Creative Industries Clusters Round 2

Creative Industries Clusters Round 2 is sponsored by Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). Supports the development of new Creative Industries Clusters focusing on challenges in specific regions or sectors.

Creative Industries Clusters: round two: outline stage – UKRI Funding opportunity: Creative Industries Clusters: round two: outline stage Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) 5 January 2026 9:00am UK time 3 March 2026 4:00pm UK time Last updated: 27 January 2026 - see all updates Apply for funding to deliver a new Creative Industries Cluster in the second round of commissioning for this successful Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) portfolio.

address a clear challenge in a specific geographical region, sub-sector or both focus on creating new products, services, or experiences with commercial potential AHRC will fund 80% of the full economic cost (FEC). The funding will last for five years. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding.

This is a two-stage process. Successful applicants to the outline stage will be invited to develop a full application. This opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility, and organisations who are based overseas.

Check if your organisation is eligible . Your proposal must include a project lead and at least one project co-lead. Each team member must contribute to: the development of the research proposal project leadership and management joint publication of authored research UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) acknowledges and supports different career paths within the research and innovation community.

You must clearly demonstrate the appropriate level of expertise, skills, and capability to deliver the proposed application, in line with the funding opportunity requirements.

You must be either: employed by the research organisation submitting the proposal have an existing written formal arrangement with the research organisation confirming that you will be able to carry out the research as if you were an employee scheduled to move to the research organisation before the proposed start date of the grant Project co-leads are supported by this funding opportunity and includes international co-leads as per the following guidance.

Project co-leads must be based at a UK organisation eligible to receive AHRC funding. Other roles that are supported by this funding opportunity are listed in the ‘How to apply’ section. For more information on eligibility, please read the AHRC research funding guide.

Who is not eligible to apply Higher education institutions (HEIs) who have led a creative cluster in round one are not eligible to apply as a project lead in this wave. They can apply as a partner on a bid led by a different HEI or applicable organisation. This funding cannot be used to fund PhD study.

International researchers As AHRC research council is a lead funder for this opportunity, international researchers can apply as ‘project co-lead (international)’. You should include all other international collaborators (or UK partners not based at approved organisations) as project partners. Equality, diversity and inclusion We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants.

We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers. We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes: support for people with caring responsibilities alternative working patterns UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.

AHRC’s Creative Industries Clusters bring together universities, businesses, local and regional policymakers, and private funders to drive research, innovation and growth in the creative industries. Led by UK universities, the clusters create research and development (R&D) driven commercial opportunities, strengthen regional capabilities and deliver real world impacts.

They are a proven route to co-investment, leverage and the creation of jobs, skills, products and experiences that bring economic, social and cultural benefits to regions and the UK. We are inviting proposals to establish four new Creative Industries Clusters (clusters) that will seek to address gaps in the reach and coverage of previous and existing clusters.

The focus of the next round of clusters will be to: broaden the geographical reach of the clusters portfolio enabling new regions to gain from the benefits of hosting a Cluster or expand the cluster model into sub-sectors and challenges not addressed in previous rounds contribute to delivery of the UK’s Creative Industries Sector Plan (PDF, 11MB) objectives (growth, skills and wider impact) directly address known sector challenges as part of their work including, but not limited to: skills and talent development equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) environmental sustainability AHRC is also interested in exploring clusters that are underpinned by cross-disciplinary collaboration in key priority areas, including where there is potential for impact beyond the creative sector.

We specifically welcome applications that explore the intersection of AHRC and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) research, for example between creative industries, digital technologies and ICT such as: human computer interactions responsible artificial intelligence other audio, visual, speech and senses technologies At least 50% of cluster activity must be within the remit of AHRC.

Please make it clear in your application that your proposal is interdisciplinary and identify which sector it would include.

