South West Screen today welcomes the beginning of a new era for the creative industries in the South West, as new English regions-wide agency Creative England officially opens for business.

From this week onwards, South West Screen’s responsibility to distribute National Lottery funds for film from the BFI passes to the new organisation, which will support Film, TV, Games and Digital and Creative Services in the English regions. 

South West Screen intends to become wholly part of Creative England, and will continue to deliver all its non-film Lottery projects under the agency’s banner.

South West Screen Chairman Kip Meek said: “We have always been very supportive of Creative England – my colleagues have contributed substantially to the progress to date and I would like to thank them for their efforts and professionalism during a period of considerable uncertainty. During the next phase of the transition, we will ensure that the resources that South West Screen has built up over many years – resources that take the form of skilled staff, good relationships in the region and carefully husbanded reserves – facilitate the transition to Creative England in a way that protects the interests of the creative industries in the South West.”

South West Screen’s Acting CEO Mehjabeen Price said: “We welcome the beginning of this exciting new period for England’s creative industries with the start of Creative England, led by our previous Chief Executive, Caroline Norbury. Our ultimate aim is to roll into the new body, but this takes time and we will not be closing our doors just yet.  Now that the film Lottery funds have transferred over, we will continue to deliver our other projects, such as Creative Industries iNet, The Bottle Yard, iFeatures, White Horse Pictures, the European Creative Business Network, industry bulletins, online community and jobs board. We look forward to discussions with Creative England about building on these exemplary projects moving forward.”

The new agency has today announced its first seven Board members, including Charles Wace, Chief Executive of Plymouth based Twofour Group and previously a member of the South West Screen Board. The first three Senior Managers have also been announced, including South West Screen’s previous iFeatures Executive Producer Chris Moll, who will lead a national team to support Talent Development priorities. 

Creative England is led by new Chief Executive, who was Chief Executive of South West Screen from 2002 until her appointment in September 2011. The new agency builds on the work of South West Screen and the other regional screen agencies outside of London that, for the past ten years, have assisted the development of the film, TV, interactive, games and digital media industries in the English regions. Its formation was announced last year by the Minister for Creative Industries Ed Vaizey, who described it as “a simpler, more efficient structure with an expanded remit to support the creative industries across England.” 

Click here to read South West Screen’s FAQs about the transfer to Creative England. To read about South West Screen’s achievements in the past year, download the South West Screen 2010-11 Annual Report.

To read Creative England’s full announcement released today, visit www.creativeengland.co.uk/news.

Subscribe for Creative England updates at http://www.creativeengland.co.uk/content/subscribe. 

For more information about South West Screen, contact: Tara.Milne@swscreen.co.uk