Collaborating with diverse-led creative businesses.
We offer creative businesses space to innovate. We bring together our academics and associates with business founders to develop purpose-driven projects, products and services. We support founders from underrepresented backgrounds working in art, design, performance and beyond.
What does Creative Futures offer?
Business support
Take part in an adaptive programme of creative-led business support and skills development, including workshops and mentoring.
Discovery events
Join diverse speakers from UAL and local businesses to explore creative enterprise themes and engage in discussion and exchange.
Founder club
Grow your network with regular social events in partnership with local workspaces and organisations, including Migration Museum and The Africa Centre.
Access to space
Access UAL’s spaces for the purposes of short-term research and development (R&D), focus groups, test events and community engagement, subject to availability.
Key dates
Applications:
- Open: Monday 4 December 2023
- Close: Monday 12 February 2024
Programme dates:
- Start date: Saturday 9 March 2024
- Saturday workshops: 13 April, 11 May, 8 June 2024
- Demo day: Wednesday 10 July 2024
Who can apply?
Founders or co-founders of businesses:
- registered as a sole trader or SME including social enterprise or CIC
- or planning to register by the end of the 5-month Creative Futures programme
- within the creative or digital industries
- with a demonstrated commitment to social impact, environmental sustainability or addressing economic inequality.
Founders who meet 1 or more of the following criteria are particularly encouraged to apply:
- Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people and/or other groups who experience racism
- D/deaf, disabled and/or neurodiverse people and people who experience the effects of ableism
- people from economically marginalised communities or those experiencing poverty
- people who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community
- women, non-binary and other marginalised genders
- you are a care leaver or caregiver.
Our network
Past business mentors, speakers, contributors and facilitators have included:
- Sonya Barlow - LMF Network
- Alison Branagan - UAL, Author and Business Consultant
- Shameika Byfield - Shy Figures
- Adiam Elias - ADIAMELIAS
- Remi Harris MBE
- Callum Hall - Creative Debuts
- Christopher Lutterodt-Quarcoo - UAL and THE ADV_
- Kei Maye - Creative Champs
- Samantha Newell - Yard + Parish
- Ajay Pabial - Art Clubbers
- Alicia Robinson - AGR Knit
- Anna B Sexton - Open to Create
- Charlotte Stavrou - SevenSix Agency
- Pete Schönbeck - Productschön Business Advice
- Ishwari Thopte - UAL, Creative and Fashion Tech Consultant
- Tazz Parker - MDRxTech
Creative Futures participants
Background
Since 2022 we have worked to develop businesses with almost 50 Londoners providing each founder access to 30+ hours of support. Businesses have gone on to achieve outcomes including residencies, fellowships and funding. They have also forged new local and global partnerships. They continue to build relationships with mentors and peers as part of Founder club. Some have since collaborated with UAL on summer residencies, community engagement and other types of partnerships.
Creative Futures was piloted at Camberwell College of Arts in 2022-23 and supported by STRIDE.
Contact us
We'd love to talk to potential participants, mentors or funders.
Get in touch with us at creativefutures@arts.ac.uk