OUR WORK

Portsmouth is a unique island city, shaped by world-class cultural heritage and an incredibly strong sense of pride and community spirit. At Portsmouth Creates, we exist to support, connect and champion the people who make this city creative.

As a Community Interest Company operating at the heart of Portsmouth, our strategic focus is on growing the city’s creative and cultural sector. We do this by creating opportunities, building pathways and nurturing talent, ensuring creativity is accessible, sustainable and rooted in place.

Our programmes and projects respond directly to the needs of our creative community and the city we serve. They range from sector support and professional development to large-scale public events that bring communities together.

Programmes and Projects include:

We Connect Business support and networking for Portsmouth’s creative sector. We Connect offers advice, peer learning and opportunities to build skills, confidence and sustainable creative businesses.

We Shine A large-scale, citywide light festival that transforms Portsmouth’s public spaces through creativity. We Shine creates opportunities for artists and communities, celebrating place, participation and shared experiences through high-quality artistic work.

We Create Markets A practical platform for local makers, artists and creative sellers to test their practice, sell their work and connect with new audiences. These markets support creative livelihoods while animating public spaces.

In Our Words A year-long celebration of Portsmouth literacy, storytelling and voices — championing the power of words, language and shared narratives across the city.

Playland Creative Hub & Create at Playland A welcoming, accessible space for creativity, learning and collaboration. Playland supports artists, communities and creative activity, providing space to develop ideas, skills and connections.

Portsmouth Creative Directory A growing digital platform showcasing Portsmouth’s creative talent. The directory increases visibility, supports collaboration and strengthens the city’s creative ecosystem.

We Thrive Supports long-term creative growth in Portsmouth. It focuses on building skills, confidence and connections, creating the conditions creatives need to thrive and helping strengthen the city’s creative ecosystem.

UK City of Culture 2029 Portsmouth Creates is leading Portsmouth’s bid for UK City of Culture 2029 — a bid shaped by the city and its communities. It’s an opportunity to showcase Portsmouth’s creativity, strengthen the cultural sector and create a lasting legacy for the city.

What We Do

Champion Creativity – empowering Portsmouth’s creative sector through capacity building, collaboration and opportunity
Connect & Support – building partnerships across creatives, businesses and communities
Advocate for Inclusion – ensuring culture is accessible, fair and representative
Create Impact – delivering events, programmes and partnerships that shape the city’s future
Drive Growth – strengthening Portsmouth’s creative economy and positioning the city as a place of innovation

Why We Do It

Creativity transforms lives. It supports wellbeing, inspires change and builds connection.
Collaboration strengthens impact, socially, culturally and economically.
Innovation and inclusion create opportunity.
And Portsmouth deserves to shine.

How We Do It

Expert Advice – free one-to-one consultations on funding, marketing and business strategy
Digital Visibility – promoting creatives through the Portsmouth Creative Directory and our platforms
Events & Networking – workshops, peer-to-peer sessions, funding support and industry-led conferences
Creatives & Community – programmes like We Shine and partnerships with festivals such as Victorious that bring people together through high-quality art, spotlight local talent and connect makers with new audiences

At the heart of everything we do are collaboration, co-creation and care. We work with partners across the city and beyond to build a creative Portsmouth that is inclusive, ambitious and proud of who it is.