Creative Solo Entrepreneurs and Freelancers Enterprise Development Programme

Uncategorized Friday 1 May 2026

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Freelancers and solo entrepreneurs are central to the cultural and creative industries—but too often, business support and policy frameworks fail to reflect the realities of how creative work actually happens. Collaborate with us, help us understand these failures and have your say on what is happening in the sector.

About the Programme 

The Creative Solo Entrepreneurs and Freelancers Enterprise Development Programme is a short, funded initiative designed to support cultural and creative freelancers in developing sustainable, resilient practices—while contributing to research that will shape future business support and policy.

Taking an action research approach, the programme combines practical training, peer learning, and ongoing evaluation. Participants are not just recipients of support, but active contributors to the development of new models for freelancer support.

Why this matters 

The creative workforce is increasingly made up of freelancers and solo entrepreneurs working across multiple roles, income streams, and projects. However, existing business support is often built around traditional employment or growth models that don’t align with creative practice.

This programme seeks to: 

• Explore the real needs and challenges faced by creative freelancers
• Test new approaches to business skills development
• Identify structural and systemic barriers to sustainability and growth
• Generate evidence to inform more effective, inclusive policy

Insights from the programme will directly contribute to the work of the Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership, helping to shape future approaches to economic development, skills, and cultural policy.

What participants will experience

Participants will take part in a series of workshops and an evaluation session, designed to provide both practical value and space for reflection and exchange.

The programme will explore topics such as:

• Building a sustainable creative business model
• Marketing and audience development in authentic ways
• Developing an effective online presence
• Financial confidence and sustainable income strategies
• Managing time, workload, and avoiding burnout

Alongside this, participants will contribute their perspectives and experiences, helping to shape the content and direction of the programme as it evolves.

Who it’s for 

This programme is aimed at freelancers and solo entrepreneurs working in the cultural and creative industries who are:

• Looking to grow or sustain their practice
• Interested in developing their business skills in a way that reflects their values and ways of working
• Open to contributing to a collaborative, research-informed process
• A research-led approach

Through co-design, delivery, and embedded evaluation, the project will generate:

• Real-time insights and lived-experience evidence
• Tested models of support and training
• Policy recommendations for future programmes and investment
• Get involved

We are currently inviting applications for the next cohort of participants. You can get more information and apply for the programme here

Application deadline: 9am, Tuesday 12 May 2026

Places are limited, and applications will be used to ensure a diverse and relevant cohort.

If you have any questions or would like any further information about the programme, please get in touch with David Spicer at the University of Bradford on email or call 01274 232158.