Guest post by Becki Cohen, Programme Manager – Digital Creative and Tech Sector, GM Business Growth Hub.
“Creativity is essentially a lonely art. An even lonelier struggle. To some a blessing, to others a curse”, or so American graphic designer Lou Dorsfman said.
That quote probably rings true for many reading this. Most people working in the creative industries have felt alone at some point. Creativity often comes at a price – the price of being a perfectionist, of not having enough hours in the day, even the price of having to turn a profit. And whilst no one can jump into your brain and do it for you, we think that just because you’re going it alone, doesn’t mean you have to be lonely (sorry Lou!)
GM Business Growth Hub are dedicated to empowering businesses across Greater Manchester to unlock their full potential. Our community of specialists are passionate about driving growth and innovation, particularly within the creative industries.
Connecting creativity, commercial thinking and business acumen, we are helping creative organisations to understand their value, attract investment and develop sustainably, ensuring that Greater Manchester remains one of the UK’s leading creative forces. We help you with the business stuff, so you can focus on the fun stuff!
That’s why we’re so excited to be sponsoring BEYOND 2024 and share their vision of what a creative Greater Manchester could look like. Investing in the foundations of our sector means creating opportunities for people to come together and make change.
Over the last year we’ve worked with some amazing partners like our local universities, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Cloud Imperium Games. We’re putting together a White Paper that sets out a path for the future of the creative industries in our region.
We’ve taken exciting Greater Manchester businesses with us to South by Southwest and Web Summit Lisbon, giving them the platform to network and learn from some of the biggest names out there. But we’ve also stayed close to home, making sure that local businesses get access to the resources they need to succeed. Like helping Tameside based 344 Audio, who secured grant funding to build the largest specialised sound studio outside of London. Proving that you can go big and go home!
A Positive Future for Creative Industries
The creative industries contribute an estimated £1.4 billion in gross value added (GVA) to the UK economy, underscoring the importance of our support for this thriving sector. But it’s not just all about the money – by helping creative businesses become more viable, we can
unlock even more creativity. More support, means more people who can go on to change the world.
By sponsoring BEYOND 2024, we’re fostering collaboration, inspiring new ideas, and reinforcing our commitment to the vibrant community of creative businesses in Greater Manchester. Together, shaping a brighter, more creative future for all.
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GM Business Growth Hub is a Lead Local Partner for BEYOND 2024. For more information on all BEYOND’s 2024 Partners; including AHRC, British Council, Salford City Council, Innovate UK Bridge AI, Creative Manchester, CoSTAR, The Black XR Network UK, and IDA XR Studio, please see our Media Pack.