The Winter installment of Umbro Industries opens for applicants today, offering creative types in Greater Manchester the opportunity to win up to £10,000 to fund a project or idea they’ve had. So if you’ve got a great plan for a gig, an exhibition, a club night or a special project, and all that’s missing is the funds to make it happen, this is the perfect opportunity to get the cash that will set the gears in motion.

All you have to do is head to the Umbro Industries website, where you can give a brief description of your idea and how much you’d need to get it off the ground. While you’re there, you can also vote for the other ideas that you like the best, and read up on the panel of creative and business innovators who’ll be voting for the eventual winners.

Entry to this round of Umbro Industries is open until January 28th, after which the panel will draw up a shortlist their favourite suggestions. These finalists will then present their ideas directly to the panel in order to persuade them that their ideas are the best. If you want some tips on what the judges are looking for, here’s what two of the panel had to say about the entrants and the eventual winners of the Autumn Umbro Industries.

Mike Pickering (former Hacienda DJ, now head of A&R at Sony BMG)

‘I thought the standard of entries was excellent, not just the shortlist but throughout the competition, so narrowing it down wasn’t that easy. In fact some of them, you feel like telling them to resubmit, as they’ll have a chance to be considered again.

With the two winners, there was a couple of reasons why they stood out. First of all, they’d both been doing it for a few years, and they’re all still passionate about what they’re doing. Mind On Fire have got a great website, and they’ve got a great idea to put new Manchester talent on the b-side to more established acts on their website, taking Manchester music to the rest of the world. They were also really passionate and really well thought out, and it was the same with Same Teens really. They’ve done it for a while, so it’s something that you know will work. They’ve got ties in Tokyo and Hamburg, so it’s already recognised on a global scale.

Umbro Industries can only be positive thing for Manchester’s creative community because even if it’s just a bit of money to a cause, it gives the people who are doing it a boost. When I was working my way up, if you get people recognising what you’re doing and offering a hand, it’s a big boost to your enthusiasm.’

Dave Rofe (manager of Doves and Cherry Ghost)

‘I must admit that when I first got asked to pick the best ideas, I thought it’d be quite easy.I thought there’d be about 10 or 15 to choose from, and that it’d be dead obvious who the winners would be. But I was amazed at both the amount of entries, and how well written they all were, so it was a really hard decision. On my shortlist I had to choose five because I couldn’t get it down to three.

I think this shows that Manchester’s creative community is probably as strong as it’s ever been. There’s always been a lot going on, but what’s happened in the past is that people have collaborated, whereas now I’m not sure whether that happens as much. So something like Umbro Industries is going to be good in bringing people together.

If I was going to offer any advise to any potential future entrant, I’d ask them to give us as much detail as possible, and to be realistic with what you ask for. Work out what you need in terms of money, and work on that basis. If you’ve got an idea, and you can represent it, visually, bring it along, so we can see what you want to do.’