bristol Creative Industries member Weston College has several creative industries-related diploma and extended diploma courses for 16-19 year-olds as part of Creative Arts Weston.
The departments are art, design, graphics and fashion; film and tv, media production, photography, game and animation; performing and production arts, and music.
Creative courses at Cirencester College include craft and design (T-level), 3D design (A-level), digital foundation, digital media certificate, graphic communication (A-level), and photogrraphy (A-level).
Boasting ex-students including Ed Sheeran, Jess Glynne, Rita Ora and JP Cooper, Bristol Creative Industries member Access Creative College is a national college for young people looking for a career in the creative industries. It offers courses at various levels in subjects including games, animation and video effects, graphic and digital design, film, software development, video and photography and music technology.
In summer 2021, Access Creative College opened a new £5m games and media campus in Bristol city centre. It’s on the site of the former Bristol Bierkeller, host to Nirvana’s first ever UK gig, Slipknot, The Stone Roses and Arctic Monkeys. Facilities include a games lab, green screen studio, music tech suites, digital recording studio and band rehearsal studio.
Access runs degree courses in Bristol covering audio and music technology and music performance at dBS Institute, which it acquired in 2021.
Bristol Creative Industries member boomsatsuma is a specialist creative industries training provider. Courses take place in relevant professional environments in the city such as Leadworks, Ashton Gate Stadium, Bottle Yard Studios and Tobacco Factory.
boomsatsuma provides Level 3 Extended Diplomas, that are equivalent to 3 A-levels, as well as BA (Hons) and BSC (Hons) degrees. Courses include creative and digital media, film and television, games, VR and VFX and photography.
As a registered charity, Creative Youth Network supports young people to reach their potential and enjoy fulfilling lives. It offers free courses in youth clubs and other venues in Bristol. Subjects include music, photography and song writing.
Creative Youth Network has opened The Courts in central Bristol. It is an enterprise hub, located in Bristol’s Old Magistrates’ Courts, where young people can explore their creative potential, receive support, access mentoring, and find meaningful work.
dBs Institute of Sound & Digital Technologies
Based in the centre of Bristol, dBs is a specialist educational institute that offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in music production, sound engineering, live sound, and game development.
It is a registered Avid Learning Partner (ALP) and Ableton Certified Training Centre that works with a wide range of creative industry organisations.
Students at dBs Institute can gain real-world experience alongside their studies thanks to dBs Pro, an in-house creative audio company. Students provide sound and music for film, television, video games, art installations and more.
University of the West of England (UWE Bristol)
The School of Arts at Bristol Creative Industries member UWE Bristol offers courses in subjects including drama, filmmaking, animation, photography, media production, journalism, creative and professional writing, film studies and media communications. There are also several fashion and design courses.
Facilities include film, photography and animation studios as well as drama, acting and music facilities.
Many graduates also enter the creatives industries after studying marketing courses at the UWE Business School. It includes the MSc in digital marketing, and MSc/postgraduate diploma/postgraduate certificate in marketing communications.
UoB offers undergraduate degrees in film and television, music and theatre. Facilities include Wickham Theatre, a 24-hour rehearsal space, sound and design studios, carpentry and costume workshops, 214-seat cinema, 39-seat screening room, digital filmmaking equipment, production studios, animation and edit suites and sound rooms.
The University of Bath does not have specific creative industries courses as it focuses on engineering, humanities, management, science, and social science. However, its degree courses include management with marketing featuring a work placement.
Bath Spa offers courses in subjects including film, design, media communications, art and drama. Facilities include a theatre and TV studios.
The university also has the Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries (CCCI) which “aims to magnify research, engagement and discourse surrounding the theoretical, practical and commercial frameworks that embody the arts, media, or creative industries”.
UCW offers higher apprenticeships, full-time degrees and higher technical qualifications (HTQs) in partnership with UWE Bristol and Bath Spa University.
Courses cover subjects including art, film, game, graphic design, digital technologies, performance, production arts and music.
Bristol Creative Industries jobs board
Members of Bristol Creative Industries sometimes post apprenticeship opportunities on the BCI jobs board. See the latest vacancies here.
National College Creative Industries
The National College Creative Industries (NCCI) offers specialist technical production and business support apprenticeships via Access Creative College. You can find the latest details on the NCCI website.
