Creative Industries Cluster Hubs (CICH) is a multi-stakeholder project led by Cardiff University’s Centre for the Creative Economy. It works in partnership with local authorities across the Cardiff Capital Region to convene grassroots creative networks and activity.
The Newport CICH is managed by Newport City Council in partnership with University of South Wales Startup Stiwdio and delivered in collaboration with other creative organisations in Newport such as Newport Live, Riverfront Theatre and Community Arts Team.
Find out more about the Creative Industries Cluster Hubs project.
CICH Newport’s focus is to build a bigger arts and creative industries cluster in Newport through networking and engagement events and targeted creative business and startup support. The project aims to increase collaboration and innovation between creatives, businesses and organisations across the city.
We will work with our partners across the region to renew creative links to the city’s hinterland, interacting with others across the Cardiff City Region and beyond.
We are aiming to establish a strong Creative Cluster focused on Newport, which is Wales’ youngest and fastest growing city. It may also engage the creative talents of freelancers and companies in Caerphilly, Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent. These counties saw the first and second highest rise in the proportion of people (16+) now in employment in the 2021 Census, in Blaenau Gwent and Newport. Newport City Council’s (NCC) cluster will aim to engage with creative industries companies, freelancers and associated support agencies across the region.
Newport is a key destination for many of the people and communities living in the Gwent valleys. The city also boasts a strong and diverse independent arts and creative industries sector. We are confident that this Cluster will not only quickly grow and identify new members, but that it will help Newport regenerate its arts and entertainment sectors to engage and participate in a wide variety of arts and cultural events devised, created and delivered by local creative entrepreneurs.
We aim to develop a Cluster wide database and marketing activities to help the creative sector in Newport promote itself more widely. We will also devise a plan for future ongoing sector development, alongside the key creative organisations already in the city.
This will help develop a new creative vision for the city centre and support Newport City Council’s with its commitment to develop an overarching Cultural Strategy for the city over the next few years.
CICH Events
From September to December, CICH is delivering free events at key venues in and around Newport. These sessions are aimed at creative entrepreneurs, creative freelancers and companies:
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Networking with new contacts in the area
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New insights from established professionals
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New funding opportunities
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Sparking new ideas
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Startup support from University of South Wales’s Startup Stiwdio in its Newport campus
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Set up new collaborations and projects
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Engage with new communities
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Broaden your knowledge base
If you’d like to participate, please fill in this form and complete the Equality / Diversity survey. If you have any questions, please email stiwdio@southwales.ac.uk with the subject “CICH Newport.” We can stay in touch as the Creative Cluster develops.
Support for creative startups and new starts
Following the success of the Stiwdio at USW Newport, we would like to invite new and prospective creative businesses to submit their proposal to the CICH Project. Please send your idea to the Stiwdio here and complete the Equality / Diversity survey. If you have any questions, please email stiwdio@southwales.ac.uk with the subject “CICH Newport.”
CICH is also offering eight weeks of Creative Entrepreneurship Training sessions during October and November 2023. These are free-to-attend and financial support (e.g., transport costs) is available to help you attend the sessions. There are sessions covering the following areas:
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Develop your initial idea
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Pitch to funders
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Protect your ideas and IP
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Sources of investment including the Development Bank of Wales
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Secure your finances
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Set up a company
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Engage with your market
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Find pathways to growth
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Connect with the creative community across South Wales