Each cluster will be required to meet the following set of core objectives: generate economic growth, social and cultural benefits, including protecting existing and creating new jobs within the sector create an ecosystem for new and experimental creative content, products, services and experiences generate long-term strategic applied research partnerships between creative enterprises, higher education institutions (HEIs) and other relevant sectoral or local stakeholders improve creative businesses’ access to the skills, knowledge and expertise they require to develop new innovative products and services, including through training and skills development address key place-based or sector issues through an applied research programme address key equality, diversity and inclusion challenges for the creative sector, through applied research programmes ensure activities or approaches are working toward or will have a positive environmental or sustainable impact Key requirements and expectations work within an existing place-based creative industries ecosystem as defined or evidenced, for example, by the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) be hosted by an HEI working in partnership with at least one other HEI or an independent research organisation have industry partners integrated throughout the entire programme, from governance to delivery be led by industry need, responding to opportunities and challenges within the geography they intend to serve have a realistic and deliverable plan to secure co-investment and leverage from industry and other sources have the infrastructural and resourcing, including staff capability, to deliver a large-scale collaborative research and development (R&D) programme provide flexible means for managing and supporting devolved funding of R&D activities to creative industries partners be highly interdisciplinary, collaborating across disciplines, departments and institutions in collaboration with industry, have designed an ambitious and innovative collaborative R&D programme which is focused on delivering challenge-led innovation.

This must combine research capabilities with industry need and include a strong presence from the arts and humanities be flexible, responsive and embed continuous improvement propose a strong and sustainable model of collaboration, fully integrated with industry and other relevant stakeholders (local and regional policy makers, private funders and investors and other sector and skills bodies) has a clear shared vision and strategy for delivering economic growth and will generate positive legacy opportunities establish a robust management and governance structure that has clear buy-in from senior HEI leadership and equivalent senior leaders from industry and other partners address risk and responsible research and innovation including ethical approaches to innovation have plans for monitoring and evaluating the performance and impact of the cluster, including the leveraged funding committed within the bid build productive partnerships to support access to finance and routes to market for the collaborative R&D projects develop relevant links beyond the partnership members to other organisations and clusters of activity both in the UK and internationally that are relevant to the partnership’s work build and develop a digital presence that will match the ambition of the cluster’s activities record, publish and communicate on best practice emerging from cluster activities to support knowledge exchange and continuous improvement ensure EDI is embedded across all aspects of their programme including management and delivery For more information on the background of this funding opportunity, g the Additional information section.

Management and operational structure Clusters must have robust management and operational structures. You should not underestimate the resources required to manage and deliver a multifaceted and multi-partner programme of this scale.

You are encouraged to carefully consider the appropriate management and operational support required, and covering the costs associated with this either through the main award or from other sources of funding. As well as appropriate research staff you should also identify programme management and operational staff and functions, for example, finance, communications and events.

Additional roles could also include producer or industry focused roles appropriate to the cluster sector or geography. Clusters are encouraged to be innovative in staffing functions across the partnership. The duration of this award is five years.

Projects must start by 1 February 2027. The total fund available is £27,000,000. AHRC will contribute funding of up to £6,750,000 per application.

Except for devolved funding, AHRC will fund 80% of the FEC. Clusters must be highly collaborative, integrating HEI and creative industry partners on an equal basis. AHRC expects to see funding awarded to creative industry partners balanced against an appropriate co-investment from that partner (financial or otherwise) to demonstrate commitment to the project.

AHRC also expects clusters to provide flexible means of devolving funding for innovative R&D activities. This funding strand can support the participation of freelancers, micro-businesses and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). A minimum of 30% of the total budget should be devolved and will be funded at 100% of the FEC, other (non- exceptions) costs will be funded at 80% FEC in line with standard UKRI terms and conditions .

Activities supported via devolved funding must be entirely related to supporting and delivering R&D that contributes to the aims of the cluster. Funding should not support core business or overhead costs. The host HEI is responsible for ensuring that funding adheres to UK government’s subsidy control regime .