Channel 4, which has a Bristol office, offers apprenticeships. Find out more.
The BBC offers various TV production apprenticeship schemes, some of which are based in Bristol. See the latest opportunities here.
ITV Academy provides traineeships and entry-level pathways into one of the world’s largest commercial production companies. See the latest opportunities here.
Babbasa offers many training and employment opportunities for young people. See the latest opportunities here.
Government apprenticeships website
Creative and design and digital apprenticeships are regularly listed on the government’s apprenticeships website. Search here.
Circencester College offers apprenticeships in creative areas covering digital and IT, media broadcast and production, sales and marketing, and creative and digital.
The college provides intermediate, advanced, higher and degree apprenticeships.
Bristol Creative Industries member Professional Apprenticeships is a government-funded apprenticeship training provider specialising in marketing, IT, business and management. The latest apprenticeships are here.
UCAS has a guide to creative and design apprenticeships here including a directory of relevant employers.
Discover Creative Careers has a guide to apprenticeship routes into the creative industries here.
This list is not exhaustive. Email Dan with suggestions of other educational institutions and companies we can add.
A key focus at Bristol Creative Industries is boosting workforce diversity in creative businesses and helping to grow the talent pipeline for our members. Find out more about our intiatives here.
Safe to say, the past year or so has been an era of change.
Our new-look board has bedded in. We’ve won some exciting new clients.
And, most recently, we’ve given ourselves a subtle-but-thorough branding refresh.
From a refocused strategy to a tweaked tone of voice, an updated identity to a brand spanking new website. It’s been an exercise in consolidation, clarity and the kind of brutal single-mindedness that we find ourselves forever reminding our clients to follow – but can prove so tricky to do when the tables are turned.
But all that effort and energy, blood, sweat and spreadsheets has got us to a point where every inch of our brand now has our essence imbued within it.
Naturally, we started with our strategy. Putting people first has been a mantra that we’ve lived by for years – and that wasn’t about to change. But it did need defining. We’re certainly not the only agency that claims to put people at the heart of their creative, but the reality is, we do so much more than that. We dig deep. We delve into their lives to discover what they truly love. What they truly hate. Their ambitions, their anxieties, their desires, their doubts, their dreams.
And that’s how we make brands matter… We craft creative that connects.
We build brands that build bonds.
As Alex Murrell, our Strategy Director puts it,
“In an industry so often characterised by ego and bravado, ‘putting people first’ has been our subtle but strong rally cry. It’s not about us. It’s about the brands we build and the people they serve. With our new positioning, we’ve taken this one step further. We’ve articulated the ultimate benefit, for our clients, of this approach.”
Once we’d ironed that out, our strategy was set.
To better reflect our new emphasis on connection, we wanted every element of our brand identity to communicate closeness, warmth and real, raw, human emotion – the highs, the lows, and everything in between. From our TOV to our photography, our palettes to our assets, wherever people encounter us, we want them to genuinely feel something. More than recognition, we want resonance.
In the words of Creative Director Vix Hansard,
“We get people. We truly connect with them. We take the time to listen, to observe, to understand not just what they do, but why they do it. And it’s only by understanding this behaviour, that we can build creative work that truly resonates. And it’s this idea that lives in the soul of our new brand identity.”
Our website has always been simple.
A contact page if you want to want to work with us, and one for if you want to work for us. With the support of fellow local agency Fiasco, we created a new site that stays true to that simplicity but with a little more to delve into. Now featuring a handful of recent projects that have proven to have connected with consumers and the key info about our Epoch Academy (our commitment to bringing the next generation of talent into the industry) – it’s single-minded, focussed and free of any unnecessary fluff.
We practice what we preach.
Anyone that’s ever worked in branding will tell you that the hardest job is branding yourself. Upholding objectivity. Sticking to self-imposed deadlines. Allowing yourself to let go. And as we found – all of that is true. But as we also know, when you build your brand from a strategic starting point – a core purpose – it makes all that follows ‘make sense’.
From the amazing team that we’ve built up over the past 33 years to all the incredible work that we deliver. Creating meaningful connections is at the core of everything.
In summer 2021 we ran an event discussing funding for creative businesses with the south west team at Innovate UK EDGE and a group of Bristol Creative Industries members.
