Further training boost for creative industries in Eastern Region

Press release issued: 8 August 2007



Image of two people in discussion
Anglia Ruskin University, Screen East and Theatre Resource are delighted to announce the continuation of the innovative and highly-successful Creative Industries Business Improvement Partnership (CIBIP), providing specialist support to individuals, micro-businesses and small to medium-sized enterprises working in the creative industries in the eastern region to help their businesses develop. New funds from the European Social Fund, co-financed through the East of England Development Agency, enable the project to extend to February 2008.

In the extended project, experienced consultants will again work one-to-one with businesses in the sector to analyse their activities and produce training plans pinpointing areas for development and identifying opportunities for training or continuing professional development. Small bursaries will be available to help with the cost of any courses or seminars applied for. There will be new opportunities for individuals to be trained as mentors, and CIBIP will also be organising a number of networking meetings and group training events.
Dr Edward J Esche, Project Director at Anglia Ruskin University, said:

"We have seen considerable success in our initial two-year project, and the demand for business support for the creative industries, one of the fastest-growing industry sectors in the country and a priority government area, is very clear. Over 80 individual businesses have already received one-to-one support through training needs analysis or mentoring sessions; we have also trained 22 mentors and engaged with a further 135 businesses through our programme of events and seminars. We are looking forward immensely to building on this solid foundation and helping the creative economy to grow."

The Project Manager, Beryl Perez, pointed to the inclusive nature of the partnership, as Screen East is well-connected to the commercial media sector in the East of England and Theatre Resource has very close links with the not-for-profit sector and with community groups in the region. This ensures successful market penetration, especially in providing individual support to individuals and micro-organisations in the creative industries who may not otherwise receive this service.

'Space for Creativity', the East of England's Creative and Cultural Industries Development Strategy, highlights how the creative industries play a key role in the economic health and vibrancy of the East of England. There are more than 17,800 creative businesses in the region, one in 20 people in the region is employed in creative occupations, and the sector grew by nearly 20% between 1998 and 2001.

Nationally, the UK creative industries outperform every other European state.
Former Secretary of State at the DCMS, Tessa Jowell, states:

"It is vital to the whole economy that Government works with industry to create a framework in which these sectors can flourish."

('Staying ahead: the economic performance of the UK's creative industries', DCMS, 2007).
Application to the CIBIP programme is by a simple form available from Screen East or Theatre Resource and on the website www.cibip.com where further information about the project is available. Applications from disabled people, people from ethnic minorities and those 50+ will be particularly welcomed.

For further information, please contact:

Anne Williamson, Screen East, a.williamson@screeneast.co.uk, tel: 01603-776920
Edwina Simpson, Theatre Resource, edwina@theatre-resource.org.uk, tel: 01277-365626
Beryl Perez, CIBIP Project Manager, berylperez@talk21.com, tel: 01223-811491
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