A group of 50 Wandsworth creative enterprises have been selected this month for the third-year of the successful business support programme – Re:Create Wandsworth – to help boost sustainability and business growth in our creative industries. Funded by Wandsworth Council and devised and delivered by social enterprise, Creative United, this innovative programme has been specifically designed to help the creative industries in the borough develop sustainable business models and skills through expert support and training. This project has received £37,500 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The scheme, which has been running in Wandsworth for the past three years, has already generated an estimated £165,000 in additional income and seen new jobs created amongst last year’s participants.
Wandsworth is preparing to become The Mayor of London’s London Borough of Culture in 2025 and Re:Create Wandsworth is part of this ongoing work to grow the local artistic and creative business sector and foster the next generation of artists and makers.
The 50 Wandsworth-based creatives and creative businesses selected this year represent the incredible creative diversity that the borough has to offer. From photographers, podcasters and musicians to spoken word poets, graphic designers and artists – all have been carefully selected from a pool of applicants to join this year’s cohort.
Each will receive four hours of tailored one-to-one business mentoring from experienced professionals, and the chance to grow their professional networks through in-person and virtual events. In addition, the cohort, and any creative business in the borough, can benefit from free access to a suite of specially designed e-learning modules until September 2025. The on-demand course covers a range of essential skills from marketing and e-commerce to funding and business resilience delivered in the form of training videos and downloadable resources.
To access the training, creatives should fill in a short eligibility form with their Wandsworth postcode to receive a 100% discount code.
Councillor Kemi Akinola, Wandsworth Council’s cabinet member for culture, said: “We recognise that working in the creative sector can be demanding, and we’re committed to assisting small businesses, freelancers, and artists in overcoming these challenges. We aim for participants in our programme to gain the insight and support necessary for growth. Our dedication to fostering the creative sector will be core to Wandsworth’s year as London Borough of Culture 2025.”
“We are thrilled to be supporting the diverse and imaginative creative people and businesses in the borough of Wandsworth, as part of our ongoing partnership with Wandsworth Council. As a social enterprise, Creative United is dedicated to enabling artists, makers and cultural entrepreneurs to build sustainable livelihoods in their communities. Our Re:Create programme has shown how one-to-one business mentoring and access to networking can do just that”. – Sarah Thirtle (Director of Strategic Development, Creative United)
