Empowering Policy Makers to Fuel Local Expansion in the Arts and Culture Sectors
In the realm of policy briefings on Education, Skills, Talent, Internationalisation, Arts, Culture and Heritage, a significant report titled "Insights from our Industry Champions: How policymakers can support local growth in the creative industries" sheds light on strategies to foster growth in the UK's creative sectors. The report, authored by Claudia Burger, Policy Insights Manager, and published on 25th February 2020, captures the key points discussed at a panel held at the World Museum in Liverpool.
The report outlines five key recommendations for policymakers to consider:
- Accelerate innovation-led growth and secure growth finance: The UK Government's Creative Industries Sector Plan (2025) aims to increase business investment from £17 billion to £31 billion by 2035. To achieve this, policies focusing on expanding access to finance for creative businesses, especially underrepresented founders, are recommended. This involves enhancing investment readiness support and rebuilding trust between creative businesses and finance providers.
- Build a skilled and diverse workforce: Policies that strengthen skills development and widen access to continuous professional development are essential to ensure a diverse talent pipeline for the sector. This includes targeted initiatives for freelancers and atypical workers, who form a significant part of the creative workforce.
- Support for freelancers via a dedicated Freelance Champion: Creative UK proposes the appointment of a government Freelance Champion to advocate for the sector’s creative freelancers, lead structured inquiries into systemic barriers they face, and produce formal policy recommendations. This role is expected to work closely with government and industry to modernize employment data frameworks and improve freelancers’ access to skills and support programs.
- Improve access to affordable, flexible spaces and strengthen regional networks: Access to affordable "meanwhile" spaces for studios, exhibitions, and events, along with fostering sustainable collaboration between local creative organizations, are key to local growth outside major cities.
- Enhance trade, export, and global market positioning: The sector plan includes goals to increase trade and exports, strengthening the UK’s global creative influence in areas like film, TV, music, video games, and digital advertising, to create a vibrant ecosystem that supports local creative firms scaling internationally.
The panel discussion highlighted opportunities and challenges in local fluctuations in support, signposting, and business support, access to finance, space to work, public procurement, capital investment, and infrastructure, and cross-sector working. Other policy briefs, such as "Transitioning to Sustainable Production across the UK Theatre Sector," "Creative industries innovation in seaside resorts and country towns," and "International Trade and the UK Creative Industries," provide additional insights into the sector.
Local governments are encouraged to review their procurement practices to remove impediments for small creative businesses. Local councils and LEPs (in England) who provide access to finance for creative businesses should consider how they can simplify their application procedures. Policymakers who want to attract and grow creative businesses in their local area should consider opening up available empty space, subsiding rent for creative businesses as they set up, and reducing creative business rates.
The Northern Creative Corridor, an initiative aimed at connecting creative clusters across Northern regions, and the recommendation for LEPs to look to replicate successful strategic funds like the Liverpool City Region funds, further emphasize the importance of regional collaboration in supporting the growth of the creative industries.
The photo in the article was taken by Alex Holyoake. The report can be found at https://www.our website/assets/publications/Final-Insights-from-our-Industry-Champions_-Local-Growth.pdf.
[1] Easton, E. and Burger, C., (2020). Insights from our Industry Champions: How policymakers can support local growth in the creative industries. https://www.our website/assets/publications/Final-Insights-from-our-Industry-Champions_-Local-Growth.pdf [2] Creative UK, (2020). Creative Industries Sector Deal: 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/creative-industries-sector-deal-2025 [3] Creative England, (2020). Creative Industries Council: Arts Council England and Creative England launch £1.5 million Creative Business Fund. https://www.creativeengland.co.uk/news/creative-industries-council-arts-council-england-and-creative-england-launch-15-million-creative-business-fund/ [4] Nesta, (2019). Creative Industries Council: Nesta and the Creative Industries Council launch a new fund to support creative businesses. https://www.nesta.org.uk/article/creative-industries-council-nesta-and-the-creative-industries-council-launch-a-new-fund-to-support-creative-businesses/ [5] HM Treasury, (2018). Budget 2018: Creative Industries Sector Deal. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/budget-2018-creative-industries-sector-deal/budget-2018-creative-industries-sector-deal
- The report, "Insights from our Industry Champions: How policymakers can support local growth in the creative industries," published on 25th February 2020, indicates the need for strategies to boost innovation in the UK's arts and culture sectors.
- One of the key recommendations is to accelerate innovation-led growth and secure growth finance, aiming to increase business investment from £17 billion to £31 billion by 2035.
- Policymakers are advised to expand access to finance for creative businesses, particularly for underrepresented founders, to achieve the set target.
- Strengthening skills development and widening access to continuous professional development are essential to build a diverse talent pipeline for the sector.
- Creative UK proposes the appointment of a Freelance Champion to advocate for the sector’s creative freelancers, leading inquiries into systemic barriers they face and producing formal policy recommendations.
- Access to affordable, flexible spaces and strengthening regional networks is crucial for local growth outside major cities, as suggested in the report.
- To enhance trade, export, and global market positioning, goals have been set to increase trade and exports in film, TV, music, video games, and digital advertising, supporting local creative firms scaling internationally.
- The report underscores the importance of regional collaboration, as demonstrated by the Northern Creative Corridor initiative connecting creative clusters across Northern regions.
- Local governments are encouraged to review their procurement practices to remove barriers for small creative businesses, and simplify application procedures for access to finance.
- Policymakers can attract and grow creative businesses by opening up available empty space, subsidizing rent, and reducing business rates.
- Policy-and-legislation in areas such as education, research, and general-news should reflect this guidance to support the growth and internationalization of the creative industries in the UK.
