UK government opens bids for £27m creative industries cluster funding
- The Liverpool City Region was highlighted as a model after receiving nearly £7m in 2024
- The funding aims to boost economic growth, jobs and skills across film, TV, video games, fashion and music
- The initiative sits within a broader £500m R&D investment commitment for creative industries
The UK government has opened bids for new creative industries funding, inviting regions across the country to apply for investment to develop regional clusters of innovation.
Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray outlined the plans during a visit to Liverpool City Region, which has emerged as the UK’s leading music innovation and technology cluster. The region was awarded nearly £7 million ($9.4m) in 2024 to support its creative ecosystem, home to more than 1,400 music businesses and a long-standing cultural legacy.
As part of the next phase of the Industrial Strategy’s Creative Industries Sector Plan, the government is now inviting regions across the UK to bid for a further £27m ($36.2m) to develop their own creative clusters. The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) will award grants up to a maximum individual value of £6,750,000.
The funding aims to boost economic growth, strengthen partnerships between creative businesses and universities, as well as support training, jobs and innovation across sectors, including film, TV, video games, fashion and music.
UKRI is accepting applications now.
Continuous growth
The initiative forms part of a wider commitment of at least £500m ($671m) in research and development investment for the creative industries.
This includes £369m ($495m) allocated through UK Research and Innovation, £25m ($33.5m) for the DCMS Createch Futures programme and £155 million for creative economy infrastructure through the DiSCCO programme.
Additional support includes revised HMRC guidance on R&D tax relief for creative businesses and investment in the Creative Content Exchange, a future digital marketplace for cultural assets.
“We’ve seen the transformative impact that government investment has had on Liverpool City Region’s music industry, helping innovative projects like MusicFutures flourish," said UK creative industries minister Ian Murray.
“In our Industrial Strategy, we committed to driving growth and building on the regional clusters of creativity that exist across the UK. I am pleased to launch the search for the next hotbeds of creative excellence to support.
“As part of a record settlement of research and development funding over the next three years and beyond, we are going to help artists, entrepreneurs and businesses up and down the country innovate with new technologies, attract investment and nurture talent."
Applications are accepted until 4pm (UK Time) on March 3rd, 2026.