£380 million boost for creative industries to help drive innovation, regional growth and investment

From grassroots music venues to world-class film studios, thousands of creative professionals and businesses across the UK are set to benefit from a new £380 million investment package.

The investment underpins the Creative Industries Sector Plan, which sets out a clear direction on how the Government aims to build a sector that drives regional growth, is financially resilient and is globally competitive.

Set to be published alongside the Government's Industrial Strategy next week, the plan outlines a bold vision to nearly double business investment in the sector by 2035 - from £17 billion to £31 billion - cementing the UK's position as a global creative superpower.

The £380 million package is part of a wider plan to deliver targeted investment to create thousands of new jobs and opportunities in sub-sectors like film and TV, music, performing and visual arts, video games and advertising, while generating economic growth in six regions outside London over the next three years.

The Sector Plan aims to make the UK the best place globally to invest in creativity and drive innovation and tech adoption by 2035, with targeted support for:

• A £150 million Creative Places Growth Fund for six regions outside London, empowering local Mayors to support creative businesses in their communities with access to finance, mentoring and networking opportunities to help them connect with investors and skills programmes. 

• At least £50 million for a new wave of Creative Industries Clusters across the UK to accelerate research and development, doubling investment from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) in clusters to £100 million. Clusters bring together universities, businesses, local and regional policymakers, and private funders to drive research, innovation and growth in the creative industries.

• £25 million for five new innovative UKRI CoSTAR R&D labs and two showcase spaces, which will develop cutting-edge technologies like those used in Abba Voyage and award-winning theatre productions such as last year's Olivier Award-winning stage adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Building on the Government's commitment to ensure a robust copyright regime and support UK IP, the plan will include the establishment of a Creative Content Exchange. It will act as a trusted marketplace for selling, buying, licensing and enabling permitted access to digitised cultural and creative assets, opening up new revenue streams for content owners.

The industry plan responds directly to what the sector has said it needs - better access to finance, stronger skills pipelines, and support for innovation - and lays out a roadmap to deliver it.

This includes upskilling the next generation of creative talent through a £10 million investment in the National Film and Television School (NFTS) which will help to train 2,000 new trainees and apprentices over the next decade – backed by industry giants such as the Walt Disney Company, the Dana and Albert R. Broccoli Foundation, and Sky.

The investment will also go towards a new £9 million creative careers service, which will help raise awareness of opportunities and provide pathways into the sector for young people. 

The UK's leading creative industries, recognised across the world, are a major driver of economic growth as part of the Plan for Change – driving in £124 billion a year to our economy and employing 2.4 million people across the UK. Over the last decade the sector has increased its output more than one and a half times faster than the rest of the economy.                  

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

"Our creative industries are powerful economic drivers in this country. By placing them at the heart of our Industrial Strategy this Sector Plan, backed by £380 million of investment, will boost regional growth, stimulate private investment, and create thousands more high-quality jobs.

“This Sector Plan will help nearly double business investment to £31 billion by 2035, supporting our mission to raise living standards everywhere as part of our Plan for Change, ensuring the UK remains the world's creative powerhouse."

 Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

“The UK's creative industries are world-leading and have a huge cultural impact globally, which is why we're championing them at home and abroad as a key growth sector in our Modern Industrial Strategy.

“We've seen the power of investment, with this Government welcoming around £100 billion into the UK since taking office, and our Strategy will not only ensure that the UK is the best country to invest and do business in, but deliver economic growth that puts more money in people's pockets.”

Sir Peter Bazalgette, Co-Chair, Creative Industries Council, said: 

“This ambitious plan for growth represents a coming of age for the creative sector. Crucially the plans for R&D funding and Access to Finance for SMEs are exciting step changes.”

Baroness Shriti Vadera, co-chair of the Creative Industries Council, said: 

"This strategy recognises that the UK Creative Industries are one of the most innovative sectors in the UK economy and have a strong comparative advantage internationally. The work now begins to cement their role as a driver of growth and a global creative super power."

 The investment also includes tailored packages for high-growth sub-sectors through:

• A £75 million Screen Growth Package supporting UK content development and international investment, and showcasing the best of UK and international film. This includes an enlarged UK Global Screen Fund and scaled-up BFI Film Academy to support 16–25 year olds from underrepresented backgrounds to enter the film industry.

• A Music Growth Package worth up to £30 million, helping emerging artists break through at home and abroad. Measures will create new touring, performance, mentoring and export opportunities for emerging talent, while also delivering a significant uplift in funding for the grassroots sector to support small venues and help them to platform more high-potential artists.

• A £30 million Video Games Growth Package, backing the next generation of start-up games studios and developers. This will drive inward investment in the sector through expansion of the UK Games Fund (UKGF) as well as new support for the London Games Festival.

The Sector Plan also includes support for emerging fashion designers through the British Fashion Council's NEWGEN programme, to help them showcase their work at London Fashion Week and secure business mentoring.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan will map out in detail how the Government will support the sector to grow even further over the next decade through a focus on boosting regional growth, innovation, access to finance, skills and exports.

It will also see the Department for Business and Trade ramp up the number of creative trade missions and markets it targets, such as in the Asia-Pacific. Funding will be increased for major creative trade shows such as SXSW and Cannes Lions.

The Sector Plan has been developed in partnership with the Creative Industries Taskforce, Creative Industries Council, businesses, devolved governments, and regional stakeholders. It builds on the recent £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund supporting cultural venues across the nation.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• The new £150 million Creative Places Growth Fund will be devolved to six Mayoral Strategic Authorities: West Midlands, West of England, West Yorkshire, the North East, Liverpool and Greater Manchester. 

