Tag: Regional Creatives Fund

£30,000 Available to Edinburgh’s Creative Charities

  • Amazon’s Regional Creatives Fund returns for 2026, offering multiple grants of up to £30,000 for Edinburgh charitable organisations upskilling people for creative industries careers 
  • Three Edinburgh charities received £68,000 in funding from the 2025 Regional Creatives Fund
  • The fund supports Edinburgh charities, Community Interest Companies (CICs) and Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) that run programmes aimed at boosting skills and increasing access to creative industry careers in performing arts, music, TV, podcasting, gaming, fashion, photography, journalism, comedy and more 
  • The fund is open for applications today from single charitable organisations and consortiums in Edinburgh and across the UK. Applications close on 2nd August 2026

Up to £30,000 of funding is available for charitable organisations in Edinburgh following the announcement that the Regional Creatives Fund is returning for 2026.

The Regional Creatives Fund, established by Amazon in 2025, offers grants of up to £30,000 to UK charities, Community Interest Companies (CICs) and Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) that develop creative industry career pathways. The Regional Creatives Fund is open to charitable organisations in Edinburgh and across the UK that help underserved communities access careers in the arts, TV, podcasting, gaming, fashion, photography, journalism, comedy, and more. 

Applications are open today here and close on 2nd August 2026. In 2025, three Edinburgh charities received grants from the Regional Creatives Fund totally £68,000. Cutting Edge Theatre was awarded £30,000, Turn the Tables received £28,710 and Youth Theatre Arts Scotland received £9,600.  

The 2026 Regional Creatives Fund, launched at The National Theatre in London by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, exists to widen access to creative industry careers for people in underserved communities and aligns with the Government’s Creative Places Growth Fund[1].

Applications are welcome from single organisations and from consortiums whose members are based in the same region, provided they already run skills projects making a real difference and are looking for further funding to grow, maintain, or reimagine that work.

Single organisations meeting the criteria are invited to apply for up to £30,000, while partnerships applying together can access as much as £100,000. By backing charitable organisations with established creative upskilling work, the Regional Creatives Fund gives community organisations the freedom to tackle their most urgent priorities.

The Regional Creatives Fund welcomes applications from organisations working across the creative industries, including:

  • Music — performance, production, artist development, sound engineering, music business
  • Performing Arts and Live Events — theatre, live performance, events production, stage management, technical production
  • Screen and Audio — film, TV, animation, podcasting, radio, audio production
  • Digital and Interactive — gaming, XR, AI-enabled creative tools, digital design, social media production
  • Publishing and Communications — books, journalism, copywriting, PR, advertising, podcasting
  • Fashion, Craft and Visual Arts — fashion, textiles, fine art, illustration, photography, graphic design
  • Comedy — stand-up, sketch, sitcom, comedy writing, character comedy
  • Cross-disciplinary — projects that genuinely span two or more of the above
  • Other — creative industries where a strong fit is demonstrated

Applications are open for small to mid-size charitable organisations who are registered in the UK[2]. Applicants must currently be running a programme that focuses on upskilling people from underserved communities for careers in creative industries. Creative Access, the UK’s leading inclusivity organisation in the creative industries, defines underserved communities as a population proven to be under-represented[3] in the sector.

One-of-a-kind support from Amazon creative teams 

Through Amazon’s network of creative industry professionals, the Regional Creatives Fund also provides charitable organisations with pro bono upskilling programmes, including mentoring, work experience, placements, and digital training. This support is available for the staff at community organisations and the people they support, delivered by creative minds from Amazon Music, Prime Video, Amazon Games, and more. 

Applicants must be able to show the grant will expand or sustain an existing programme that’s already making a difference, whether that’s placements in game development studios, music production training, or portfolio development for the advertising creatives of tomorrow.

An independent expert judging panel will award funding to Regional Creatives Fund applicants. The panel includes senior leaders from Amazon, The National Theatre, BAFTA, Arts Council England, NI Screen, Creative Wales, Help Musicians, Audible and the Culture, Media and Sport Committee. 

Funding applications will be assessed across five key areas. Strong proposals will reflect the fund’s spirit with energy, optimism, and a clear creative purpose; deliver real impact through skills, access, and industry links; show a smart, achievable plan with confident delivery; centre inclusion by amplifying underrepresented voices; and build on existing programmes to grow what’s already working.

More information on the judging criteria is available here. 

John Boumphrey and Lisa Nandy at Amazon Regional Creatives Fund Event, National Theatre, London. 16/6/26

The Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said: “The UK’s Creative Industries are the best in the world, from film and TV to theatre and music production.

“The Creative sector is a leading driver of economic growth and a provider of good jobs. This Government is determined that access to those jobs should be spread across the country, and available to everyone, everywhere. 

