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April was an exciting and busy month for Creative Enterprise Live, as we travelled across England to connect with screen businesses, founders and emerging talent through a series of regional events.
Across four cities, Creative Enterprise Live created space to meet the team, explore newly announced programmes, and have honest conversations about growth, sustainability and opportunity in the screen industries.
The series kicked off in York with a focus on TV and unscripted. The event brought together founders to explore pitching, funding and the impact of new technologies on production. Speakers included Sara Gibbings, who shared insights into pitching at international festivals and securing co-productions, and John Rose‑Adams, who examined how virtual production, XR and generative AI are reshaping current workflows. The last workshop of the day with Elettra Pizzi focused on intellectual property strategies for producers.
In Newcastle, Creative Enterprise Live took the form of a networking breakfast, offering a more informal but practical setting for founders and producers. The conversation focused on building sustainable regional production companies, sharing experiences, challenges and lessons learned.
The highlight of the event was workshop from Alex Polunin, BAFTA-winning producer on how to set up and grow independent regional production company.
The highlight of the event was workshop from Alex Polunin, BAFTA-winning producer on how to set up and grow independent regional production company.
The Nottingham event turned the spotlight on games and immersive businesses, with discussions centred on resilience, longevity and how to build and sustain a studio in a competitive market. We heard from Rob Hewson from Huey Games exploring the realities of failures and surviving long enough in the business to get lucky.
The final stop took place in Bournemouth, with a strong focus on new and emerging talent. Partnering with Arts University Bournemouth, the event explored skills development, creator‑led IP and the responsible use of AI across formats.
Speakers included Steve Rafter, who delivered a practical session on skills auditing and professional development, Julia Munder, who shared insights on building creator‑led transmedia IP, and Fiona Bavinton, who contributed perspectives on navigating the new world of AI.
Across all four events, we loved the chance to get out on the road and spend time with so many new and familiar faces - from first‑time founders to long‑standing alumni and partners. Meeting people in person, hearing what they’re working on and having open conversations about the challenges ahead was a real highlight for the team. We’re incredibly excited to carry this energy forward and start delivering our new programmes, continuing to support creative businesses as they grow, evolve and take their next steps.
Find Out More about Creative Enterprise Programmes Here
Creative Enterprise is delivered with support from the British Film Institute, awarding funds from the National Lottery.