Creative UK has announced that the North East Shared Success Fund, a “vital initiative supporting creative businesses across the region”, has officially closed after successfully awarding funding to a diverse range of companies driving creativity, innovation and economic growth in the North East.
Delivered by Creative UK as part of the Mayor Kim McGuinness’ North East Culture and Creative Investment Programme, the fund has “empowered some of the region’s most exciting businesses, equipping them with the resources they need to scale, innovate, and make a lasting impact on the sector”, a press release said.
A total of seven businesses have received investment through this round of the programme, spanning a wide range of creative disciplines, from film and media production to music and fashion brands.
The successful recipients include:
Beatnik Studio
A Newcastle-based creative agency specialising in branding, UX/UI, digital product development and design-led cultural storytelling. Investment will fund the design, development and testing phase of Pilgrim – a scalable digital platform that transforms cultural routes into interactive, gamified experiences designed to engage visitors.
Global Underground
A world-renowned, independent electronic music label founded in Newcastle in 1996. Investment will support a major 30th-anniversary release to be launched in 2026.
Idea Junkies
A Newcastle-based marketing and content strategy agency founded in 2022. Investment will be used for the development of BrandScribe, an AI-powered marketing platform for creative microbusinesses.
Persona Design
A Northumberland-based creative technology company. Investment will be used for developing a Persona Validation Module, a platform that enables organisations to make better design and strategy decisions informed by authentic user voices.
Schwartz-Patrick Media
A Sunderland-based factual, documentary and branded-content production company. Investment will go towards post-production and distribution of “Hidden Gems of the North East”, a high-end regional travelogue filmed across 2024–2025, showcasing culture, crafts, landscapes and community stories.
SNIDE
An emerging Northumberland-based streetwear label specialising in limited-run graphic clothing, high-quality fabrication, and process-driven storytelling. Investment will be used to scale into a fully structured clothing brand with consistent collections, professional content, and expanded distribution.
Wildcat Films
A long-established documentary and specialist cinematography production company based in Gateshead. Investment will support the development and pitching of two flagship documentary projects.
“These businesses represent the thriving creative economy of the North East, developing ground-breaking projects, creating new employment opportunities, and reinforcing the region’s reputation as a hub for cultural and digital innovation,” Creative UK said.
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “I’m so proud of the brilliant work our creative firms produce, and we’ve just invested £104m to make sure our cultural sector can compete on the world stage.
“As the home of the first passenger railway, and first electrically lit home, we’ve already got a reputation for innovation, and we’re home to a thriving creative economy.
“From AI rooted tech to support creativity, to reinforcing the region as the home of creative productions, these organisations and projects show the scope and ambition to put our region in the centre of the cultural revolution.”
More information is available on the Creative UK website.
