I am delighted to update the House on the publication of the Government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan. This is a central part of our industrial strategy and our plan for change to drive long-term economic growth across the United Kingdom.
The creative industries are a dynamic growth engine for the UK economy. They contributed 2.4 million jobs and £124 billion in gross value added in 2023 and generate knowledge spillovers that drive innovation and activity across the economy, while our creative clusters boost regional economic growth and create high-quality jobs.
This sector generates substantial economic output with strong potential for continued growth over the coming decades. Data, content, and creative services and experiences are the fastest growing areas of consumption, while new technologies, audience behaviours and international competition are transforming business models. Our world-class creative industries are uniquely placed to capitalise on these opportunities and our long-standing international comparative advantage.
This is why today we are publishing our sector plan that sets out how we will support the sector to grow over the next decade. By 2035, our goal is to make the UK the No. 1 destination for creativity and innovation in the world. We will boost the UK’s position as a global creative superpower and deliver new, high-quality jobs and regional growth.
For too long, the sector has not been given the recognition or backing it deserves. Investments have been seen as too risky, talent has been overlooked and policies and programmes have not reflected the ambition in the sector. Today, we are changing this, announcing £380 million in funding for the sector, including more than doubling my Department’s funding for the creative industries over the next spending review period. This includes £200 million for regions outside London and bespoke regional creative clusters to help businesses grow and talent thrive in every part of the UK; £25 million for new “CreaTech” research and development labs; plus screen, music and video games growth packages totalling up to £135 million.
We will champion the unique role of public service media for both growth and democracy. And we will ensure creators, entrepreneurs and innovators are at the heart of our future economy. In doing so, we will ensure the UK is recognised as the best place in the world to make and invest in film and TV, music, performing and visual arts, video games, advertising and beyond.
We are taking action to back our creators and are committed to ensuring they benefit from technological change. That means a copyright regime that values and protects human creativity, builds trust, and opens the door to innovation across the creative sector. We also need to explore other ways to support the creators to license their content. A new creative content exchange, a trusted marketplace for selling, buying, licensing, and enabling permitted access to digitised cultural and creative assets could be part of the solution here.
The Government, working together with industry, is making clear choices to back our regions and back talent everywhere. This is just the beginning of a 10-year journey and our commitment to ensure that we maximise the opportunities and tackle the issues that have long held the sector back from reaching its full potential.
A copy of the “Creative Industries Sector Plan” will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Key Policies
Accelerate Innovation-led growth
UK Research and Innovation will lead efforts to significantly increase public funding for the creative industries, including support for commercialisation and tech adoption.
A £100 million investment in an ambitious next wave of creative clusters to accelerate R&D in new sub-sectors and locations across the UK.
A new creative content exchange as a marketplace for selling, buying, licensing and enabling permitted access to digitised cultural and creative assets.
Growth finance
A significant increase in support from the British Business Bank for the creative industries with debt and equity finance.
A new working group to tackle barriers to IP-backed lending in the creative industries.
An industry-led “single front door” for creative firms to access information on how to unlock private investment, alongside improved Government signposting to resources.
Skilled workforce
Greater flexibility for employers and learners via the new growth and Skills offer, continuing to consider the needs of small businesses.
Deliver a curriculum in England that readies young people for life and work, including in creative subjects and skills, following the independent curriculum and assessment review.
A Government and industry partnership to deliver a refreshed UK-wide £9 million creative careers service.
Trade and export
As committed to at the UK-EU Summit in May, we will support travel and cultural exchange, including the activities of touring artists.
UK Export Finance has up to £80 billion in financing capacity to support UK exports for industrial strategy sectors, including the creative industries.
Increase the number of creative trade missions and markets we target, building on traditional markets like the EU and the United States with fast-growing markets such as Asia-Pacific.
Frontier industries
New £75 million screen, and £30 million video games growth packages over the spending review period to develop and showcase UK screen content and support inward investment.
Up to £10 million per year for a music growth package to support emerging artists, alongside a new industry-led ticket levy on arena gigs to support the grassroots sector.
Co-funding, by Government and private investors including the Walt Disney Company, the Dana and Albert R. Broccoli Foundation and Sky, for the expansion of the National Film and Television School.
Taking action to support public service media, including through BBC Charter Review, to ensure a vibrant domestic screen sector and a BBC that continues to act as an engine of Creative Industries growth across the country.
City regions and clusters
The Government have identified 12 creative clusters across the UK where we will work with local leaders and devolved governments to drive growth.
A new £150 million creative places growth fund devolved to six mayoral strategic authorities to deliver tailored investment readiness support.
Champion London as a “creative industries supercluster”, with the Mayor investing over £10 million over the next four years alongside significant investments including East Bank and Smithfield sites.
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