During the discussion, attendees said it would be useful if we could provide regular updates on the finance schemes that are available for creative companies in the south west and beyond. This guide is our response.
The guide is one of Bristol Creative Industries’ most popular ever blog posts. We keep it updated with the latest funding schemes for creative businesses so check it regularly. We also include the post in our monthy email newsletter, BCI Bulletin. To sign up, go here.
Funding news:
The government has announced that the West of England is one of its priority areas for the creative industries and the West of England Combined Mayoral Authority will receive a share of £150m in funding to “design interventions that work for the creative businesses and freelancers in their region”.
The British Business Bank, the government-owned business development bank, has launched the £200m South West Investment Fund (SWIF) “to help address market failures by increasing the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for UK smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment”.
Aimed at businesses in Bristol, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire, the fund provides:
SWIF is managed by four fund managers:
The region is split as follows:
North of the region:
South of the region:
The funding is split as follows:
Businesses can apply for funding directly to the relevant fund managers here.
Micro, small and medium sized businesses can apply for loans of between £100,000 and £2m for innovative projects with strong commercial potential to significantly improve the UK economy.
Applications close at 11am on 22 August.
Grants of £2,500 to £10,000 are available to help small businesses, sole traders, charities, community interest companies (CICs), community organisations and creative and cultural groups open new premises.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on Friday 14 November 2025. If all available funding is allocated before the deadline, the scheme may close early.
Successful applicants must start trading from the funded property by Friday 30 January 2026.
A funding and support programme for UK-based artists, designed to help them develop their art by using immersive technologies. The partners of the scheme include Bristol organisations UWE Bristol, Watershed and University of Bristol.
A total of £3.6m in funding is available through three rounds until 2027. Immersive Arts expects to fund over 200 artists.
There are three strands which are designed to support artists at different stages in their creative development. Eligible artists can apply to ‘Explore’ for £5,000, ‘Experiment’ for £20,000 and ‘Expand’ for £50,000.
Applications close on 29 September 2025.
This £35m Creative UK and Triodos Bank investment fund provides loans of £100,000 to £1m.
Finance is directed to post-revenue creative businesses presenting promising growth potential and who:
This scheme from West of England Combined Authority is designed to help small and medium businesses and organisations purchase and install new products and equipment that reduce carbon emissions, cut utility costs and improve energy efficiency.
Grants of up to £15,000 are available on a first come, first served basis. A total of £2m is available. It is likely the scheme will close for applications in Autumn 2025, but could close early if all funds are awarded.
Grants for established UK-based companies with a game development project at an early stage in the pipeline.
The funding allocation has now been fully committed, but you can express interest in case any further funds are provided for projects from 1 April 2025.
With support from South Gloucestershire Council and funding from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, small and medium sized digital technology businesses can apply for a share of £70,000 in grants.
The fund is an open access programme for arts, libraries and museums projects.
Funding of between £1,000 and £100,000 is available.
This fund from Arts Council England supports individual cultural and creative practitioners in England thinking of taking their practice to the next stage through things such as: research, time to create new work, travel, training, developing ideas, networking or mentoring.
Grants of between £2,000 and £12,000 are available.
Applications are currently closed but future rounds will be announced later this year.
The £5m Supporting Grassroots Music fund supports rehearsal and recording studios, promoters, festivals, and venues for live and electronic music performance.
Travelwest provides match-funded grants for initiatives that improve sustainable travel provision in a business.
The aim is to provide financial support and incentives to employers to enable them to encourage sustainable modes of commuting or in-work travel (including site visits and meetings) amongst their staff.
The grants can be used for the implementation of physical measures, promotional events or any other measure that will encourage mode change amongst staff.
Grants are currently availables for businesses in Bristol and North Somerset.
Innovate UK’s £100m BridgeAI programme aims “to help businesses in high growth potential sectors such as creative industries, agriculture, construction, and transport to harness the power of AI and unlock their full potential”.
The programme offers funding and support to help innovators assess and implement trusted AI solutions, connect with AI experts, and elevate their AI leadership skills.
This fund supports organisations who work at the intersection of art and social change. It offers grants between £90,000 and £300,000 over three years.
Applications are currently closed but details of the next round will be announced soon.
This new £23m social impact investment fund is for socially driven arts, culture and heritage organisations registered and operating in the UK. It offers loans between £150,000 and £1m repayable until May 2030.
