CASTING IS ON FOR ENGLAND’S MOST ENTERPRISING ARTS ENTREPRENEURS
National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship, Northern Edge, and Arts Council England to select 40 social entrepreneurs to take centre stage
Applications now being accepted
Aspiring entrepreneurs with a flair for the arts will have the chance to turn their business ideas into fully-fledged social enterprises, through participating in the Flying Start Northern Edge and Arts Council England Programme for Arts and Social Enterprises (FSPNEACE).
FSPNEACE is a one-year programme run by the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship and its partners the Arts Council of England and the Northern Edge. Forty selected entrepreneurs will be aided in defining their business idea and learning the basics of setting up an enterprise in 12 months; from securing funding to running marketing programmes.
The programme will focus entirely on entrepreneurs in the arts, from theatre and dance to participatory and community art. Participants must have graduated from university in the last five years and be committed to starting a business in the next 12 months, based in the North West, North East, or Yorkshire and Humberside regions.
FSPNEACE officially kicks off in September 2007 at the University of Hull with a three day residential course. Participants will have the chance to meet each other and attend a series of workshops and presentations led by entrepreneurs from the performing arts sector and business experts. .
Lorna Collins, Director of Flying Start at the NCGE, commented:
“This is our first Flying Start programme dedicated exclusively to social entrepreneurs in the performing arts industry. We have seen many of the entrepreneurs who have completed previous Flying Start programmes establish successful, trading businesses, and I’m confident this event will be no different. We are welcoming applicants from all areas of the arts, from dance to theatre to community arts projects.”
Aileen McEvoy, Higher Education Strategy Lead, Arts Council England, commented:
” Arts Council England is committed to developing the creative industries sector through higher education so this is a welcome partnership for us. Programmes like Flying Start are invaluable to graduates with excellent business ideas but without the necessary knowledge or experience to start a successful business. We would like to wish all of the applicants the best of luck and we look forward to being inspired by your creative social enterprise ideas.”
Professor Ron Cook, Director of the Northern Edge, commented:
“We are excited to be involved with the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship and the Arts Council England in running the Flying Start programme. We are committed to promoting social enterprise in the arts throughout the Northern Way. Kick starting the programme at the University of Hull will hopefully get the entire region involved in helping to develop new arts businesses and backing the aspiring entrepreneurs.”
Applications for FSPNEACE are open from now until 15 July 2007 at: http://www.flyingstart-ncge.com/arts