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£3 million investment in creative entrepreneurs of the future

11/06/2004

"NESTA is looking for individuals who have graduated in the last three years, who are maybe even working within the sector

NESTA's Creative Pioneer Programme has grown by more than a third since its pilot year in 2003 and is now open to applicants with degrees from the art and design, architecture and also the moving image sectors [1]. It aims to support up to 50 individuals this year, 20 more than in 2003, offering them a paid three-week course at the Academy - where they will learn business and entrepreneurships skills - and the opportunity to win £35,000 in funding.

At the Academy individuals will learn how to take an original business idea and turn it into a workable business proposition. They will come face-to-face with creative entrepreneurs who have experienced what it's like to set up a business. They will learn business principles; explore entrepreneurship, personal and professional development and receive coaching to build self-confidence.

Up to 30 of those attending the Academy will then go on to win Pioneer Awards of up to £35,000 to start their own business, and receive the ongoing support of a NESTA mentor. This is double the number of awards that were available for the pilot year.

Applicants can have recently left college, or been working in the sector for the last couple of years, as long as they graduated no earlier than-05-2001. They should possess obvious talent, an original business idea and an ability to think laterally about how the creative industries can enhance quality of life and solve real world problems.

NESTA is looking for applicants who are not be afraid to put themselves on the line and who will demonstrate an ambition to further the role that the creative industries can play in the UK economy.

Hugo Manassei, Creative Pioneer Director, said:

"Creativity doesn't need to end when a degree show does. NESTA is looking for individuals who have graduated in the last three years, who are maybe even working within the sector already, but who want to apply their creativity in setting up unique new businesses in the creative industries."

"This sector is an important growth sector for the UK economy, and is estimated to employ 2 million people. But it could do so much more if more people working in the creative industries were given the skills and support to succeed as entrepreneurs. That is what the Creative Pioneer Programme is designed to do, by investing in the next generation of creative pioneers."

For a full list of criteria and to download an application pack, go to:

www.nesta.org.uk/theacademy

The Creative Pioneer Programme was first launched in 2003 as the Graduate Pioneer Programme. In the first year 30 individuals attended the Academy and 11 of them went on to win start up funding of up to £35,000. These included:

Mark Champkins, who is making products that help school children concentrate on lessons, including a pencil case that doubles as a water bottle.
Helen Amy Murray, who is developing a business based on a new fabric innovation. The end product is bespoke, one-of-a-kind and limited edition upholstered pieces, including chairs.
Sarah Raffel, who is developing a combination of jewellers' workshop and retail space in Glasgow. What Paris is to fashion, Glasgow could be to jewellery design.
Deborah Szebeko who is working with front line health service staff to design products and services that will improve the patient experience within the public health sector.

The marketing materials for the Creative Pioneer Programme this year were designed by Blast. Paul Tunnicliffe from Blast said:

"We have highlighted the exciting potential of the Creative Pioneer Programme by creating a campaign based on the idea that the programme offers a life changing opportunity. We needed to create a visual language that would appeal to design students and communicate the 'Life Changing Moments' concept, so we designed a series of A1 posters using vernacular typographic treatments, to express the 'birth of ideas', the 'marriage of talent & cash' and the 'death of rules'. These posters where then sent out to over 81 design and film colleges across the UK, to raise awareness of the programme."

As well as producing supporting printed material and badges, Blast will also be designing an interactive installation for the Young Designers and D&AD New Blood shows along with a brochure explaining the CPP and reviewing its first year.

[1]Students from the following disciplines are eligible to apply to the programme:

Advertising; Animation; Architecture; Ceramics and Glass; Computer Related Design;Fashion; Film; Furniture; Graphics and Communication; Interior Design; Landscape Design;Metalwork and Jewellery; Photography; Product Design; Television; Textile Design

GPP launch GPP Academy 2003/04 Graduate Pioneer Awardees 2004