Co-investment and leverage AHRC’s working definitions for co-investment and leverage are outlined as follows: co-investment is any funding secured as part of your application, also called match or pledged leverage is any funding attracted to the programme and connected activities that can reasonably be attributed to AHRC’s original funding Acceptable sources of co-investment and leverage funding include: cash, capital or in-kind contributions from application partners, including the HEIs where the programme lead and co-leads are based, that is specifically aimed at supporting the objectives of the cluster cash or capital funding secured specifically by the applicant from other sources, to support activity within the partnership that has not already been allocated for other purposes Unacceptable sources of co-investment and leverage funding include: funding that has already been committed prior to the commencement of the award funding that is not specifically aimed at supporting the objectives of the cluster.

For example, R&D that is aligned with project aims, but would have happened anyway, or institutional commitment to related facilities, functions, or activities that are planned or implemented prior to the commencement of the award an HEI’s 20% contribution to the FEC These sources must be able to be supported by an appropriate audit trail or evidence.

Clusters will be expected to leverage a minimum additional 50% of the total AHRC contribution from HEIs or partner organisations over the period of the award. You will be expected to provide tangible details about the scale and sources of co-investment, along with a coherent strategy for using AHRC funding to obtain further leverage throughout the life of the project.

You will be required to have achieved at least 30% towards the overall 50% committed leverage funding by the mid-term of your grant. Continuation of funding for the final two and a half years of the programme will be dependent on achieving this leverage funding. Please note that based on our experience from previous Creative Industries Clusters we expect all clusters to significantly exceed this target.

We will fund up to four new clusters that demonstrate: clearly defined challenges that are also recognised by industry.

AHRC recognises that through the process of undertaking R&D activity, the initial challenges identified at the point of application may need further refinement, in consultation with industry, particularly during the first year of the award when exploratory or experimental collaborative work can be conducted a collaborative and cross-disciplinary R&D programme of activities and devolved funding schemes that are centred on a defined sectoral or place-based challenge a programme of R&D activities that will generate business innovation and growth how the programme of activities and funding schemes will create economic growth.

For example, through the development of new products, services or experiences or through the creation or safeguarding of jobs across the sector ecosystem The types of R&D activity could include, but is not limited to: creative research that prototypes and explores experiences with audiences and users creation of multidisciplinary research capabilities that can respond to creative industry needs and challenges.

For example, exploration of new business models and intellectual property (IP) strategies within the context of specific new products, services or experiences experimental studios or labs to explore new products, services, and experiences support for access to finance and routes to market for the commercialisation of products and services training and development opportunities through apprenticeships, placements, secondments and staff exchanges, as well as continuing professional development, entrepreneurial or skills programmes that support pipelines for talent co-working, shared networking space and facilities providing opportunities for networking and making connections to grow the regional sector infrastructure this could include events, showcases and interactive demonstrations Clusters must have a carefully considered and impactful EDI framework that speaks to sector specific challenges as well as demonstrating excellent practice in approaches to management, governance and delivery.

They must also demonstrate how their activities and delivery programme support environmental sustainability approaches and practices. Clusters should include a flexible approach to funding to allow them to be responsive to new opportunities and change during the lifetime of the programme.

This is not to be considered contingency funding, but rather to enable a programme of this breadth and scale to be responsive to market and technological change and to respond to the success or failure of specific activity. Where appropriate funding can be used to support capital projects that are necessary and aligned to the clusters aim. This must be clearly explained in your resources and cost justification.

AHRC will not fund purely theoretical research, critical studies or historical analysis except where a strong case can be made that it is a central component of the innovation required to solve the challenges identified by the cluster. Funding for PhD studentships is not permitted. Clusters are encouraged to offer placements or projects to PhD students funded through existing UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) schemes.

Creative Industries Clusters will be managed by AHRC. They will be expected to work collaboratively together as part of a cohort, sharing expertise, experience and opportunities. There will be numerous opportunities to participate in key events, showcases and briefings and to champion the portfolio for, and with, AHRC.

