Creating a difference

The creative industries in the UK are growing at a rate five times faster than the broader economy; creative businesses unlock innovation, thrive on collaboration, strengthen communities and create positive social impact. The Creative Industries collectively contribute more GVA to our economy than the combined oil, gas, automotive, aerospace, and life sciences industries.

Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly benefit from this growth; the region is home to a thriving creative sector, with a population of creative businesses typically found only in urban environments. These rural micro-clusters have long been seen as powerful engines for economic growth.

Cornwall’s economic and social opportunity lies in safeguarding routes for creative sector microbusinesses to access the development support that addresses their needs most effectively.

Creative professionals are highly skilled in their areas of expertise but can lack the necessary business skills to take their SMEs to the next level. Sector research has shown that creative sector businesses don’t always take advantage of external business development initiatives due to a disconnect in communication and understanding on both sides. and photography.

That’s where Cultivator comes in. Funded by ESF, ERDF, Arts Council England and Cornwall Council, and with our unique knowledge of the creative sector and its people, we have created a tailored support program that addresses areas of growth often overlooked by one-size-fits-all business development agencies.

Our innovative project is currently supporting over 700 businesses with investments, skills training, 1:1 business support, export pathways, industry showcasing, and network building since its inception in 2016.

We’ve filled the skills gap by rolling out a flexible and reactive training programme to address sector needs. With many courses available hundreds of businesses have been able to access free training opportunities. Additionally, businesses have benefited from individual and bespoke training funded through grants, while others have accessed industry insiders and sector specialists through the project’s grantfunded mentoring scheme.

Currently supporting over 700 businesses

We have invested £7.4 million across a client base that includes manufacturing and design, film, digital, music, performance, craft makers, visual art, heritage museums, art galleries,

We focus on developing the next generation of creative businesses with ‘Early Stage’ and ‘Graduate Start Up’ focused business advisors.

We recognise that the next generation of cultural sector leaders needs to be nurtured by partnering with the University of Plymouth to create a Leadership Programme.

We have invested significant sums in small grants to fund new business initiatives; a client setting up on-line writing courses, a publishing company needing an expert consultant to review their business model and processes and part funding a second camera for a fast growing film company – enabling them expand their filming opportunities. These investments have resulted in the growth of hundreds of local creative businesses.

Additionally, the export programme has helped many creative businesses find markets outside Cornwall through investments in grants and the provision of training sessions.

Cultivator has worked to strengthen the sector through showcasing events in partnership with delivery partner the University of Plymouth, highlighting the worth of the creative industries within Cornwall. The project has built networks through events encouraging collaborative relationships and expanded the workforce by working with Real Ideas to promote entry to the creative sector as a pathway for young people in Cornwall through work placements.

As Cultivator enters the last six months of its six-year programme of activities, the impact of its work is evident. The project has been a crucial source of support for businesses in these sectors, providing them with tailored assistance to help them grow and thrive. At this point we have mixed feelings of celebration and caution. While the project has laid excellent foundations for growth in the creative sector, there is a real risk that the continued development of the sector’s creative micro-businesses may suffer as funding for the Cornwall-focused business development offering transitions from EU to SPF funding.

And, what’s next? We have submitted a bid to Cornwall Council for SPF funding to continue supporting the development of the creative sector working alongside the Good Growth Hub by building on our specialised sector knowledge; we hope that we will be successful and that Cultivator’s unique approach to business and training support can be a model for other regions seeking to foster growth in the creative sector.

Cultivator is a project of Creative Kernow, who have been working as a creative and cultural sector support organisation for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly for the last 40 years by working in three areas: developing the creative economy, providing creative hubs and developing creative communities.

GOING BEYOND CORNWALL’S DESIGN FRONTIER

Cornwall has a rich history of excellence and innovation in design and making. It was a key region for revolutionary industrial design in the 19th Century, and in the 20th Century, St Ives was the birthplace of British studio pottery. Extraordinary designs are still everywhere in Cornwall today – from a BAFTA nominated games studio in Bude to an FX Award-winning product designer in Penryn and an internationally renowned ceramicist in Mousehole.

A geographical challenge for rural creative businesses is being recognised by and engaging with the broader creative sector, often located in urban areas. While digital connectivity can bridge this gap, nothing beats a real-life conversation and experiencing design and craft products in 3D.

To this end, over the last six years, Cultivator has championed the fantastic work in Cornwall with an export and showcasing programme. It ran its first design and craft showcase at the London Design Fair five years ago under the ‘Design Frontier’ banner. Creative business advisor, Toni Lu, explains: “The idea of a collective identity to showcase the quality and diversity of design and craft from Cornwall came to us during our conversations with over 300 of Cornwall’s creative individuals and businesses.

“Design Frontier reflected our attitude of being non-apologetic about being a rural region and not measuring our successes and work based on our distance from urban centres.”

In collaboration with Hole & Corner – a quarterly design and craft magazine - Cultivator selected seven Cornish designer-makers to showcase their work at the British Craft Pavilion at the London Design Fair in 2018

Alex O’Connor silverware designer, Dor & Tan’s ceramics, Felix McCormack and Headandhaft both furniture designers and homewares designers, Kinsley Byrne a wood carver, Leach Pottery and Ceramicist Michel François – all exceptional creatives who absorb inspiration from and celebrate elements that are intrinsic to Cornwall’s landscape were able to spend four days in London at the fair, visited by 30,000 people many of whom are retail buyers and interior designers.

The initial feedback was extremely positive.

“Being a crafts person is not just about being in your workshop where I am most comfortable,” says silversmith, Alex O’Connor. “I have learned that I need to be as rigorous about my business as I would be in my workshop with my piece of silver. Without Cultivator, I cannot imagine doing any of the stuff I am doing. As quite a new maker, to be able to say that I have shown my work at The British Craft Pavilion as part of Design Frontier is humbling because there was some really amazing and beautiful work there.”

Christopher Thorpe from Headandhaft agrees that Design Frontier provides an invaluable opportunity. “We chose Cornwall to live and work in because of the quieter, secluded lifestyle but most of our products go to London so you have got to go up there, got to let people touch your work, got to meet people,” he explains. “Through Design Frontier, Cultivator enables us to make work in Cornwall and connect commercially with the wider world.”

Now five years on and a global pandemic later, we still see the positive impact of the Design Frontier Showcase on these businesses. Leach Pottery met fashion and homeware brand Toast at the showcase and started to supply the brand’s on and offline shop, creating over £100k worth of revenue. Dor & Tan expanded their business within six months of the showcase after picking up two key stockists and opening their showroom in 2020, inspired by their experience at the showcase, their turnover has quadrupled. Alex O’Connor has since shown her work at Collect with a London gallery – the UK’s highest profile art object fair. She is now represented by an agent in Cambridge, who has taken her work to show in high-end craft and design show Salon in New York.

Having the 2018 Design Frontier as its flagship event, Cultivator continues to propel the most exciting established and emerging designers and makers from

Cornwall to the forefront of the contemporary design world. In 2019, it supported the Department of International Trade’s mission to showcase Cornish Craft at Top Drawer; ran an open studios event around Falmouth and Penryn with 16 design and craft studios open, welcoming agents, buyers, architects and other designers.

It continues to showcase work by creatives online during the pandemic – supporting Goodfest in 2020 and hosting the Anatomy of Design Festival in 2021 in partnership with Door Step. Most recently, Cultivator teamed up with Cornwall Development Company for a supported group visit to Maison et Objet – the biggest home and gift expo in Europe, with a vision to enable more Cornwall based design and craft businesses continue to export and thrive beyond the frontier.