The Elephant Trust says its mission is to “make it possible for artists and those presenting their work to undertake and complete projects when frustrated by lack of funds. It is committed to helping artists and art institutions/galleries that depart from the routine and signal new, distinct and imaginative sets of possibilities.”
Grants of up to £5,000 are available. Applications are currently closed but a new round of funding will be announced soon.
Grants of up to £100,000 are available for arts, libraries and museums projects.
The grants support a broad range of creative and cultural projects that benefit people living in England. Projects can range from directly creating and delivering creative and cultural activity to projects which have a longer term positive impact, such as organisational development, research and development, and sector support and development.
This fund aims to grow exports and global demand for UK independent film by supporting the UK film industry to achieve measurable results which would not have been achievable without the support.
Applications close on at 11.59pm on 31 March 2026.
This scheme supports the festival launch of UK films in order to enhance their promotion, reach and value internationally.
Applications close on at 11.59pm on 31 March 2026.
This scheme supports UK sales agents to increase their international promotion and sales of UK feature film projects.
Applications close on at 11.59pm on 31 March 2026.
A Start Up Loan is a government-backed unsecured personal loan for individuals looking to start or grow a business in the UK. Successful applicants also receive 12 months of free mentoring and exclusive business offers.
All owners or partners in a business can individually apply for up to £25,000 each, with a maximum of £100,000 per business.
The loans have a fixed interest rate of 6% p.a. and a one to five year repayment term. Entrepreneurs starting a business or running one that has been trading for up to three years can apply. Businesses trading for between three and five years can apply for a second loan.
If you’re running a creative social enterprise you may be able to access funding from UnLtd.
Finance of up to £5,000 is available for starting a social enterprise and up to £15,000 for growing a social enterprise.
Successful applicants also get up to 12 tailored business support plus access to access to expert mentors and workshops.
Businesses can apply for up to £3,500 to cover the costs of installing gigabit broadband.
Check if the scheme is available in your area here.
Grants to provide support towards the costs of the purchase, installation and infrastructure of electric vehicle chargepoints at eligible places of work.
The scheme covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (including VAT), capped at a maximum of £350 per socket and 40 sockets across all sites per applicant.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on 31 March 2026.
If you know of another scheme that we haven’t listed and you’d like to share it with other creative businesses, email Dan to let us know.
It is easy to see why the lines between public relations, marketing and advertising are often blurred. All three are concerned, in one way or another, with how the world sees and interacts with a brand. But the differences between them are not just academic.
They shape how organisations communicate, build trust and, ultimately, succeed.
Public relations is managing reputation. It is the long game: building trust, credibility and mutual understanding between an organisation and its audiences. It relies on third-party endorsements, earned media and relationships with journalists, stakeholders and the public.
The aim is to create a positive image that endures with the right audiences, increasing positive brand associations, trust, and helping purchases of services and products.
This aspect is about identifying and satisfying customer needs, profitably. Marketing brings together product strategy, pricing, promotion and distribution.
It is very obvious to audiences that they are being driven to purchase and trust a brand through strategic activities that are recognisable: online ads, emails, influencer campaigns, events, affiliate marketing, direct mail, product launches and much more. The goal is to drive sales, acquire new customers, and retain them while building relationships.
Marketing messages are crafted to stimulate demand and encourage action, but the focus is always on the customer and their needs.
But the distinctions and differentiations start at the briefing phase.
Strategist, Trainer and YouTube Content Creator, Julian Cole, sums up this challenge particularly well in this video, on the differences between marketing and creative briefs. Marketing briefs serve the purpose of the organisation, whereas a creative brief must then translate the marketing brief into the customer’s point of view.
Billboards, TV spots, video ads, radio readouts, product placement, giveaways, vehicle wraps; they’re all designed to grab attention and take action.
Where PR is subtle and marketing is direct, but ROI driven, advertising strategies are often centred around statements of pure intent. It often grabs attention, without a clear call to action.
