CIIF - Tapping into the creative potential of Northern Ireland

by Alastair Cameron

The Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF) which is administered by The Arts Council of Northern Ireland, with sectoral support from Northern Ireland Screen and Digital Circle (the representative organisation for Digital Content businesses in Northern Ireland), is once more on the lookout for businesses and individuals to apply for up to £10k of funding for projects, ideas and initiatives within the creative industries arena.

The ‘creative industries’ are seen by many as the beacon for an otherwise heavily subsidised Northern Ireland economy - an economy which was previously over-reliant on the public sector and on the traditional manufacturing and construction industries. It’s therefore understandable why the Northern Ireland purse holders are keen to support the potential that this growing industry sector has to offer.

Since its launch in 2008, the Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF) has supported nearly 250 projects with a total investment of approximately £4.5 million. Here at Startacus, we’re extremely grateful that we were able to avail of CIIF support when developing this very platform.

Whilst the Arts Council are not directly looking for a return on their monies, they are keen to find out how, in the long term, any monies awarded will bring returns back both to the individuals and businesses as well as the Northern Irish economy as a whole - factors which need to be considered in detail by all potential CIIF applicants.

All prospective CIIF applications must fit into the key CIIF requirements of providing innovation both in business and people, Cross-Sectoral Collaboration, Export-Focused Activity, and also offering Innovation and Entrepreneurial Potential to Northern Ireland’s Culture, Arts and Leisure base. The application itself is fairly straightforward, but one that, we, here at Startacus reckon is worth taking considerable time and effort over. Since all applications must be in by 7th February, it’s time to get working on yours, if you’re applying!

You can check out all the CIIF details and small print here and good to everyone and anyone who applies!

Are you bursting with creativity? Want to be the next Richard Branson? Cure the world? Compose a masterpiece? Invent a new way to travel? Design a new line of clothing or just find a way to sell your wares to the world?

Well, look no further than the collaboration section on Startacus.....In your very own virtual workspace, you can start to get that idea moving - all of it or even just a little bit - it’s up to you

 

• #creative
• #northern ireland
• #fund

Published on: 8th January 2013