Two of Medway’s creative businesses are among the first to win places on a high-profile investment-readiness programme, thanks to government funding.
The Create Growth Programme is a Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) initiative to support high-growth potential creative businesses outside of London to become investment ready and develop relationships with investors. Last year Medway Council was part of a successful bid which won £1.275m to support creative industry businesses in the south-east over the next two years.
Palladian Media and KMTV are two of 22 businesses who will be the first to benefit from the Create Growth Programme. Applications are currently open for the next programme cohort with Medway creative businesses looking to develop new investment funding streams invited to apply.
Palladian Media is a creative media production company based at the Historic Dockyard in Chatham run by architectural photographer Matt Livey, cinematographer Alex Pasquini and editor, photographer and filmmaker Ben Hay. Palladian Media produces content for websites and social media platforms, specialising in architectural photography and lifestyle brands.
KMTV is an Ofcom regulated local television station established in 2017 by the University of Kent and The KM Media Group. It is based on the Medway Campus and reaches 300,000 homes in Kent and Medway across Freeview Channel 7, Virgin 159 and online. The station is also an accomplished production house having produced more than 30 documentaries, hundreds of hours of special programmes and two British Film Institute-commissioned children's television series.
The companies have already gone through a competitive business diagnostics process with industry experts, and will now go on a nine-month mentoring and skills development programme to get their creative businesses ready for investment.
The announcement follows DCMS’ new Creative Industries Sector Vision, which sets out a shared ambition to grow the Creative Industries and create one million extra jobs by 2030 and confirms the Government’s commitment to the Creative Industries as a high-growth priority sector. The report announced that DCMS will provide £10.9 million additional funding between 2023 and 2025 to expand the Create Growth Programme from six to twelve English regions outside London to become a £28.4 million programme supporting more than 2,000 businesses to scale up and access private investment.
Create South East is one of the first six regions to run the Create Growth programme, which is being delivered by Angels @Essex, Creative UK, Screen South and Wired Sussex.
Helping businesses continue to grow and thrive
Cllr Harinder Mahil, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Heritage, Culture and Leisure, said: “I am pleased that Palladian Media and KMTV will be benefitting from the government’s Create Growth Programme. Medway is home to a wide range of fantastic creative businesses and this programme will help them continue to grow and thrive. This programme supports Medway’s cultural strategy, delivered by Creative Medway which aims to nurture Medway’s creative people, businesses and creative talent and attract further investment to raise the profile and reputation of Medway’s creative sector.”
Already feel stronger and more equipped
Alex Pasquini, from Palladian Media, said: “Palladian is thrilled to be part of the programme and we have all been buzzing after the first two online meetups. We already feel stronger and more equipped to take on new challenges and we're looking forward to working with our mentor to realise our long-term business ambitions. Thanks to the Create South East team for putting faith in us and our business!"
Learning more about the opportunities on offer
Andy Richards, KMTV Channel Director, said: “KMTV is delighted that it was chosen to be a part of the Creative South East programme. Promoting and enabling opportunities in the creative industries has always been at the core of our business, which was recognised in our application. Being a part of this programme will also help us learn more about the sector and the opportunities that are on offer for organisations like ours. We believe this will help us to continue to deliver high quality and important content to the wider community in Medway.”