Which means that, while advertising can be a quick shot in the arm, its impact can be fleeting. Unless supported by broader marketing and PR efforts
| Aspect | Public Relations | Marketing | Advertising |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Goal | Build positive reputation, trust | Drive demand, increase sales | Immediate awareness |
| Approach | Mixed tactics. Often earned media and owned content | Research, strategy, promotion | Paid media, direct messaging |
| Control | Low/high, depending on tactics | Generally high | High |
| Credibility | High (third-party endorsement) | Varies (depends on channel) | Lower (brand-driven) |
| Timeframe | Long-term | Short- and long-term | Varies per campaign |
| Cost | Varies but compounds over time | Varies | Varies |
| Measurement | Reputation, sentiment, reach, share of voice | Impressions, clicks, conversions | Varies, depending on tactics |
When PR, marketing, and advertising work together, they create a unified brand message that is consistent across all channels. PR shapes the narrative and builds trust, marketing amplifies the message and drives demand, and advertising ensures the message reaches the right audience at the right time.
This synergy reinforces brand identity and values, making the brand more recognisable and trustworthy
PR can generate media coverage and thought leadership that supports marketing campaigns, while marketing provides the promotional content and resources PR needs to craft compelling stories. Advertising, meanwhile, can boost the visibility of both PR and marketing efforts, ensuring key messages reach a wider audience quickly.
For example, a successful PR campaign can be supported by targeted ads, while marketing analytics can inform PR about which messages resonate most with customers.
PR’s earned media coverage lends credibility to marketing and advertising messages, making them more persuasive. At the same time, marketing and advertising can drive immediate results such as sales or sign-ups that PR alone may not achieve.
By integrating these disciplines into a successful marketing strategy, organisations can build long-term trust while also achieving short-term business goals.
An integrated approach allows for more efficient use of resources, avoiding duplicated efforts and ensuring all teams are aligned with the organisation’s objectives. In times of crisis, a unified PR and marketing team can respond quickly and effectively, minimising reputational damage and maintaining customer trust.
PR and marketing collaboration can also improve digital visibility. PR-driven content, such as thought leadership articles and press releases, can boost digital marketing efforts and be optimised for search engines, driving organic traffic and enhancing online authority.
Advertising can further amplify this content, ensuring it reaches the intended audience and supports broader marketing objectives.
While PR, marketing, and advertising each have distinct roles, their true power lies in their ability to work together.
By understanding their differences and leveraging their complementary strengths, organisations can build stronger brands, foster deeper trust, and achieve both immediate and long-term success.
On a Wednesday evening in June – we hosted our first ‘Gather Round Presents’ event at the Trinity Church Gather Round. It was one for the books…
Whether it was the promise of an honest, open conversation about the challenges of working in the creative industries, or a need for the answer to the mutually felt question “Am I the only one feeling the pressure?” – tickets flew out in record time.
At 6.30pm we opened the doors to The Vestry and a new community of creatives flooded in, the vibe was electric. Backlit by a perfect summer’s evening and armed with their own stories to share, we saw people making instant connections, sharing contact details and engaging in deep conversations before we’d even sat down. This is something we all needed to talk about.
After a glass of free prosecco and some delicious free pizza from our partners Bosco, we moved through to The Great Hall bringing an air of focus with us, as our all-Gather Round-member panel took their seats to share their wisdom.
Bend, stretch, but don’t fold… become elastic. Your business depends on it.
A recurring theme from each of our speakers and touched upon in more depth by Jamie Ellul of Supple Studio, was Covid, a trying time to say the least. Jamie discussed how those turbulent years almost sent Supple down – something that, back then, was easy to take personally. This feeling was only made slightly more manageable due to the fact that his friends, colleagues & clients were all feeling it too. Jamie openly discussed how this felt like a great exercise in cutting the umbilical cord, once he realised how much of his self worth was wrapped up in the business. Something that he has since tackled through therapy and looking inward. This raw honesty was something that fuelled the rest of the evening, with equally inspirational testimony from the rest of our panel.
Tim Miness, Creative Director of Osborne Pike, shared a few mantras with the audience that have helped him stay flexible, creative and resilient. A statement that resonated was not being afraid to admit when something isn’t working. Bend the rules. What decision do I need to make in order to change my situation? How can I tap into that magic creativity and find the answer to this problem? Not only that, but how can I ask the right questions? Tim’s advice – hire people that are better than you. Expand that collective creativity, and together, you’ll find the right question.
