Delivered by Creative North

This thriving sector is vital to the wider economy of County Durham.

Through the Durham Business Growth programme, our specialist provider, Create North, brings their collective experience, insights and enthusiasm to support creative and cultural sector companies through the effective improvement of everyday tasks and activities.

Create North provides entrepreneurial support for cultural and heritage practitioners and organisations. Launched nearly 20 years ago, Create North is now one of the North East's longest-established companies dedicated to empowering creative individuals and helping them start and grow businesses.

The company has successfully delivered many business support and growth projects across the region, supporting approximately 2,000 creative practitioners and organisations in the process. Our work primarily involves organising animation events, workshops, talks, exhibitions, mentoring, networking events, and performances.

All members of our core team have extensive experience in the creative and cultural sector, having worked as freelancers, business owners, and employees. This shared experience allows us to connect with our beneficiaries effectively.

Create North has also built a network of skilled, experienced, and empathetic consultants and practitioners capable of delivering a wide range of enterprise development programmes to diverse audiences. Our programmes draw on the collective insights and enthusiasm of our team, focusing on enterprise skills development, innovation, idea generation, strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, relationship development, and growth.

The company's deep understanding of the challenges faced by cultural, creative, and heritage practitioners and organisations in the region is derived from research and direct engagement.