York Launches Creative Business Skills Academy at Reignite XIV
Aesthetica and York St John University are proud to announce the launch of the Creative Business Skills Academy 2026. This initiative is designed to bridge the gap between creative talent and commercial success, strengthening our region’s role in the UK’s £145 billion creative economy.
The Academy will officially launch on at Reignite XIV on Tuesday 5th May, a major gathering for industry leaders, policymakers, and entrepreneurs, opened by Mayor David Skaith.
The event brings into focus a growing national opportunity: how to unlock creative potential beyond London and the South East, where 62% of jobs in the sector are currently concentrated. By contrast, York and North Yorkshire account for just 3% of creative industries employment – a disparity that leaders say presents both a challenge and a significant opportunity.
The Creative Business Skills Academy is a direct response to this disparity. The 12-week programme provides emerging entrepreneurs in film, design, ceramics, marketing, theatre, and fashion with the strategic tools and networks necessary to scale their work commercially. The initiative aligns with the UK’s Industrial Strategy to boost regional productivity and support sector-led growth.
Guests will gain insight into the future of York’s creative economy.Mayor David Skaith will open the event, outlining his vision to establish the creative industries as a fundamental driver of regional identity and economic growth. The event also celebrates the Academy’s tangible impact; attendees will hear first-hand stories from the inaugural cohort before officially welcoming the next wave of talent as they begin their 12-week intensive programme.
Cherie Federico, Director of Aesthetica, said the initiative is about creating long-term infrastructure for growth in the region:
“The creative industries are one of the UK’s greatest economic success stories, contributing over £145 billion in GVA and employing 2.4 million people. But opportunity is not evenly distributed.
When the majority of jobs are concentrated in London and the South East, regions like ours represent just a small fraction of that picture. What we are seeing through the Creative Business Skills Academy is the depth of talent that already exists here. The challenge is not talent, it is access to the right support, networks and opportunities to scale.
Reignite XIV and the Academy are about addressing that gap. We are building an ecosystem where creative businesses can grow sustainably, contributing to a stronger regional economy and, in turn, to national growth.”
Professor Brendan Paddison, Dean of York Business School at York St John University, emphasised the importance of collaboration:
“The Creative Business Skills Academy demonstrates what can be achieved when education and industry work together with a shared purpose. By supporting a diverse cohort of creative entrepreneurs, we are helping to build a pipeline of businesses that will contribute to the regional economy, drive innovation and strengthen the UK’s position as a global creative leader.”
Reignite XIV is takes place from 6-9pm on Tuesday 5th May. Visit the Eventbrite page to secure your place: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reignite-xiv-creative-entrepreneurship-tickets-1985724822398
Reignite XIV is proudly supported by Aesthetica, York BID, and the Business School at York St John University, with the vital funding support of David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire and York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.