• The new Music Growth Package worth up to £30 million follows the Government advocating for an industry-led levy on stadium and arena tickets to support grassroots music. 

• The establishment of a Creative Content Exchange will act as a trusted marketplace for selling, buying, licensing and enabling permitted access to digitised cultural and creative assets. This new marketplace will open up new revenue streams and allow content owners to commercialise and financialise their assets while providing data users with ease of access.

• The Sector Plan follows the Government's recent announcement of more than £270 million that will be invested in arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage buildings as part of the Arts Everywhere Fund, to help organisations in need of support to stay up and running, carry out vital infrastructure work and improve their financial resilience.

Further quotes

Caroline Norbury, chief executive, Creative UK: “The Sector Plan signals that the creative industries are central to the UK's growth story. From freelancers to scale-ups, this is a step towards the joined-up support our sector needs – and Creative UK stands ready to work with government and industry partners to turn ambition into action. 

“As we move into delivery mode, it's essential that all parts of the sector - from cultural organisations to creative tech firms - are empowered to grow, invest and contribute fully to the UK's economic future.”

Ben Roberts, Chief Executive, BFI, said: “We welcome the Government's decision to put the creative industries at the centre of its growth strategy. The UK's screen sector is already a global leader, generating billions for the economy and pioneering new ideas. 

“With a firm focus on developing the sector across the UK, this investment can unlock fresh opportunities - from growing the sector's talent pool and strengthening creative clusters nationwide, to opening new international markets for UK screen businesses and advancing creative technology innovation, including the CoSTAR work which the BFI is proud to be a partner on.”

UK Music Chief Executive Tom Kiehl said:

“UK Music welcomes the Government's creative industries sector plan and the important status that it gives to music. The plan rightly recognises our world-beating £7.6 billion music sector as an essential high growth driving part of the creative industries.

"It is hugely welcome that funding packages and programmes are being made available to turbocharge the music industry and we are incredibly excited at the opportunity to be working with the Government to deliver on this.”

Barbara Broccoli, EON Productions, said:

“I'm thrilled the Government is joining forces with the National Film and Television School as part of its Industrial Strategy. The NFTS is a world-class institution that has trained some of the most talented members of our industry and I'm especially pleased this investment will focus on much needed support for persons with disabilities.”

Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO, Sky Studios and Chief Content Officer, Sky, said:

“Sky is proud to support the National Film and Television School's expansion plans and growth ambitions, as part of the Government's Industrial Strategy. As one of the world's leading institutions for film, television and games, the NFTS plays a vital role in developing the UK's creative talent. Our investment underscores our commitment to skills development and sector growth, and we're excited to see future generations benefit from the school's outstanding work.”

Jon Wardle, Director National Film and Television School, commented:

“The real world impact of the Sector Plan in action will be felt through the NFTS's expanded ability to train world-class, diverse talent and fuel growth in a sector where the UK is a global leader. In a challenging climate for the creative industries, the support from the government isn't just welcome, it's strategic.  This investment in the NFTS reinforces a commitment to skills, innovation, and the long-term future of the creative economy.”

Wayne Garvie, President International Production, Sony Pictures Television, said:

“The NFTS is an unparalleled training ground for British creativity and it's wonderful that the Government both recognises the importance of the film and television sector in its Industrial Strategy and the role the NFTS plays in developing the next generation of great British creative talent.”

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, said:

"Ambition, excellence and innovation are the golden threads that run through the work of our artists, musicians, dancers, actors, writers, directors and producers. It's what we're famous for here at home and on the international stage. This new plan highlights the breadth and brilliance of our nation's creative professionals and cultural organisations. It provides a roadmap for supercharging the growth of our sector and for nurturing the next generation of British talent, creating jobs across the country and delighting audiences here and around the globe."

Alison Lomax, Managing Director for YouTube UK & Ireland, said:

“We welcome the Creative Industries Sector Plan's commitment to a robust framework for creatives across the UK. It's particularly encouraging to see the government acknowledge the digital creator economy's vital role in driving growth for our creative industries. By embracing new distribution models that boost our cultural exports, this vision will solidify the UK's position as a global cultural superpower.”

Nick Poole OBE, Chief Executive, Ukie:

"On behalf of the UK's world-leading video game and interactive entertainment sector, we welcome the measures set out today by the Government to supercharge our Creative Industries as part of the Industrial Strategy. Today's announcement is both a validation of the huge cultural and economic impact of video games and an opportunity to show the world we are open for business." 

Stephen Woodford, CEO, Advertising Association:

“Our industry welcomes the recognition of advertising as a priority sector for growth in the Creative Industries Sector Plan – we are a world leader in creativity as proven by our successful performance once again at Cannes Lions this year. 

“This strategy is a platform for growth for the next decade across our regions and nations. We welcome the incentives to attract new talent to join our industry, and we commit to working together to strengthen work that helps businesses innovate, compete in the UK and internationally, and create jobs.”

Professor Christopher Smith, UKRI Creative Industries Champion, and Executive Chair of the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council, said:

“The creative industries are a powerful engine for growth in the UK economy but they are also vital for scientific advance. This Spending Review commits UKRI to a coherent and concerted strategic investment, from the UK's national capability for the creative industries, CoSTAR, to the Creative Industries Clusters Programme and beyond.

“The deep synergies between creative content and the most cutting-edge science in universities and R&D intensive businesses across the UK place creative industries at the heart of UKRI's commitment to excellent science for a growing economy.”