WB-UK Creative Economy sector development fund grants

Applications opened: 16 June 2025

Information session: 25 June 2025 14:00 CET. 

Circulation of any Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) resulting from Information Session: 30 June 2025

Application deadline: 18 July 2025 23:59 CET

Notification decision sent to applicants: By end of August 2025

Contracting of successful applicants: September 2025

Project delivery period: October 2025-June 2026

Grants were available to creative sector organisations in the Western Balkans to partner with a UK organisation to implement specific projects that furthered the development of the creative economy in their countries/sectors, focusing on empowering youth skills and employment. 

Projects took various forms, including consultancy, research, workshops, forums, and strategy development aimed at supporting the growth of specific creative sectors or the overall creative economy in one of the 6 Western Balkans countries.

The projects covered diverse topics relevant to the creative sectors, such as employability, skills development, creating links between education and industry, entrepreneurship, sustainability, international market development, and networking.

Example projects included:

• WB and UK film/screen agencies working together on a model for skills development / crew service that connects young talent to jobs in the industry 
• WB and UK universities working together on new technology being applied to increase tourism and cultural sector growth within the cities they are based 
• WB and UK technology clusters working together on advocacy strategy for how to support entrepreneurship or job creation in the digital/gaming sector
• WB and UK cities of culture working together on models for capturing and shaping sustainable impact for their project(s)

Projects were digital, face-to-face and hybrid.

Applications were invited from creative sector organisations, including:

• Organisations representing specific creative sectors (Film Centres, Fashion Councils, Gaming Associations).
• Organisations focusing on creative sector networking or supporting creative enterprise (creative hubs, advocacy groups).
• Organisations representing the creative sector in specific cities or regions (UNESCO cities of Music, Literature; city Book Festivals).
• Educational institutions (universities, colleges, technical skills institutions).

Each application required at least one Western Balkans partner (lead partner) and one UK partner.

Eligible countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

Organisations had to comply with legal/tax registration provisions in their country.

The fund aimed to benefit broader creative sector development, skills enhancement, and employment growth, rather than commercial gain for individual companies.

For the purposes of this fund we used the UK definition of the creative industries. The ‘creative industries’ have been defined by successive UK governments as those industries which “have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property”. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has classified nine sub-sectors within the creative industries, and we accepted applications for projects which supported the development of any of the following: 

• advertising and marketing
• architecture
• crafts
• design: product, graphic and fashion design
• film, TV, video, radio and photography
• IT, software and computer services
• publishing
• museums, galleries and libraries
• music, performing and visual arts

Grants of up to £50,000 were available, with a total funding pool of £300,000.

Approximately six grants were awarded, one per country, for projects significantly contributing to local creative economy growth

Applications were submitted via email to apply.wbukfund@britishcouncil.org by 18 July 2025 23:59 CET by a lead applicant from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, or Serbia.

Key Application Steps:

• Download application form and toolkit
• Attend Information Session on 25 June (optional)
• Review FAQs issued by 30 June
• Submit completed application form via email by the deadline

Applicants with access needs were encouraged to contact enquiries.wbukfund@britishcouncil.org

Supporting documents

• Application form (please find in download section below)
• Application toolkit (please find in download section below)
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (Compiled and shared by 30 June 2025)