Diversity Arts Incubation Programme (DA-IP)
Creating opportunities is the signature tune of a vibrant arts programme that is energising the rich forgotten fields of creative talent. The Diversity Arts Incubation Programme (DA-IP) identifies talent and surrounds it with a professional framework to nurture hopes, dreams and ideas into real and lasting success stories. 
"It's about enabling. Its giving people and their ideas a chance to flourish often in areas where there is very little infrastructure for them," says founder and creative director Pauline Catlin-Reid. "Our emphasis, although not solely, is among Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds but we help a huge range of people.
"We believe that everyone should have a chance and we want to identify that talent and give it all the help and support it needs to realise its potential."
DA-IP, which began as a charitable organisation in 2004, offers free business advice and mentoring to individuals, micro-businesses and groups across the full spectrum of arts and creative sector strands and believes that the flagship initiative helps build confidence and self-belief in emerging talent.
Pauline, a former professional singer and cultural diversity arts and creative sector specialist, identified the problem that creative talent from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities was struggling to get noticed. Repeated disappointments crushed entrepreneurial spirit and fostered a reluctance to push for success or fulfilment.
"There was no infrastructure for them. A lack of business advice and support and people just get discouraged," adds Pauline, who established the programme in Luton and has since expanded its reach across large sections of the East of England.
"Far too many amazingly creative people cannot find a way to express their talents and skills and that is such a waste of potential. A lot of ideas simply fade because they don't have the right professional backing or feel they cannot access it.
"Often the help is closer than they think and we get them to consider the value of their environment with family or friends maybe to offer help in things such as accountancy. But it is important that there are people who can help and give them self-belief."
DA-IP calls on a team of committed consultants from every branch of the creative sector arts also involving creative business who bridge the gap with training, mentoring sessions, financial ideas and advice and a friendly direction that protects the first flickering of an idea. DA-IP strives to give sustainability and, through that, wider hope.
The successful template has helped young people progress to careers in TV, music, theatre, design and production whilst giving encouragement to scores of community-based arts projects.
It has also joined forces with the University of Bedfordshire to develop a project thatf ashions entrepreneurial routes into the creative industries. Its main targetsare new arts graduates who can struggle to find employment and black and ethnicminority groups which are under-represented in the creative sector.
"If we can provide the skills and support then the talent can exist in its own right. A lot of established business practices only focus on short-term financial gains which is very negative," adds Pauline. "We believe that you have to look longer term and encourage ideas that bring lasting benefits to communities.
"Young people are in tune with the social enterprise culture so it is almost second nature to share their expertise. They don't see success as a purely selfish pursuit and are quite happy to give back.
"If we give them the tools to succeed then the benefits can run through communities and inspire others to achieve where once they may have been put off by negative stories about the creative industries.
"It's very exciting to unleash this creativity and when diverse interests and culture come together the sparks really fly - that's where there is real excitement and energy. I get a real buzz from that.
"It's so rewarding knowing that our work helps create change and gives people a voice. I view it as planting seeds, protecting and nurturing and then watching them grow. The results can be spectacular."
London-born Pauline has first-hand experience having toured internationally with the pop trio Brown Sugar in the late 1970s before graduating in anthropology and communications from Goldsmiths University. She has pursued a successful career in arts management and delivery working around the country to promote diversity and equality on the arts agenda.
She was instrumental in a number of cultural diversity programmes with the Arts Council of England and other agencies which laid the groundwork for the creation of DA-IP.
"There is so much talent among young people who are often coming out of difficult social circumstances and we must do all we can to provide positive and alternative pathways for those individuals and their communities to provide a valuable and lasting change," she adds.