Mayor to invest further £3m in Creative Enterprise Zones to support London’s economic recovery

Embargoed until 06:00 Thursday 29^th July 2021

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced a new £3 million investment to boost his successful Creative Enterprise Zones (CEZ) programme.

Creative Enterprise Zones – a programme launched by the Mayor in 2018, has supported artists, creative businesses and local people entering into the creative sector and securing new jobs. The innovative programme has supported artists, freelancers and small creative businesses in the capital to thrive by creating long-term affordable workspace, offering business support and helping develop vital skills. THIS new investment from City Hall, which builds on the £11m already invested by the Mayor, will boost existing CEZs and help bring forward a further six zones over the next two years. Funding will support three new zones in 2021-22 and a further three in 2022-23.

The programme puts local communities, consortia and businesses at the heart of delivery. CEZs will have access to a package of dedicated support from City Hall, and access to research and marketing. Boroughs can apply for grants of up to £70,000. Waltham Forest’s Blackhorse Lane, has been accredited following the success of its year as London Borough of Culture in 2019. Applications for this new round of funding will close on 30 September.

Croydon, Haringey, Hounslow, Lambeth, Lewisham, and a single Zone across both Hackney and Tower Hamlets, were the first six CEZs in the capital. Collectively, they have already created 15,669sqm of much-needed new, permanent, affordable creative workspace, and will be offering 1,000 training opportunities.

The existing Zones are delivering new skills programmes, which will improve career prospects for more than 650 Londoners, with a focus on creative opportunities for people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic community groups and women. During the pandemic they have been invaluable in supporting London’s economic recovery. They supported more than 300 cultural organisations and businesses, helped to protect 1000 sector jobs and leveraged £2.2m in additional funding for help towards rent relief and business rates grants.

The Mayor’s intervention comes at a time when the creative and cultural sector is rebuilding following the pandemic, which is made more difficult by the existing challenges of retaining workshops, studios and workspaces against the threat of closure and rising rents. Affordable studios and workspaces play an important role in fostering creativity, boosting economic growth and generating employment. The CEZ programme has been a welcome antidote for London’s creative community, by protecting the sector in the capital, increasing affordable spaces for artists and entrepreneurs, and boosting jobs and training opportunities for local people.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Our Creative industries are critically important to the fabric of our city and will play an essential part in our economic and social recovery.

“The Creative Enterprise Zones programme has proved to be a valuable spring board for cultural enterprises right across the city. Throughout the pandemic, it became a life-line for creative businesses and artists, providing support for them when they needed it most.

“That’s why I am investing to create six more zones. London’s cultural and creative sector is a major contributor to the economy, it can help jumpstart the recovery and bring much-needed tourism to our city. However, support must start at grassroots level, with studio spaces, training and innovation. Investing in our city has never been more important - I’m encouraging local authorities to apply for accreditation and see how a Creative Enterprise Zone can benefit your borough.”

Artist and Designer, Wayne Hemingway, said: “It is so important that we do everything we can to support artists and creatives with affordable space at the beginning of their careers. Creative Enterprise Zones are a great way to build a creative area, making space affordable and supporting training and new jobs, that’s why I’m delighted to champion it!”

Successful CEZ applicants commented on the programme.

Cllr Matthew Bennett, Deputy Leader of Lambeth Council said: “Having a Creative Enterprise Zone provided us with a strong evidence base to inform our emergency support for those most in need during the pandemic. The CEZ work helped evidence where targeted support was needed and enabled us to safeguard hundreds of creative jobs within the zone.

Miguel Galue, Hounslow-based artist, said: “I really appreciate being part of the Creative Network and Artist Group in the Hounslow Zone. It really makes me feel like I am being part of my community, and I’m very glad to learn and share with other local artists.

Notes to editors:

• Prospective boroughs will use an Expression of Interest process to establish if they should apply to become a Creative Enterprise Zone. If they are invited to progress to the application stage, a GLA staff panel will assess the application and recommend it for accreditation. Boroughs should download the prospectus and book on an introductory workshop by contacting the team CEZ@london.gov.uk https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/arts-and-culture/culture-and-good-growth/creative-enterprise-zones

• The CEZ funding programmes that have supported freelancers and creative businesses with new contracts and through guidance on how to adapt business models.

• Highlights from previous CEZs:
• • Working with partner operators, the Croydon Zone has provided £60,000 of rent relief to fifty local young people looking for a studio or creative workspace. Their Workspace Subsidy Scheme has provided discounts of 40% for young creatives under the age of 25, helping them test their business ideas, establish their brand and have access to secure, affordable spaces to work.
  • Lambeth launched a new borough-wide Affordable Workspace Policy, which will support long-term creation of supportive workspace in the borough by embedding affordable creative workspace in planning processes. They have also launched one of London’s largest affordable workspaces at International House, which is also the UK’s first Living Wage Building
  • Tottenham are delivering ‘N17: Creative Callings’, an ambitious local sector skills project in partnership with Fashion Enter and Collage Arts that will support 130 local sector employees to improve their career prospects, and enable 38 local SMEs to offer work placements and training.
  • Hackney Wick & Fish Island have embedded the long-term future of their zone through the Creative Development Trust. This is operating as a community-led social enterprise with a purpose to secure ownership of, or long-term leases on, building assets in perpetuity. It will play a key role in ensuring the long-term sustainability for the Zone, including leading on bids and driving local collaboration opportunities, as was seen through the recent response to the Mayor of London’s High Streets for All Challenge.
  • Hounslow have developed and launched a new Masters level course in business and creativity in partnership with University of West London.
  • The Lewisham Zone is increasing connectivity and promotion within the local sector through theSHAPES Lewisham online platform, which has over 150 artist profiles and 3500 Instagram followers to date. They have also delivered specialist sector workshops with over 150 local young people through their Creative Careers programme.