Developing Professional Practice for Small Creative Businesses

Client: Cockpit Arts
Supported by: Deutsche Bank

Project Aims:

The programme supports 20 start up creative businesses over a part time year long programme. This support is totally targeted to creative businesses and includes business, marketing and mentoring input as well as a final showcasing opportunity at the Cockpit Arts open studios event.

Each participant on the programme is equipped with the knowledge and skills to develop a business plan and marketing strategy as well as support with practical issues such as marketing, branding, press & PR and web development. Each participant is matched with a mentor at the end of the programme.

This programme was designed by Sarah Palmer and Paulene Hamilton and is a pioneering programme now seen as a model of best practice in the creative sector. It is an integrated tailored approach that embraces different learning styles. It gets results and is oversubscribed year on year.

Project Outcomes:

• The programme has now been running for seven years and has continued to attract funding and project partners.
• The programme has been accredited into a national programme through Open College Network Learning
• Each participant will now leave with an accredited diploma if they complete the course successfully
• The course continues to offer relevant tailored long-term support to micro creative businesses.
• The London Development Agency funded the Train the Trainers programme so that more trainers could be trained in methods of delivery and approach unique to the programmes interactive design.
• There is a wide network of creative sector professionals who become mentors, speakers and case studies for the programme.
• Individual development is shown in a professional approach, organisational skills and confidence as well as being able to plan and strategise around their business objectives.
• Many graduates from the programme go on to have national and international careers as well as developing creative profiles based on their work. Many also go onto to work in design collectives and form collaborative working relationships with other designers and makers.