Region to become leader in creative innovation with £6.75m funding from government 

The West Midlands is set to become a hub in creative innovation after securing £6.75m funding from the government.

Birmingham City University (BCU) has joined forces with the Royal Shakespeare Company and three other West Midlands universities to lead a £6.75 million project to support the growth of sectors such as gaming and creative content across the region.

The CreaTech Frontiers collaboration, which also includes Coventry University, the University of Birmingham, and The University of Warwick, will involve high-profile industry partners such as Vodafone, Digital Catapult, Rebellion, Holosphere, Reach plc and Hollywood Gaming. 

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) believe the creative content and gaming sectors have the potential to generate £65m and create 1,500 jobs by 2030.  

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy said: “Talent is everywhere but opportunity is not.

“That’s why we are supporting firms, artists and freelancers that are innovating, using new technology and driving growth in creative clusters across the country.   

“Birmingham and the West Midlands have a rich industrial history, and we are putting them at the forefront of a potential new industry developing the amazing technology that will revolutionise visual effects in film, theatre and gaming.”  

CreaTech Frontiers is funded by investment from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) on behalf of UK Research and Innovation, which has designated the West Midlands a Creative Industries Cluster.  

Lamberto Coccioli, Professor of Music and Technology at BCU’s Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and project lead, said: “CreaTech Frontiers will bring together the most valuable assets of this region – a young and diverse talent pool, world-class research, outstanding arts organisations, and a budding tech sector – to spark innovation and stimulate growth.   

“We’re delighted to support creative technology companies in the West Midlands with a comprehensive programme of grants and skills development led by industry needs.

“It’s fantastic news for the people and businesses of Birmingham and beyond.”  

The project demonstrates BCU’s commitment to developing knowledge for good and nurturing talent by providing real-world opportunities for students, as outlined in its 2030 strategy.  

BCU vice-chancellor Professor David Mba said: “The creative sector in the West Midlands is a key part of Birmingham City University's heritage as well as the city’s future.

“We believe that supporting people in the region to develop the skills required is essential to keeping the ecosystem thriving – and this is what we are striving to do through the University's new strategy.  

“We’re delighted to be leading this project, which can help secure the future of the creative industries for the region.”  

Creative SMEs will be able to apply for grants from a £1.8 million fund, access academic R&D expertise, mentoring and training, and use world-class research and development labs to create new products and services.  

 More than 70 paid internships and 16 funded PhDs will also be made available through the initiative to nurture talent and drive innovation among creative professionals of the future.  

The list of industry partners also includes Capture Ltd and Elemental Compute, with support from sector bodies WMCA, TechWM, Create Central, and Culture Central.  

Meanwhile, Birmingham Opera Company will engage young people from deprived areas in the West Midlands in co-creating performances and discover potential careers in the sector.  

Cultural partners will also run R&D demonstrators, including experimental performance projects utilising creative technologies curated by RSC and showcased at SXSW – an annual event in Austin, Texas that combines film, media, and music festivals and conferences.