After the successful launch of the new Acton and Park Royal Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ) last year, and a call for ideas, funding has now been awarded for the top proposals.
Ten local organisations have been successful in their bid for funding to bring their innovative and inspired ideas to life in the borough’s Creative Enterprise Zone.
Interested applicants were invited by Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC), in partnership with Ealing Council, to submit their concepts that supported the creative industry.
More than £150,000 of funding has now been awarded to support projects that will focus on delivering affordable community and creative spaces, developing creative talent and a digital network platform. The successful projects represent the diversity of Acton and Park Royal, with 82% of the projects being run by minority ethnic, female, LGBTQIA, and disabled led organisations.
The Acton and Park Royal CEZ hopes to unlock new opportunities for homegrown creative industries, artists and businesses by driving investment towards the borough’s talent, as well as providing much-needed funding to get projects off the ground.
The ten successful applicants are:
• Excelsior Studios
• MAMA Youth Project
• Bollo Brook Youth Centre
• A LOOK INTO
• Form and Beyond
• W3 Hive
• ARTification and Pati Starzykowski
• Hikayetna (meaning Our Story) – Hosting Park Royal Nights events giving opportunities for storytelling, poetry, music and inspiration within the community.
• Loom Projects
• Park Royal Design District
A wealth of talent
Councillor Louise Brett, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes, said: “There is such a wealth of talent in the borough and it’s so encouraging to see it coming to life within our Creative Enterprise Zone. This is a brilliant scheme to be part of, it encourages these businesses to grow, share ideas and develop new talents.
“Congratulations to all the successful applicants and it is fantastic to see such a rich diversity of business leaders driving forward these exciting and invigorating projects.”
The CEZ is already home to several artists and studio spaces and the hope is that it will nurture new talent and bring further investment to existing businesses in the area.
Since the programme was started by the Mayor of London in 2018, around £14million has been invested in areas across the capital to support artists and creative businesses find permanent affordable space to work, provide support to new creative businesses and improve access to creative sector skills and employment.