“I’m really pleased to have worked with Amazon during the recent Greater Together LA conference to secure further investment in their Regional Creatives Fund, a great scheme that is investing directly in people’s potential.”

James Dibbo, Amazon VP and CFO for Global Entertainment, said: “Amazon is significantly invested in the success of the UK’s creative industries.

“This includes working together with the UK government to unlock creative opportunities across every nation and region of the country. After seeing the incredible impact of our first awardees, we are delighted that the Regional Creatives Fund is now reopen for applications. 

“Where you start should not determine how far you go – and we want to help build a future where creativity belongs to everyone, everywhere.”

The UK is one of Amazon’s global creative hubs. In 2025, Amazon announced £40 billion of investment in the UK over the next three years, including the acquisition and planned redevelopment of the iconic Bray Film Studios.

Amazon has invested billions of pounds into the UK’s creative economy, with over 2,000 people working across books, film, TV, sport, music, and fashion – alongside the wider network of creatives Amazon partners with every day.

Amazon makes significant film and television production investments across the UK. Amazon MGM Studios is seeking planning permission to expand production capacity at Bray Studios. Bray most recently hosted the production of Highlander, which also filmed across the Scottish Highlands.

Under Amazon’s long-term contract at Shepperton, the studio was home to season three of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, as well as Project Hail Mary. Season three of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power also filmed on location throughout England and Wales. Additionally, season one of the new Amazon series Tomb Raider is filming at Shinfield Studios.

The Amazon Literary Partnership supports non-profit literary organisations, writing centres and community engagement programmes across the UK and Ireland, helping to create opportunities for aspiring writers of all ages and stages.

Now in its seventh year in the UK, and having expanded to the Republic of Ireland in 2024, the partnership has awarded grants to organisations dedicated to nurturing creative talent, amplifying underrepresented voices, and empowering more people to experience and contribute to the power of storytelling through the written word.

As part of the National Year of Reading 2026, Amazon is expanding its Literacy Champions programme to help inspire a new generation of readers across the UK.

Delivered in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, the initiative trains Amazon volunteers to lead shared reading and storytelling activities in schools and communities, helping children build confidence and develop a lifelong love of reading.

Launched in 2023, the programme supports the National Year of Reading’s ambition to recruit 100,000 new reading volunteers by the end of 2026 and increase access to positive reading role models for young people nationwide.

Amazon Music is committed to expanding access to UK music talent. Partnerships with the BRIT Trust and Amplify support new creative professionals entering the industry. The Step-Up Fund, delivered with the Featured Artists Coalition, enables artists to fund new recordings, touring costs, marketing campaigns, PR activities, video production, and content creation.

To find out more about the Regional Creatives Fund, visit:

 https://www.aboutamazon.co.uk/news/community/amazon-regional-creatives-fund

New £30,000 Grants available to support creative industry careers in Edinburgh

Amazon launches the Regional Creatives Fund, offering multiple grants of up to £30,000 for charities in Edinburgh and around the UK which focus on upskilling people for careers in creative industries.

Grants are available for charities in Edinburgh which run programmes aimed at boosting skills and increasing access to creative industry careers in gaming, publishing, fashion, film, advertising, TV, and music. 

The fund is open for applications today from single charitable organisations and consortiums in Edinburgh and across the UK. Applications close on 31st August 2025.

Amazon today launches the Regional Creatives Fund, offering grants of up to £30,000 to UK charities that develop creative industry career pathways.

The Regional Creatives Fund is open to organisations in Edinburgh and across the UK that help underserved communities access careers in publishing, music, gaming, film, TV, fashion, advertising, and more.

Applications are open now here. 

The aim of the Regional Creatives Fund, which aligns with the Government’s recently announced Creative Places Growth Fund, is to increase access to careers in the creative industries for people from underserved communities.

The fund is open for applications from single charitable organisations and consortiums based in the same region that are currently running impactful skills projects and are seeking additional funding to scale, sustain, or innovate their efforts.

Applications for up to £30,000 can be made by individual organisations that meet eligibility criteria, while consortium applications for up to £100,000 are also available. Regional Creatives Fund grants will give charities with existing creative upskilling programmes the flexibility to address their most pressing needs. 

Applications are open for small to mid-size organisations who are registered charities in the UK[2]. Applicants must currently be running a programme that focuses on upskilling people from underserved communities for careers in creative industries. 

Increasing access to creative industries 

Creative Access, the UK’s leading inclusivity organisation in the creative industries, defines underserved communities as a population proven to be under-represented in the sector.

A study from The Sutton Trust, the UK’s leading social mobility charity, shows that many people, particularly those who identify as ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, neurodivergent individuals, and people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, continue to face significant barriers to entering and progressing in the UK’s creative industries. 

