UP to £30,000 of funding is available for charitable organisations in Warrington following the announcement that Amazon’s Regional Creatives Fund is returning for 2026.
The fund, established by Amazon last year, offers grants of up to £30,000 to UK charities, Community Interest Companies (CICs) and Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) that develop creative industry career pathways.
It is open to charitable organisations in Warrington and across the UK that help underserved communities access careers in the arts, TV, podcasting, gaming, fashion, photography, journalism, comedy, and more.
Applications close on August 2.
The 2026 Regional Creatives Fund, launched at The National Theatre in London by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, exists to widen access to creative industry careers for people in underserved communities and aligns with the Government’s Creative Places Growth Fund1.
Applications are welcome from single organisations and from consortiums whose members are based in the same region, provided they already run skills projects making a real difference and are looking for further funding to grow, maintain, or reimagine that work.
Single organisations meeting the criteria are invited to apply for up to £30,000, while partnerships applying together can access as much as £100,000. By backing charitable organisations with established creative upskilling work, the Regional Creatives Fund gives community organisations the freedom to tackle their most urgent priorities.
The fund welcomes applications from organisations working across the creative industries, including:
• Music — performance, production, artist development, sound engineering, music business
• Performing Arts and Live Events — theatre, live performance, events production, stage management, technical production
• Screen and Audio — film, TV, animation, podcasting, radio, audio production
• Digital and Interactive — gaming, XR, AI-enabled creative tools, digital design, social media production
• Publishing and Communications — books, journalism, copywriting, PR, advertising, podcasting
• Fashion, Craft and Visual Arts — fashion, textiles, fine art, illustration, photography, graphic design
• Comedy — stand-up, sketch, sitcom, comedy writing, character comedy
• Cross-disciplinary — projects that genuinely span two or more of the above
• Other — creative industries where a strong fit is demonstrated
Applications are open for small to mid-size charitable organisations who are registered in the UK. Applicants must currently be running a programme that focuses on upskilling people from underserved communities for careers in creative industries
Applicants must be able to show the grant will expand or sustain an existing programme that’s already making a difference, whether that’s placements in game development studios, music production training, or portfolio development for the advertising creatives of tomorrow.
An independent expert judging panel will award funding to Regional Creatives Fund applicants. The panel includes senior leaders from Amazon, The National Theatre, BAFTA, Arts Council England, NI Screen, Creative Wales, Help Musicians, Audible and the Culture, Media and Sport Committee.
To find out more about the Regional Creatives Fund, visit https://www.aboutamazon.co.uk/news/community/amazon-regional-creatives-fund
