The £75K fund is aimed at creating more jobs within the creative industries in the North East of the UK.

Regional screen body Northern Film & Media has launched a new £75k fund aimed at creating jobs in the North East region of the UK.

The Creative Jobs Fund will be available to North East film, TV or digital media company expansion programmes or production projects. Applicants must demonstrate ability to generate or sustain new jobs that have not previously been supported by the current European Regional Development Fund and must be ready to operate immediately.

It is being billed as the first initiative of its kind to be ring fenced for the creative industries.

The Fund aims to “examine the impact that relatively modest levels of public funding – typically (though not exclusively) £5k - £20k - can have on generating jobs and driving growth in the creative industries,” said Northern Film and Media.

To date, the region’s creative companies have had a poor-record in attracting investment from centralised and other non-sector specific funds.

Tom Harvey, chief executive, Northern Film & Media: “There are around 2,100 people working in the North East creative industries and the sector has experienced solid growth through relatively small levels of public subsidy over the past decade.

“We want to see more creative companies securing investment from centralised or non-sector specific funds. If they are to be successful, they will have to demonstrate an ability to generate a significant amount of jobs.

The deadline for submissions is February 8.