The Artery

Innovate Educate Ltd worked with GPLD on the business strand of the project since 2018. Our research showed that although there’s a lot of support out there for either business start-ups or scalable businesses in the GPLD area, there’s very little business designed specifically for creative and small businesses. The majority of businesses in the Lakes and Dales fall into this category. Through our work we’ve seen how the creative industries contribute to the local community, many giving back in terms of attracting funding, collaborating and enhancing the community in which they work. We’ve been looking at ways to support local small and creative businesses and we’re delighted to receive funding from York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub to create an online peer support network for creatives and small businesses in and around the Craven area.

Our aim is the peer support network to be more than this. The Artery is a new idea that we are developing. The Artery supports the business, creative and cultural sectors to learn from and with each other as equals. It is all about the importance of and the potential that comes from adding creativity to business and business skills to the creative sector.

The peer support programme starts on 14^th October. It is being delivered by Karen Merrifield, our GPLD business animateur and Leo Devine, former regional Head at the BBC.

Leo provides support on everything from change management through to how to make great video content. Karen believes strongly in the small business model that holds collaboration, creativity and generosity at its heart.

We are looking for open minded, supportive creative businesses to join our online Peer Support Programme.

To find out more click here. To complete the expression of interest click here

If you want to chat about it, please get in touch.