Below is a repost from David Allen of Animation Forum with a listing of all the local support for creative industries, hope this helps someone!

I’m often surprised at the variety and breadth of support for creative industry workers, businesses, graduates and start-ups in the Midlands, and to the outsider it’s often bedazzling as to what and where help can be found. Also, given the shaky economic circumstances many of us currently find ourselves in, it’s more important than ever to make use of what’s actually out there, whether that means finding funding, advice or just getting your face about at events.

The below list then is by no means exhaustive, but will hopefully point those new to the alien world of funding and support for Creative industry folk in the right direction. Please add anything I’ve missed in the comments:

• Advantage West Midlands (AWM) – the regional development agency (RDA) run a large number of schemes aimed at developing the region’s economy, including many of the groups on this list.
• Business Link West Midlands – An agency managed by AWM offering a range of services, and designed to be the first port of call for anyone currently running or thinking of starting business.
• Support WM – a recently established scheme to help West Midlands’ individuals and businesses affected by the recession, which – despite an ugly site, has some very useful links for business support and for those out of work.
• West Midlands Graduate Internships – only just stumbled across this site myself, looks a great way for graduates to get that important work experience, whilst employers get some much needed low-cost help.
• Graduate Advantage – seems eerily similar to the above, but useful nonetheless: “If you’re a student or graduate you can now apply for paid full-time and part-time work placements, summer internships, graduate placements, and free employability training… in all sectors of industry and business across the West Midlands.”
• Skillset – As well as a huge amount of online resources, the ‘Skills Council for Creative Media’ conduct research and offer funding for training.
• Screen WM – The film, TV and anything on a screen agency for the West Midlands, whose Media & Production Fund can invest up for £500,000 in “feature film projects… interactive games production, single TV dramas, and feature length documentaries.” As well as this, SWM can help fund is often available for Short Film Funding, Running a Festival, Attending a Festvial, Education Projects, Exhibition Projects, Archive Projects and Training Courses.
• 4iP – A £10m funding scheme managed regionally by Screen WM (see above), with funds from Advantage West Midlands and Channel 4, to invest in “great ideas for websites, games and mobile services which will help people improve their lives.” The deadline for the next round of funding is 23rd August 2009.
• The Producers’ Forum – An established networking group for the region’s film producers, the group organise masterclasses and events for their members (there is a fee to join).
• First Light Movies – An organisation that “funds and inspires young people, throughout the UK, to make films reflecting the diversity of their lives.”
• Learning and Skills Council West Midlands – run a number of schemes aimed at equipping people with the skills for work.
• Equity – Although predominantly performer focused, the union also represents ‘professional performers and other creative workers from across the spectrum of the entertainment, creative and cultural industries.’
• Pact – “The UK trade association that represents and promotes the commercial interests of independent feature film, television, children’s and animation media companies.”
• BECTU – “The independent trade union for those working in broadcasting, film, theatre, entertainment, leisure, interactive media and allied areas.”
• Creative Launchpad – formerly the ‘Business link start up service’ for the West Midlands, the agency seems to be undergoing some changes at the moment, but are still running a free business advice service for businesses in the ‘Solihull and North Solihull area’.
• Creative Alliance – A Birmingham based agency that specialise on training apprentices for the creative industries.
• Creative Republic – A networking and lobbying group for creative workers in the West Midlands.
• Creative Networks – A group managed by Birmingham City University, which host monthly(ish) talks by some quite impressive creative industry speakers at Birmingham’s Millennium Point.
• NESTA – or to give them their full title, the ‘National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts’. They “invest in early-stage companies, inform and shape policy, and deliver practical programmes that inspire others to solve the big challenges of the future.”
• Insight Out – A series of creative industry and social enterprise courses run annually in collaboration with NESTA, by @ScreenMediaLab (that’s where I work by the way).
• Arts Council West Midlands – The regional arm to the national arts funding agency. If you use the arts in your work, you might want to look into the Grants for the Arts funding for individuals and organisations, funded by the National Lottery.
• Digital Birmingham – A Birmingham City Council run project ‘working to ensure the benefits of digital technologies are available to all in the city.’
• Social Media Café – “An informal get-together for anyone using (or interested in using) social media. If that sounds like you, then come on down and have a chat with someone – there are always enough friendly faces around.” Their next event is 31st July 2009, from 10am.
• Film Forum West Midlands – Formerly ‘Birmingham Filmmakers’, this networking group for anyone involved in grass roots filmmaking has been steadily gathering momentum thanks to it’s monthly meet-ups.
• 7inch Cinema – Not strictly support, but the quirky style and events by these “Birmingham-based cultural historians, purveyors of distinctive film events and producers of the Flatpack Festival” make them a favourite with many.
• Prince’s Trust (West Midlands) – Alongside a ton of other activity, the Prince’s Trust offer start-up funding and mentoring for unemployed people aged 18-30 develop their business idea.
• Light House – The Wolverhampton arts centre host events and offer subsidised training courses in media production throughout the year for eligible people who meet their criteria. Here’s their latest free beginners course in video production.
• Herbert Media – Offer free advice surgeries on media production, equipment hire and training courses.
• Audiences Central – the ‘audience development agency for the West Midlands’ works ‘across the region assisting and supporting arts and cultural organisations in the development of audiences for all forms of art.’
• SCRIPT – The ‘West Midlands agency for dramatic writers’ offer a range of scriptwriting training courses for all levels, including their current TENacity programme.
• Animation Forum West Midlands – yes, this is the group and website I manage, but if you’re looking to work with an animator, have any questions about the region’s industry, or network with animation professionals, please get in touch.

And another one…

• Own-It – Suggested by @triston; provides free online advice on all the common questions on issues surrounding intellectual property.

If I’ve missed anything off I apologise and please feel free to post links in the comments (yes you have to register to do so, but it’s worth it, honest). Right, now I need a lie down.