THE BIG HOUSE

What is the Big House?

Through ‘The Big House’ project, Derby Theatre and In Good Company have secured additional funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of a consortium of creative organisations across Derby/Derbyshire and Nottingham/Nottinghamshire. As a result we have launched a range of business support services for the creative and digital sectors in the region, focusing on the performing arts.

The Big House is here to help Creative and Digital businesses to grow. We are committed to creating new jobs in the region, from potential start-ups and new entrepreneurs, to established SMEs looking to expand and bring new products and services to market.

Support on offer includes one-to-one advice, workshops, networking events and grant funding. Visit The Big House website at: https://bighouse.org.uk/

Who’s involved?

The Big House programme is being delivered through a partnership of business support organisations across the local area, with specialist expertise in different aspects of the Creative and Digital industries.

In addition to IGC and Derby Theatre, The Big House partners include The Creative Quarter company, Derby QUAD, NBV Enterprise Solutions Ltd, New Art Exchange, Nottingham Business School at Nottingham Trent University, The Hive – Nottingham Trent University’s business incubator and the University of Derby.

How does it work?

The programme brings together a wide range of support and care for Creative and Digital businesses at different stages of development. It can be accessed in different ways, from different partners, in different places – while still being part of a joined-up business support programme.

Businesses will move through The Big House of support, accessing help at the level they need – from entrepreneurs, start-ups and those who face barriers to accessing mainstream business support, through to established, growing SMEs.

Best of all, because the programme involves a wide range of partners, businesses will be able to benefit from both specialist expertise and the diverse, overarching support of a business support programme, without having to sign up to lots of individual, disjointed programmes. It’s all here – in one Big House.

Why do we need it?

The programme has been launched to improve the ability of the region’s CDI SMEs to start-up and grow, so they can take advantage of the UK’s booming CDI sector, which contributes just over £84 billion a year to the UK economy. Similarly, the number of jobs in the creative industries has risen nearly 20% since 2011 to 1.9 million, according to figures from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport.

The creative industries grew by 9% in 2014, almost double the size of the nation’s whole economy growth – and the sector has increased as a proportion of the total UK gross value added (GVA) for four years running. The CDI sector employs around 25,000 people across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, split roughly between the two counties.

Where does the funding come from?

The programme is part-funded by a £2.5 million contribution from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), via the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership’s ESIF allocation.

The D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), is a private sector-led partnership of business, local authorities, skills and training providers, and community and voluntary services promoting employment and economic growth across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire.

Match funding has come from the Creative Local Growth Fund programme, funded by The Arts Council.