Welcome to Portsmouth Creates, a hub for supporting and nurturing the vibrant creative and cultural sector in Portsmouth. Our mission is clear: to drive growth and development within the local creative community, empowering creative individuals and businesses to thrive in today’s dynamic landscape.
At Portsmouth Creates, we are committed to:
- Supporting Growth: We offer a range of support services tailored to the needs of creative individuals and businesses. From funding advice to marketing strategies and business planning, our expert team is here to support you.
- Building Connections: Through our digital platform and networking events, we aim to connect creatives, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing opportunities that drive collective growth.
- Showcasing Talent: We provide platforms such as We Create Markets and Curating Spaces, where local creatives can showcase their products and talents, contributing to the vibrant cultural tapestry of Portsmouth.
- Advocacy and Partnerships: We advocate for the vital role of the creative sector in Portsmouth’s economic and cultural landscape. By forging strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, we amplify our impact and reach within the community.
Our Impact
Within the past year, Portsmouth Creates has:
- Supported over 20 individuals and organisations with tailored advice on funding, marketing, and business support.
- Attracted over 9,000 views to portsmouthcreativedirectory.co.uk leading to tangible commissions for featured creatives.
- Hosted a series of successful events with over 1500 attendees. Events include joint funding workshops with Arts Council England and networking sessions covering diverse topics like marketing and creative spaces.
Whether you’re a seasoned creative entrepreneur or starting your journey, Portsmouth Creates welcomes you. Please explore the resources below, sign up to the Portsmouth Creative Directory, attend one of our events, find us on social media, and get in touch through info@portsmouthcreates.co.uk.
Together, let’s create a brighter, more vibrant future for Portsmouth’s creative community.
FUNDING
Strategic Approach to the Development of Culture in Portsmouth
The 2018 final report from Stephen Browning - Strategic Approach to the Development of Culture in Portsmouth - with thanks to Victorious Festival and Arts Council England.
Film Hub South West
FILM & MOVING IMAGE
Explore the range of funding available for Film Hub Members below to support the objectives of the Film Hub South West, and the BFI Screen 2033 Strategy
HISTORIC ENGLAND
HERITAGE
Grants offered for: People who own or manage individual historic sites and need to repair them or understand them better; for local authorities, for sites and buildings in their area and for organisations who want to encourage better understanding, management and conservation of the historic environment in its many and varied forms.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund
HERITAGE
Investing in heritage for the future as well as for the present. Investing in places, not just individual projects, to bring about benefits for people, places and our natural environment.
The Britford Bridge Trust
MULTIPLE
The primary charitable purposes of the Trust are the prevention or relief of poverty; the advancement of education; the advancement of health or the saving of lives; and the advancement of the arts, culture, heritage, or science.
The Prince’s Trust
MULTIPLE
The Prince's Trust is a youth charity that helps young people aged 11 to 30 get into jobs, education and training. This fund is support for 18-30 year olds looking to start their own business.
Getset For Growth Solent
BUSINESS
Getset Solent is a business support programme delivering specialist, fully funded access to finance and marketing support to help businesses through a range of engaging workshops, 1:1 sessions and support.
Edge Creative Enterprise Fund
BUSINESS
Investment funding to support high growth SMEs operating within the UK’s creative sector industries - Media, Education and Entertainment
Drusilla Harvey Access Fund
WRITING
Giving authors support for travel, subsistence, childcare or access needs for events, residencies and retreats.
Grants for work in progress
WRITING
Grants to writers whose book project is for a commercial UK publisher.
Aesthetica Creative Writing Award*
WRITING
An international literary prize for new talent in poetry and short fiction supporting emerging and established writers.
Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize*
WRITING
A contest to reward authors from around the world in three categories: Poetry, Fiction and Life Writing.
Creative Future Writers’ Award
WRITING
An annual development programme for talented, underrepresented writers in the UK.
Fenton Arts Trust
ART
A charity which focuses its efforts specifically on the support of artists at the beginning of their careers
The Hopper Prize*
ART
Grants available to individual visual artists based in any country working in any media.
Aesthetica Short Film Festival Awards*
FILM & MOVING IMAGE
Support for independent filmmakers from around the world, and an outlet for supporting and championing filmmaking.
Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Documentary Film Fund
FILM & MOVING IMAGE
Funding is available to finance the production of a short documentary film produced by an emerging British LGBTQ+ filmmaker.
Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival Awards*
FILM & MOVING IMAGE
An international film prize open to any film which is by, for, about or of interest to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex audiences.
IMDb Script to Screen Award*
FILM & MOVING IMAGE
Film writers of any nationality from any country can submit a script for a short film for a chance to win a financial prize package and a premiere of their film at FilmBath Festival.
Help Musicians – Develop Your Skills
MUSIC
Grants are available to enable professional musicians to access creative and professional development opportunities both in the UK and internationally.
Open Fund for Music Creators
MUSIC
Grants are available to support the development of 'outstanding' UK songwriters and composers of all genres and backgrounds, at different stages of their career.
Youth Music NextGen Fund
MUSIC
Grants are available to young creatives in the UK to help them take a step forward in participating and changing the music industries.
Women Make Music
MUSIC
Grants are available to individual women in need of financial support in creating new music in any genre in the United Kingdom.
PLL Momentum Music Fund
MUSIC
Grants of £5k-£15k for UK based artists/bands to break through to the next level of their careers. Activities eligible for support include recording, touring and marketing.
Arts Council England
MULTIPLE
Arts Council England invest money from Government and the National Lottery to support creativity and culture across England so that everyone, wherever they live can lead a happy, healthy and creative life. There is a range of funding streams available.
RESOURCES
The 2018 final report from Stephen Browning - Strategic Approach to the Development of Culture in Portsmouth - with thanks to Victorious Festival and Arts Council England.
Marketing, communications and social tips and bits from our networking event on 19th April.
A free online resource hub for cultural professionals that brings the collective intelligence of the sector together in one place, by you, for you.
The Digital Culture Network provides free and practical support to the arts and culture sector.
Useful guidance, summaries of our investigations, and publications for donors and fundraisers.
Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy transforms the fundraising knowledge, skills and levels of success of arts organisations.
LATEST NEWS
HSDC BUDDING CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS SHINE AT WE CREATE MARKET
19 students from the Creative Enterprise course and 9 students from the Mini Creative Enrichment Group participated in the Market, which is always a fantastic opportunity for students to sell their incredible pieces of art…
IN OUR WORDS – GET INVOLVED IN PORTSMOUTH’S 2025 YEAR OF LITERATURE
We invite artists, writers, performers, and community groups to take part in a year-long celebration of Portsmouth’s rich literary heritage and future – IN OUR WORDS…
WE SHINE COMMUNITY: NORTH OF THE CITY AND SEEKERS CREATE
This year, Seekers Create has engaged with the North Portsmouth community in a vibrant artistic project for We Shine Portsmouth – Foxes Forest & The Garden of Light…
