Cultural Development Fund: Hatch Regeneris-led bid receives £4.3-million of funding to deliver ambitious vision for the Thames Estuary Production Corridor

London, UK—The United Kingdom’s Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has announced that partners from North Kent and South Essex will receive funding from the Cultural Development Fund (CDF) to drive forward plans for culture-led economic growth in the Thames Estuary. The £4.3-million grant will be used to strengthen the cultural and creative identity of the Estuary, creating jobs, boosting tourism, and diversifying communities.

The Thames Estuary is one of five locations to receive a total of £20 milllion to invest in local culture, heritage, and creative industries to drive economic growth. The funding is expected to create over 1,300 jobs, benefit 2,000 people through skills training, and support more than 700 businesses across the five locations.

Hatch Regeneris developed the successful bid on behalf of a partnership, which includes Kent University and Essex University, among others. We combined our knowledge of unlocking funding with our understanding of the local strategic context to create a compelling case for investment in the Essex and Kent end of the Thames Estuary Production Corridor (TEPC). We provided support on all elements of the bid, which included outlining expected economic outputs, financial viability of the program, and advice on governance structures.

The CDF bid complements our forthcoming TEPC case for investment, which represents a culture-led economic strategy stretching from East London to the east coast of Essex and Kent. Our research demonstrates that whilst creative identity is well established in East London, activity in Kent and Essex is currently clustered but poorly connected. Our comprehensive evidence base reinforced the need for bespoke interventions in North Kent and South Essex to unlock this untapped potential.

Hatch Regeneris worked with local partners to articulate an evidence-led CDF bid, which can enable the area to become a driving force for the UK creative economy. We are delighted to support a successful CDF bid that offers a unique opportunity to build momentum behind the TEPC vision to deliver a world-leading corridor for the creative and cultural industries spanning the entire Estuary.