The Croydon Creative Directory is an “online home” for dozens of cultural organisations, creative entrepreneurs and freelancers.
Groups and individuals can showcase their work through a free profile on the website and it will also help businesses connect with others and find services, spaces and resources for use in their work.
As part of the Croydon Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ) the directory will be a lasting legacy for the borough’s creatives.
Marcus Harris-Noble, project manager of the Croydon Creative Enterprise Zone, said, “The directory can be a showcase for your business and a way of finding work and I like the fact it will act as a shop window for the amazing culture and creative sector we have here in Croydon.
“Never before have you been able to find all this in one place and it’s inspiring to see the sheer range and breadth of businesses operating here. It’s very much geared to businesses but it will also be useful for the consumer or someone wishing to employ the services of, say, a filmmaker or a photographer.”
Already showcasing more than 140 businesses it comes as a bit of good news for those in a sector who have suffered a challenging year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lizzy Lambie is the co-director of FMM (Fashion Meets Music) Pop Up based in Croydon’s Centrale Shopping Centre. The social enterprise supports emerging fashion creatives, giving them a space to sell their work and features in-store events.
She said, “I think it’s fantastic because Croydon has a thriving cultural scene and there are lots of people in different pockets so it’s a great way of bringing them all together in one place. The directory is also a good way of partnering with other people. You can see what others are doing and see if that’s something we can get involved with.
“It’s a bleak time for the cultural industries but I’m encouraged there are initiatives like this which will continue for many years to come.”
The directory will also feature a variety of resources including a Social Charter that will present a set of aspirational standards for community cultural groups to work towards and help them be more inclusive in their practice.
“The Croydon Creative Directory is a great initiative and we are already receiving positive feedback from people saying how much they like the site and how it’s helped them link and partner with others.
“Croydon was one of only six boroughs designated Creative Enterprise Zones and I am pleased that all the good work will be carried forward by this directory when the CEZ finishes at the end of next year. The creative industries will play a major role in Croydon’s economic recovery and we will do all we can to support them”
Councillor Manju Shahul-Hameed, cabinet member for economic recovery and skills
For more details visit www.croydoncreativedirectory.com
