Creative Industries growth in the Northern Rivers' region has been driven by a unique suite of industry organisations, with a track record of successful industry development initiatives.

These have included a range of innovative mentorship and industry linkage programs such as:

• Arts Northern Rivers' Visual Arts Network, VAN website and Speed Dating-4-Artists;
• Arts Northern Rivers Indigenous Arts Development Project, supporting sustainable Indigenous visual arts development;
• Northern Rivers Screenworks' annual mentorship program culminating in the Life's a Pitch pitching competition;
• Northern Rivers Writers Centre's annual Residential Mentorship;
• Northern Rivers Performing Arts (NORPA)'s Generator and Performing Arts Residency programs.

In 2006 these organisations came together with regional development and education agencies to form the Northern Rivers Creative Industries Consortium, with the specific goal of collaborating to support creative industry development.

Consortium members include:

• Arts Northern Rivers
• Industry and Investment NSW
• North Coast Entertainment Industry Association
• Northern Rivers Conservatorium
• Northern Rivers Performing Arts (NORPA)
• Northern Rivers Screenworks
• Northern Rivers Tourism
• Northern Rivers Writers Centre
• North Coast TAFE
• Southern Cross University
• Regional Development Australia - Northern Rivers, and
• The Regional Gallery network (Grafton Regional Gallery, Lismore Regional Gallery and Tweed River Art Gallery, Murwillumbah)