Launched in 2025, the Regional Creatives Fund is available to charities, CICs, and CIOs which support individuals breaking into publishing, music, gaming, film, TV, fashion, advertising, and other creative sectors where diversity and fresh perspectives can drive innovation and change. The fund exists to widen access to creative industry careers for people in underserved communities (as defined by Creative Access, the UK’s leading inclusivity organisation in the creative industries) and aligns with the Government’s Creative Places Growth Fund.
In addition to financial support, the Regional Creatives Fund uses Amazon’s network of creative industry professionals to offer charitable organisations pro-bono upskilling programmes — including mentoring, work experience, placement opportunities, and digital training, with support provided by minds from Amazon Music, Prime Video, Amazon Games, and more.
The initiative comes at a crucial time, as recent research from The Sutton Trust reveals that younger adults from working-class backgrounds are four times less likely to work in 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.
The Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who launched the 2026 Regional Creatives Fund at the National Theatre, 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.”
Who is eligible for Amazon’s Regional Creatives Fund?
Applications for the 2026 Regional Creatives Fund are open. Apply here.
2026 applications are welcome from small-to-medium-size single charities, CICs, and CIOs — up to £30,000 — and from consortiums — up to £100,000 — 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.
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.
By backing charities, CICs, and CIOs with established creative upskilling work, the Regional Creatives Fund gives community organisations the freedom to tackle their most urgent priorities.
Applicants must be able to show the grant will expand or sustain an existing programme that’s already making a difference for underserved communities, whether that’s through placements in game development studios, music production training, or portfolio development for the advertising creatives of tomorrow.
Grants are awarded by an independent judging panel made up of senior leaders from Amazon, The National Theatre, BAFTA, Arts Council England, Northern Ireland Screen, Creative Wales, Help Musicians, Audible, and the Culture, Media and Sport Committee.
Applications are assessed across five key areas. Strong proposals needed to:
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Show energy, optimism, and a clear creative purpose
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Deliver real impact through skills, access, and industry links
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Show a smart, achievable plan with confident delivery
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Amplify underrepresented voices
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Build on existing programmes to grow what’s already working.
