Online Resources
Places for ideas, support, networking and more for creative types
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Intellectual Property Office
The official government body responsible for intellectual property (IP) rights including patents, designs, trade marks and copyright. IPO is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills.
T-shirts & Suits Creative Enterprise
T-Shirts and Suits is all about bringing together creative people with smart business thinking. Download this free guide to the business of creativity.
Creative Boom
Creative Boom is an online magazine and network community that aims to celebrate, inspire and support the creative industries throughout the UK. There is a dedicated NW section too.
Discover! Creative Careers
Discover! Creative Careers is an initiative by the UK creative industries to make it easier for young people to find careers in the creative industries. Its website and careers finder hosts numerous resources, films and tools designed to help teachers, careers leaders, students, parents and guardians find out more about creative careers.
Creative & Cultural Skills
CCSkills works to create fair and inclusive opportunities for young people within the creative and cultural sectors by raising awareness and shaping skills, education and employment best practice. It provokes action and enables learning opportunities that drive change and help to build an inclusive skilled sector.
Design Council
The Design Council champions great design. Their mission is to champion this standard of design. As the UK Government’s advisor on design, they set the benchmark for promoting design nationwide. Their research and campaigns aim to show just how much intelligent, creative design can achieve.
Arts Council England
Arts Council England champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people's lives.
Outside Directory
The Outside Directory is a growing list of studios, agencies, foundries, organisations, networks, and individuals, working in the Creative Industries outside of London.
Creative Industries
The Creative Industries website is a product of the Creative Industries Council, a joint forum between the creative industries and government. It features statistics, case studies, video interviews, news and opinion pieces illustrating how the UK is a global leader in the creative industries.
NESTA Creative Enterprise Toolkit
Enterprise Toolkit to help creative individuals take their bright ideas and turn them into successful businesses. The toolkit provides guidance, activities, downloadable worksheets and case studies to challenge individuals to draw on their creative and personal strengths.
Nesta Creative Hub Leader's Toolkit
Creative hubs play a vital role in supporting creative entrepreneurs and businesses. As ‘convenors of creatives’, hubs serve local communities and connect creative practitioners. You can use the toolkit to enrich your own learning journey, to clarify your thinking as a hub or community leader, or to engage with your team to acquire different perspectives and align ideas.
Crafts Council
The Crafts Council's goal is to make the UK the best place to make, see, collect and learn about contemporary craft.
BBC Introducing
BBC Introducing, support unsigned, undiscovered and under the radar musicians.
Creative England
Creative England invest in talented people and their creative ideas, nurturing diverse games, TV, film and digital media industries. From direct investment and soft loans to business mentoring; they champion the best ideas of talented people and their businesses.
Hire an Illustrator
Hire an illustrator is not an agency. Hai is portfolio website and promotional service. We contact art directors, publishers and illustration commissioners and put them in direct contact with the illustrators and agencies we represent... and we don't take commissions on any of the jobs we produce
Shopify
Shopify allows people who lack website coding skills to build their own shop, for web, mobile and even social channels.
Etsy
Etsy is an e-commerce website and online market place. The focus is on hand crafted or vintage items and supplies, as well as unique factory-manufactured items.
The Dots
An online professional network for the people and teams that don’t wear suits to work. The Dots connect, support and champion the people, teams and brands that make ideas happen. The platform enables sharing, networking, collaborating and job search opportunities.
Eventbrite
Eventbrite is an oneline event platform which brings people together through live experiences. Discover events that match your creative passions, or set up your own creative events with online ticketing tools.
Meetup
Meetup is a service used to organise online groups that host in-person events for people with similar interests.
Creative Industries Federation
The Creative Industries Federation is a national organisation for all the UK's creative industries, cultural education and arts. It advocates for the sector, aiming to ensure that the creative industries are central to political, economic and social decision-making. Their website is a useful source of research, policy and related information.
The Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects champions better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture and our members. With government, we work to improve the design quality of public buildings, new homes and new communities.
Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
The UK’s independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals. Important information and guidelines on GDPR and data protection, especially for when gathering and storing data online.
Zoom Conference
Zoom's free plan allows you to host up to 100 participants for meetings of up to 40 minutes in duration, with unlimited one-to-one meetings.
Arts Professional
Art Professional is an online resource which creates and curates the most relevant content for those with a professional interest in the arts sector. They provide access to news, information, job listings, events and professional development opportunities
Design Better
A collection of audio and PDF resources providing essential reading on practices which propel the best design teams in the world forward.
Mural Imagine - Talks on Visual thinking and Team Collaboration
Talks that help to envision how to connect with each other more deeply through visual thinking. These talks are free to watch when you sign up. Topics are focused on team collaboration, creativity and design in business.
Create Britain
An online platform for showcasing and promoting British Design & Creativity. Register your free listing to share your creative disciplines and online media channels.
Curator Space
CuratorSpace is a project management toolkit for curators, organisers, galleries, and artists. It is designed to take the hassle out of managing exhibitions, competitions, fairs, open calls, and a whole lot more.
