Meeting the skills needs of Creative Industry Freelancers and Microbusinesses
Creative freelancers and microbusinesses operate on a very different business model from most other small businesses. To be successful in a fast-changing and competitive marketplace, they need to combine a focus on their creative specialism with the ability to quickly ‘pivot’ to take advantage of new opportunities and diversify their revenue streams to create sustainable businesses. Before designing WYCreate, which is delivering a series of brand new, FREE training opportunities to creative industry freelancers and microbusinesses across West Yorkshire, The Fifth Sector worked with cultural organisations and creative networks to make sure that the programme addressed both the needs and aspirations of the region’s creatives.
For freelancers this means a programme designed to develop their careers and diversify their revenue.
For microbusinesses, WYCreate will help to increase the resilience and growth of their business and upskill their creative team.
Delivered by a team of experienced and sector-specialist training providers, masterclasses include:
Fast Track Your Freelance - how to buildi credibility and visibility as a freelancer
Finance forecasting for freelancers and screen businesses
Build your business development strategy the creative way! – a bitesize online course to stimulate fresh thinking about new business
The branding roadmap for Creativepreneurs
Give Your Creative Enterprise the AI Advantage, a three-part course mixing online and classroom based sessions to give creative insight to harnessing AI’s potential
Music Innovators programme from Music Leeds
An all-day XR workshop at ALT’s amazing Production Park facility
Applications are now open - courses will run from 24 October to 2 December 2024, with more to follow in 2025.
Eligibility
Freelancers If you provide your creative skills and services as an individual to various clients or companies on a project-by-project basis, and are resident in West Yorkshire, then you are eligible for courses specifically designed for freelancers.
Microbusinesses If you run, are a partner in, or are an employee of, a creative organisation with fewer than nine employees and are based in West Yorkshire then you are eligible for courses designed for creative microbusinesses.
About WYCreate
WYCreate is a part of You Can Make It Here, a programme of support and investment provided by West Yorkshire Business and Skills, to make sure that West Yorkshire’s creative industries thrive.
The Fifth Sector is a specialist creative industries consultancy, which has been appointed by West Yorkshire Combined Authority to develop and manage a programme of skills and business support for creative freelancers and microbusinesses.
WYCreate is supported by our network partners: Bradford Cultural Voice Forum, CalderdaleCreates, Wilson’s Republic, Arts Together and Creative Wakefield.