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In this post fashion designer Eva Dragoeva looks at Creative Sector statistics in the Solent and the common challenges creatives face in the area.
Eva shares the unusual story of how she found her part time Solent Growth Partnership administrative job and the unexpected lessons she has learnt in her Digital and Admin Support role.
By Eva Dragoeva
3 August 2026
Being a creative professional in 2026 is tough. You must work hard to prove to yourself (and everyone else) that what you do is not just a hobby but also something you are really good at and passionate about. And working on your craft takes time. Turning it into a profitable business takes even longer.
According to The Solent Cultural Plain the creative economy in the Solent employs approximately 40,000 people and more than 21,000 people are directly employed by creative businesses across the region. A further 19,000 people work in creative occupations within non-creative sectors, demonstrating the wider impact of creative skills across the economy.
The creative sector contributes over £600 million annually to the Solent regional economy. This said, there are some key challenges for creative businesses in the region, some of which I, as a designer have also encountered.
These include:
A lot of my fellow creatives have jobs to support themselves, until their creative venture becomes a full-time occupation. I have done various ‘day jobs’ to support my design venture, and I have worked for the Solent Growth Partnership for four years.
How I ended up in this team is a bit of a strange story.
As a fashion designer – one of the things that I organise is fashion photoshoots for my creations. And back in 2022 I decided that I wanted a photoshoot on a boat. Living in Portsmouth made this easier. I have a friend who has a yacht and we organised a date to go and take a few photos. However, we got carried away and due to tidal time restrictions – the photographer and one of the models got stranded for hours on the yacht.
That day I learnt a lot about leadership and unplanned expenses.
I was not last to leave the yacht. I did not realise that the tide was that close to being completely out. And the hours the rest of the team was subjected to in that yacht (until the tide came back), resulted in some unplanned expenses – accumulatively a lot higher than I had budgeted for. And so, I drained my bank account. And the two lessons I learnt were:
So, with this said I needed an emergency ‘day job’ and this is how I found myself at the Solent Growth Partnership, formerly The Solent LEP.
It was a job I knew I would be good at, so I applied. There’s a popular belief about creatives not being good at things like admin and structure, but I don’t think that’s necessarily true for everyone. I am good at being organised. Perhaps not when coastal tides are involved, but in most situations.
So, I joined the team. And I felt so welcome. What I love most about working with the team is their high level of integrity and professionalism. And they are a very supportive bunch of people too.
There is this meme with Big Bird from Sesame Street in a board room that’s widely used to describe the feeling of being the odd one out. And some of the meme applications relate specifically to being a creative in an office meeting. Which I think is very relatable for people like me, who do a job and have an artistic occupation outside of that.
But when you are in the right team, you don’t feel like that, because everyone is welcome and celebrated in their own way. So, I would say that a scene that celebrates everyone’s own unique strangeness, abilities and colourful personalities is more accurate in this instance.
A big part of what makes a good team in any business is a high level of effective communication and being there for your team members. I have worked in teams of various sizes and dynamics, but I haven’t always found that level of understanding and respect between co-workers. But this team has that. And people are there for each other. Everyone has a role to play and has different strengths. And this has made me think a lot about having my own fashion team in future, how I want it to function and how implementing diversity of skills in a team is key to successful operation.
One of things that I have found really surprising from working at the Solent Growth Partnership is how it has changed my outlook about my future organisational plans and logistics. I always thought that I would eventually outsource skilled labour for my fashion business. But seeing first hand – as part of this job – how valuable apprenticeship schemes can be for both companies and apprentices has changed that. We have two lovely apprentices in our Solent Growth Partnership team, who have brough fresh perspectives and enthusiasm to the office. This has inspired me to look at having apprentices within my creative venture when the time is right.
Lastly, prior to supporting the Solent Growth Partnership team, I had no idea there was so much business and skills support in the Solent area. I have been involved with supporting the Skills Bootcamps team and the Events team. The Solent Growth Partnership organises a wide range of programmes, events and workshops. And I feel excited to have helped along the way.
When I started working for the Solent Growth Partnership I thought of the job as means to an end, something that pays my bills, so I can focus on what I love to do. But supporting this team has given me so much more. And I have met wonderful people along the way.
Thank you, Team!
