What should creative founders apply for first?

A sequencing guide for UK creative founders deciding between Arts Council, BFI, Creative Industries Clusters, KTPs and Innovate UK Smart Grants.

**Start with the artistic or commercial question, not the funder.** Creative founders waste time pursuing funding misaligned with their stage.

**If the work is non-screen, cultural and project-based** (exhibition, tour, R&D, audience-building): apply to **Arts Council Project Grants** first. Awards £1k–£100k cover most early-stage work.

**If the work is film or moving-image**: go directly to **BFI Filmmaking Funds**, but only with a producer attached and prior short or development credits in evidence.

**If the work is creative-tech with an R&D agenda** (immersive, audio AI, virtual production, fashion-tech): partner with a **Creative Industries Clusters Programme** university — the cluster is the access route, not the company.

**If the company has embedded an R&D agenda** and needs deeper capability: a **Knowledge Transfer Partnership** with a creative-arts school embeds a postgraduate associate for 12–36 months.

**If the company is commercialising IP at scale**: **Innovate UK Smart Grants** open up once there is a defensible technical proposition.

**Conservative note.** Creative funders prize artistic rationale and public benefit over commercial pitch language. Lead with the work, not the business.