Creative Industries Clusters round 2 (invite only)
Forecasted
UK Research and Innovation's Creative Industries Clusters round 2 funds university-led research clusters to drive innovation, interdisciplinary R&D, and sector growth in the UK creative industries.
Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates (Anticipated): January 2027: Outline stage opens | March 2027: Outline deadline | July 2027: Full application deadline
Funding Amounts: Up to £6.75 million per cluster (max 4 clusters), funding duration up to 5 years; minimum 50% leverage required from partners.
Summary: Supports four new university-led creative industry clusters to address sector challenges, drive R&D innovation, and foster regional growth through interdisciplinary collaboration and industry partnership.
Key Information: This round is invite-only; only applicants successful at outline stage will be invited to submit a full application.
Description
This funding opportunity, administered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) via the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), is designed to establish four new Creative Industries Clusters across the UK. The programme aims to drive research, innovation, and growth in the creative industries through strategic, university-led partnerships that include businesses, policymakers, and private funders. Each cluster is expected to address a significant challenge within a defined region or sub-sector, deliver new products and services with commercial potential, and generate economic, social, and cultural benefits.
Key objectives include fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, integrating industry partners throughout the programme, supporting skills and talent development, embedding equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and advancing environmental sustainability. Clusters must demonstrate robust management structures, significant co-investment and leverage from partners, and provide flexible devolved funding to support innovative R&D activities, especially for SMEs and freelancers. The programme is intended to deliver lasting strategic research partnerships and transformative impacts for the UK's creative sector.
