Bristol and the wider region’s creative businesses have a narrow window to access substantial government funding for skills development. This is co-funded employer training. Mastered has secured funding that covers up to 90% of training costs – reducing the typical £4,000 per person investment to just £400 – but all funds must be allocated by mid-December 2025, with training completed by end of March 2026. 

This is your last opportunity to secure this year’s funding allocation. 

Secure your AI springboard for Q1 2026

Government funding cycles operate on strict timelines. Businesses need to register interest and confirm participation before the December deadline. With funding allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, early movers will secure their spots whilst others miss out entirely.

The good news? You’ve got just enough time to get your team’s development sorted before the Christmas break, with training delivered through Q1 2026 when you need it most.

Available to creative businesses in the WEMCA region

This opportunity is specifically available to creative studios and businesses in Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire, and North Somerset through the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (WEMCA) funding partnership.

What’s covered

The programmes are designed for all creative companies — technical directors, heads of production, creative leads, client services and finance teams who need to stay ahead of the curve. Training focuses on real business challenges, including:

• Adopting or upgrading pipelines and tools (Blender, Houdini, Unreal Engine 5)
• Strategic AI exploration across the creative pipeline
• Leadership development to improve production efficiency and team management
• Technical skills transfer tailored to your company’s specific needs

What participants receive

• 64 hours of intensive, practitioner-led training
• Industry mentoring from technical directors and production leaders Interactive workshops and real-world projects designed around your studio’s challenges
• One-to-one guidance with measurable progress tracking
• A dedicated programme manager handling logistics so you can focus on development

Flexible delivery for busy teams

Recognising that creative teams can’t always commit to weekly sessions, Mastered offers flexible formats—from intensive 2-day blocks to spread-out sessions that fit around production schedules. Training can be structured around your Q1 2026 workflow.

“We know Bristol’s studios are juggling ambitious projects whilst navigating new technologies,” commented Perri Lewis, CEO of Mastered.

“This funding window is tight, but it means senior leaders and specialists can access world-class training without the usual cost barriers. The December deadline is real—we’re urging studios to act now rather than miss this year’s allocation entirely.”

How to apply – act before mid-December

The deadline for fund allocation is mid-December 2025, with all training to be completed by 31st March 2026. Funding is allocated first-come, first-served.

Don’t leave this as a “next year” problem. Secure your funding allocation now.

For further information, fill in this form or contact Tim Fleming, industry partnerships manager at Mastered. Find a time that works for you here.

About Mastered

Founded in 2014, Mastered delivers government-funded, industry-focused training that helps senior creative talent stay ahead of the game. We’ve supported over 8,000 professionals across 95+ countries and partnered with 30+ studios to develop the skills their teams need most.

We believe the creative industries deserve better training: accessible, flexible, affordable, and always current. By ensuring talent can thrive, we help studios create better work, build stronger teams, and shape the future of culture, technology, and storytelling.

About Mastered

We empower talented, ambitious and diverse creators to succeed in the new world of work.