North Paddington Creative Enterprise Zone

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Photo credit: James O Jenkins

Creative Enterprise Zones are an initiative from the Mayor of London to designate areas of London where artists and creative businesses can:

• find permanent affordable space to work
• are supported to start-up and grow
• where local people are helped to learn creative sector skills and access pathways to employment

Launching the zone

North Paddington is among several new areas to be designated as a Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ). Becoming a CEZ sees the area granted £170,000 funding from the Mayor of London, to celebrate creativity and culture in North Paddington.

The CEZ will support existing arts and cultural institutions, as well as connecting and opening opportunities for local people. It will also bolster the council's North Paddington programme which seeks to address the long-standing social-economic and health challenges in the northwest of the borough.

The vision for the North Paddington Zone is for a place where creative production grows, is sustainable, and accessible for all. And where people are empowered to develop their talent and reach their potential.

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Adam Hug said:

Westminster is full of talented people with the ideas to thrive in creative industries. By designating North Paddington a Creative Enterprise Zone, the Mayor of London, the council and our local partners are revealing a world of untapped potential - providing space for our communities to explore new opportunities in the creative sector and support for existing business.

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Photo credit: James O Jenkins·

What do Creative Enterprise Zones do?

Creative Enterprise Zones have four pillars:

1. Space: creating permanent, affordable, creative workspace and live-work spaces at below-market rents and ensuring no net loss of space.
2. Providing skills and business support: building entrepreneurial skills and offering business support to artists, start-ups, sole traders, micro-sized and small businesses, developing career pathways and opportunities for progression into the creative industries and supporting sectors.
3. Policy: development and delivery of proactive policy approaches which support artists and creatives in Local Plans, housing and business rates policies.
4. Community engagement and socially inclusive places: embedding creative production in communities, creating socially inclusive places and strong links with education providers.

Where the zone will be

The zone covers three wards: Westbourne, Harrow Road and Queens Park.

A diverse multicultural and multi-faith area, these wards are home to 44,000 residents, 24% of them aged 19 and under. This represents a high concentration of young people for a London neighbourhood in zone 2.

Through the CEZ, we want to continue to tackle the diversity challenges in the creative industries and ensure people from Global Majority heritages are better represented.

Advisory group

To drive the vision and strategy of the North Paddington Creative Enterprise Zone, we are creating an advisory group to develop the future of the programme, ensuring the creative community is supported, and the zone has a sustainable legacy. 

We are currently recruiting for people to join the group.

Find out more and apply to the group

Re:Create Westminster

Re:Create is specifically designed to help creative business owners build resilient businesses through expert skills advice and training.  

Launching for the first time in Westminster in 2024, the scheme will help meet the council's aims to create a place where creative production grows, is sustainable, and accessible for all.  

Run and developed by social enterprise Creative United, Re:Create has already generated an estimated £165,000 in additional income and seen new jobs created among last year's participants. 

Westminster-based creative business will have the chance to: 

• be one of 40 creatives business owners and artists based in the borough, who have been trading for at least a year, to receive 4 hours of free one-to-one business mentoring from coaches in the creative industries 
• access a complimentary Re:Create Business Skills E-learning course focused key topics such as marketing, e-commerce, business planning, financial forecasting, funding, influencing and leadership 
• grow business opportunities through networking events with other Re:Create participants 

The Re:Create Westminster programme is keen to support individuals who are currently underrepresented in the creative and cultural sectors or experience marginalisation, such as those from the global majority, those with disabilities or members of the LGBTQ+ community. 

Find out more and join the programme

North Paddington Creates - Round 2

Funding for creative projects and events - apply now for between £1,000 and £10,000 to make your project happen.

Following a successful programme of funded events currently underway, North Paddington Creates is launching a second round.

North Paddington Creative Enterprise Zone is inviting local organisations, artists and creatives to deliver arts, culture, heritage and creative activities in Westbourne, Harrow Road, Queens Park, Little Venice, and Maida Vale. 

Grants will support locally rooted and delivered events and activities. The aim is to showcase local creativity, improve pride in the local area, increase footfall and attract visitors to the area through cultural programming.  

Projects can cover a broad range of initiatives including workshops, tours, creative training, festivals, exhibitions, performances and screenings across North Paddington between December 2024 and March 2025. 

Funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). Applicants will be able to apply for grants between £1,000 and £10,000 for the delivery of each event or programme of activities.  

Deadline for applications: 9am on Monday 11 November 2024.

Find out more and apply to North Paddington Creates.

Take part in the North Paddington Creates events and activities

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Get involved

Get involved today and help us shape the vision for the Creative Enterprise Zone:

• Sign up for our newsletter
• Get in touch with us at [email protected] 
• Follow news from London's Creative Enterprise Zones at London Made Me