Karen Merrifield

About

Job Title: Founder, Innovate Educate Ltd & Lead, The Artery

Industry: Creative Industries

Services:  Creative Business Development, Cultural & Audience Engagement, Place-based Solutions

Connect

Website • LinkedIn • Instagram

Bio

Karen is dedicated to creating the right conditions for creativity to thrive, supporting creatives in developing their businesses with peer support and insight. Karen runs Innovate Educate Ltd, which supports businesses, heritage and cultural organisations to engage audiences creatively. She works with creatives, communities, schools and businesses to unlock, share and reframe stories. 

The Artery, a creative business peer support model developed by Innovate Educate Ltd, supports freelance creatives with tools, networks and strategies to grow resilient, thriving businesses. The Artery serves as a catalyst for change, integrating award-winning, early-career creatives into established industries to uncover fresh insights and drive transformation through innovative creative interventions that reshape businesses.

Karen provides bespoke business support tailored specifically for creative enterprises, with a particular focus on young creatives, and works to open up new audiences, markets, and engagement models across various sectors to benefit local communities.

Clients

York Rivers Trail (in collaboration with Ousewem)

Century of Change (a project for Sherwood Forest)

Great Place Lakes and Dales (supporting young people in the Lakes and Dales)

Key to the North NLHF project at Pontefract Castle