Honesty is the best policy, and we definitely heard that from our panel. There were murmurs from the audience mentioning how refreshing it is to hear people being open about their downfalls, where they could improve and how they got through hard times. A refreshing perspective on managing a business, compared to older, more traditional ways of thinking.
Tim shared his dislike for the phrase “Fake it til you make it”. Something we’ve all encountered and tried to embody in some way, as we try to make sense of our place in the world. Sharing his love for the sentiment of trying new things, but ultimately landing on, why do we feel like we have to pretend to know what we’re doing? Perhaps one of his mantra’s “Learn it til you earn it” feels like a more sensitive way to approach things, although (in his own words) “…it doesn’t quite have the same punch.”
We heard Robin Worrall, Creative Director of Rednine open up about his heart-first approach to his work. Something he’s cultivated after pulling his business apart and asking the question, what am I really trying to achieve here? After getting the nudge he needed from a post he saw on LinkedIn, with the sticky phrase “old keys don’t open new doors”, he knew he needed to reposition and rebuild his entire creative offer. Looking at what he needed to keep, what he was prepared to lose and what would be great to add. Robin compounded this with the sentiment that being creative is emotional, and that’s something he pushes through his work, to find the heart of brands and tell their story with authenticity. It’s safe to say, a few tears were shed.
Ask for help, reach out, learn from others, share failures and compare challenges. It all starts with… “Can I chat to you about something?”.
Robin left us with a perfect segue into Kate Southerby’s interactive section of the evening. Coaching with the brain in mind, Kate is a facilitator of insights. She guided the audience through her 7 step plan, asking everyone to score themselves out of 10 for each section: Sleep, Movement, Focus, Introspection, Daydreaming, Play, Connection. There was an overwhelming consensus that we aren’t looking after our brains as well as we could be, so this was a welcome exercise that left the audience with plenty of food for thought.
The importance of nourishing your mental and physical health was a thread followed by all of our panellists, as each person has faced certain difficulties of their own. As Steven Hore discussed, managing stress has elevated how he works. He and his family made the decision to leave London after more than 20 years in the city. Initially causing more stress than intended due to commutes, but, after Covid eliminated presenteeism, time usually reserved for long car or train journeys was swapped out for more time in nature, exercising and moving through beautiful spaces that nourish his soul.
Something more attainable than moving city that he shared with the audience though, and perhaps the most simple and obvious tip: get a good night’s sleep! Steven shared how implementing this one action has transformed his ability to handle combined stressors such as job insecurity, shifting budgets and demands of 16+ hour shoot days with ease.
It’s not all about work though, as we revisit a comment from Jamie Ellul on not letting your self-worth get too wrapped up in your business, the panel delved into the importance of finding things outside of work to nourish your creative side. Find a hobby you love and indulge in it as much as you can. Hustle culture is dying, now is the time for slow, intentional living.
Of course – it wouldn’t be a conversation about the state of the world right now without touching on artificial intelligence. A topic that roused the crowd, unsure on how to feel about this powerful new tool we’ve all been given. But the biggest question on everyone’s lips… What does this mean for creative jobs? Tim, Kate, Steven, Robin and Jamie all steadfast in their belief that creative jobs aren’t going anywhere. A sigh of relief. Steven shared some positive thoughts on how AI is a great democratiser. The barriers to entry now are lower than before, meaning more eyes, more screens and work happening in more places than ever before.
This being said, clients will always want emotional, relatable, human stories. From Jamie’s perspective, AI can only produce more of the same and will never be a match for the way humans think and create. We left that topic firmly closed with his mic drop moment – “AI won’t give you a drumming gorilla for a Cadbury ad”.
After a short break, we resumed the discourse in the form of an intimate Q&A. With questions from a concerned audience, on how positive the panel feel about the creative industries going forward – will we see an upturn? Leaving us with some final gems of knowledge, the panel discussed how being brave will ultimately lead to success. However you view success though, is up to you. Times have been difficult, really difficult, but they ARE changing. There are spaces, like Gather Round, where community is flourishing and people are coming together with ideas and strength beyond what they thought they were capable of, just a few years ago.
In the words of Anthony Burrill, “Work hard and be nice to people” – but most importantly, be brave, nourish your network, ask questions, take care of yourself and the rest will follow. Stay resilient out there!
If you want to get involved in our next event – make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter so you don’t miss out on tickets. They don’t hang around for long.
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