You should expect high levels of AHRC engagement throughout the project. A mid-programme performance review will be conducted by AHRC for assurance purposes. Continued funding until the end of the programme will be dependent on a successful mid programme review.

Clusters are expected to carry out their own independent evaluation that focuses on their specific activities and needs. More information on governance, monitoring, reporting, evaluation, communications and public engagement will be available and required for the full application.

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) The UKRI equality, diversity and inclusion strategy 2022 to 2026 promotes the need to foster an inclusive and diverse research and innovation system, ‘by everyone, for everyone’. AHRC recognises that there are many challenges and opportunities for the creative industries in this space. Clusters are expected to pay due regard to EDI across all aspects of their proposal and programme.

While the issues and challenges vary by sub-sector there are several challenges pertinent to the creative industries that require consideration.

These include but are not limited to: social mobility and barriers faced by entrants from specific socio-economic backgrounds opportunities for early carer researchers, research technical professionals, inclusive career pathways and entry points diversity in management structures, governance and decision making accountability for embedding EDI considerations and good practice working with diverse stakeholders to explore EDI across the sector particularly with industry partners and policymakers use of data, collection, consistency, monitoring and management, including GDPR compliance diversity of communities that engage with research, development and innovation including through public engagement As part of your application, you will be required to produce an EDI statement that will outline your overarching aim and approach to EDI across your programme.

Environmental sustainability The UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy sets out our public commitment to reach net zero carbon operations by 2040, from a 2017 to 2018 baseline. The strategy also sets out a commitment to integrate environmental sustainability criteria into all investment decisions.

To compliment this commitment, UKRI has recently signed up to the cross-sector concordat for the environmental sustainability of research and innovation practice . In 2023 the Creative Industries Council published the Creative Climate Charter outlining eight principles for how the UK’s creative sector can use its “collective imagination, economic influence and leadership” to reduce its environmental impact and tackle the climate crisis.

As part of your application, you will be required to produce an environmental sustainability statement that will outline your overarching aim and approach to EDI across your programme. AHRC’s Creative Industries team are responsible for delivery of the Creative Industries Clusters and report into the Governance Board that will include cross UKRI and cross AHRC representation.

The board will be chaired by the senior responsible officer (SRO) and meet every two months. The Creative Industries Advisory Group (CIAG) will work alongside the governance board and programme team to provide strategic input to the clusters, providing advice and connections with the Creative Industries Council .

To promote the clusters, encourage collaboration, explore wider research questions and develop and inform policy, key stakeholders and other AHRC investments including: the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre the CoSTAR delivery and governance teams the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) Cluster steering board Clusters must ensure they have a robust governance structure in place which all partners are integrated within and committed to.

They will be required to have a steering board to oversee strategy and direction, provide developmental support, constructive challenge on process and practice, manage risks and monitor delivery against key performance indicators Clusters must ensure that they have appropriate, diverse and inclusive membership to perform these responsibilities.

Membership should include senior managers from the HEI partners (pro-vice-chancellor level), senior level representation from the relevant creative industry partners, and representatives from external stakeholders such as relevant local or regional organisations and sector bodies. The steering board will also include a representative from AHRC.

Supporting skills and talent In line with the Creative Industries Sector Plan , you will be expected to demonstrate how you will develop opportunities to address known sectoral skills gaps as well as support talent development across all aspects of your programmes.

AHRC recognises the close connection between EDI and skills and talent and encourages clusters to consider how their activities can support the intersectionality of these challenges.

Activities to support this can include, but are not limited to: HEI to industry or industry to HEI secondments industry or business management training sector specific up-skilling or training workshops new course modules or new degree courses, for example for continuous professional development (CPD) work placements and paid internships We encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment .

International collaboration AHRC encourages clusters to consider international collaboration where you expect it to support business growth that will maximise the UK’s global standing. This work must be relevant, deliverable and will add value to the cluster’s programme and aim.

Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) UKRI is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks.

Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.

As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks. See further guidance and information about TR&I , including where you can find additional support.

We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system. The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.

Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI. Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding Finder page. Confirm you are the project lead.

Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service.

All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding Finder page. Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office. Send the completed application to your research office for checking.

They will return it to you if it needs editing. Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI. Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.

When including images, you must: provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit) insert each new image on a new line use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format Images should only be used to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words.

The following are not permitted, and your application may be rejected if you include: sentences or paragraphs of text excessive quantities of images A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column.

For more guidance on the Funding Service, see: how applicants use the Funding Service how research offices use the Funding Service how reviewers use the Funding Service References should be included within the word count of the appropriate question section. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application. Hyperlinks can be used in reference information.

When including references, you should consider how your references will be viewed and used by the assessors, ensuring that: references are easily identifiable by the assessors references are formatted as appropriate to your research persistent identifiers are used where possible General use of hyperlinks Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information.

You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) Use of generative AI tools to prepare funding applications is permitted, however, caution should be applied.

For more information see our policy on the use of generative AI in application and assessment . AHRC must receive your application by 3 March 2026 at 4:00pm UK time. You will not be able to apply after this time.

Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines. Following the submission of your application to this funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and submitted applications will not be amended. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.

AHRC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications. We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice .

If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email creative@ahrc. ukri. org Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].

Typical examples of confidential information include: individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave) additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection the application is an invited resubmission For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice .

Institutional Matched Funding There is no requirement for matched funding from the institutions hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the application, beyond the standard 20% FEC. Expert reviewers and panels assessing UKRI funding applications must not consider levels of institutional matched funding as a factor on which to base recommendations.

Direct and in-kind contributions from third party project partners are encouraged. This policy does not remove the need for support from host organisations, who must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities funded by UKRI, for example research facilities, training and development of staff.

AHRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at AHRC board and panel outcomes . If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research . In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.

We usually make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example: the wider research community Guidance for writing a summary As this will be the first information in your application use it as your ‘elevator pitch’.

Clearly describe your proposed cluster in terms of: context including cluster partners the challenge the cluster will addresses top level aims and objectives innovative approaches to delivering the challenge the transformational impact and benefits it will have List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following: project co-lead (UK) (PcL) project co-lead (international) (PcL (I)) professional enabling staff research and innovation associate Only list one individual as project lead.

If you wish to include industry experts, please list them as specialist. UKRI has introduced a new addition to the ‘Specialist’ role type. Public contributors such as people with lived experience can now be added to an application.

Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications . What are you hoping to achieve with your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Explain how your proposed work: is of excellent quality and importance within or beyond the field(s) or area(s) has the potential to advance current understanding, generates new knowledge, thinking or discovery within or beyond the field or area is timely given current trends, context and needs impacts world-leading research, society, the economy, or the environment meets the strategic aims of the funding opportunity identifies the potential local, regional and/or national impacts, both direct and indirect, and who the beneficiaries might be, enhances the UK’s research and innovation capabilities through local and or regional activity References may be included within this section.

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service. How are you going to deliver your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Explain how you have designed your approach so that it: is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives is feasible, and deliverable has been designed so that it will generate local, regional and/or national impacts clearly addresses the core characteristics listed in the ‘What we are looking for’ section Additionally, please include your approach to the following, under these headings, within your response: References may be included within this section.

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service. Outline Applicant and team capability to deliver How will the application team deliver the proposed research programme?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Evidence of how you, your team and partners, have: relevant research experience and skills to develop and deliver the proposed research programme relevant creative industries business and innovation expertise planned to identify and embed additional expertise where gaps in the team exist why you are the right team to deliver this work The core leadership team should consist of the project lead and the project co-leads identified on the outline proposal.

There will be scope to expand this team and include new collaborators on the full application and you will be able to add further detail. Showcase the range of relevant skills you and, if relevant, your team (project and project co-leads, researchers, technicians, specialists, partners and so on) have and how this will help deliver the proposed work.

The roles in funding applications policy has descriptions of the different project roles. What are the expected costs of the