Research released by The Sutton Trust found that younger adults from working-class backgrounds are four times less likely to work in the creative industries compared to their middle-class peers. Data from Arts Council England shows only 9% of the creative workforce identifies as disabled, compared to 22% of the general working-age population.

Unique, pro bono Amazon support

In addition to financial support, the Regional Creatives Fund will also use Amazon’s network of creative industry professionals to offer charities pro bono upskilling programmes for their organisations as well as their beneficiaries – including mentoring, work experience, placement opportunities, and digital training.

Support will be provided by creative minds from Amazon Music, Prime Video, Amazon Games, and more. 

Applicants must be able to demonstrate that the fund will be used to expand or continue an existing, impactful programme. Examples of programmes that a Regional Creatives Fund grant can be used for include funding for placements in game development studios, music production training, and portfolio development for future advertising creatives.

Grants will be awarded by an independent judging panel. The panel includes senior leaders from Amazon, The National Theatre, the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, Help Musicians, and Music Minds Matter. 

Funding applications will be assessed across five key areas. Strong proposals will reflect the fund’s spirit with energy, optimism, and a clear creative purpose; deliver real impact through skills, access, and industry links; show a smart, achievable plan with confident delivery; centre inclusion by amplifying underrepresented voices; and build on existing programmes to grow what’s already working.

More information on the judging criteria is available here. 

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “I want every young person to have the opportunity to build a successful career within the creative industries, which is one of this country’s greatest assets.

“Whether it’s in film, TV, gaming, fashion or music, we have so much homegrown talent and I am delighted that the Regional Creatives Fund will help shine a spotlight on that right across the country helping people contribute to our national story.

“Alongside our Creative Industries Sector Plan this new fund will help to support growth in these fast-growing sectors by preparing the next generation of creatives to tell our national story on the world stage.”

Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair of the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee and RCF Board Member added: “The creative industries are one of the UK’s greatest success stories, but for too long access to careers in this sector have been limited by social and economic barriers.

“Amazon’s Regional Creatives Fund is exactly the kind of initiative we need – offering substantial grants and practical support to help level the playing field.

“By supporting local charities with both funding and industry expertise, this programme will help unlock creative talent across our communities and ensure the UK’s creative sectors truly reflect the diversity of our society.”

“Amazon has been a passionate supporter of creative industries in the UK for many years and the Regional Creatives Fund will supercharge that support in Edinburgh and across the country,” added Paul Firth, Director, Global Music Industry, Amazon Music. 

“The aim of the Regional Creatives Fund is to help charities amplify the reach of existing programmes that support pathways to careers in the creative industries. We understand talent is everywhere, but access isn’t, and we’re working to change that. Through the Regional Creatives Fund, we want to help create a future where creativity belongs to everyone.”

Amazon has invested over £4.2 billion in the UK’s creative industries since 2010, with over 2,000 people permanently working across our Film and TV, music and audio, books and publishing, fashion, and gaming businesses, and supporting 16,000 additional jobs. 

Amazon’s creative industries footprint extends across the entire UK: from acquiring the historic Bray Film Studios in Berkshire last year, which will house the production of the next season of Citadel; to the long-term contract with Shepperton Studios for exclusive use of new state-of-the-art production facilities at the Surrey studios where The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is currently filming; Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock in Wales; Harlan Coben’s Lazarus in Manchester; productions at First Stage Studios and Leigh Studios in Edinburgh; and multiple productions on location in and around London such as the live action movie Masters of the Universe. 

The Amazon Literary Partnership has been awarding grants to inspiring non-profit literary organisations, writing centres and community engagement programmes groups since it was first launched in the UK six years ago.

While each has a different focus, all have a shared goal of uplifting and offering opportunities to aspiring writers at any stage of their creative journey, and empowering those from underrepresented communities to experience and contribute to the magic of storytelling through the written word.

Amazon Music is committed to expanding access to UK music talent through a series of targeted initiatives. Partnerships with organizations including the BRIT Trust, Amplify, and the Association for Independent Music support new creative professionals entering the industry.

The Step-Up Fund, a collaboration with the Featured Artists Coalition, will launch its fourth year in 2025. This fund provides financial support to emerging independent artists by offering development grants.

Since its inception, Step-Up has distributed £250,000 to more than 30 UK musicians, including both bands and solo artists across multiple genres. These grants enable artists to fund new recordings, touring costs, marketing campaigns, PR activities, video production, and content creation.

As part of its global strategy to shape a more inclusive audio-storytelling industry, Audible is partnering with multiple institutions in the UK to support creative development programmes, from funding scholarships and classes at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA), to sponsoring the Barbican Young Poets Program and Women’s Prize for Fiction Discoveries Programme.

To find out more about the Regional Creatives Fund, visit:

 https://www.aboutamazon.co.uk/news/community/amazon-regional-creatives-fund