May 2023
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This conference discussed next steps for supporting growth and development in the creative industries.
It was a timely opportunity for stakeholders and policymakers to examine the future of UKRI’s Creative Industries Clusters Programme, which was due to end soon, and to look ahead to the Government’s Creative Industries Sector Vision.
The discussion took place in the context of the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee report At risk: our creative future, which called for UKRI, DCMS and the then BEIS to work together to ensure that successes can continue to be built on.
We are pleased that Professor Christopher Smith, Executive Chair, Arts and Humanities Research Council, UKRI was a keynote speaker at this conference.
Delegates also discussed wider recommendations for supporting the creative industries from the Lords Committee’s report, looking at:
- innovation, funding, and protecting intellectual property
- priorities for education, skills, career pathways and workforce development
There was a further keynote contribution from Matthew Bell, Director, Frontier Economics, with key findings from the Understanding the growth potential of creative clusters study, commissioned by DCMS to analyse key factors for success in clusters and creative industry development.
Further sessions included case studies on successful approaches to clusters, and how to bring together key players in local areas, including councils, businesses and higher education, to create plans to help support their creative economies - as well as strategies for realising benefits for employment and inward investment.
Sessions in the agenda included:
- creative clusters: supporting the UK’s creative industries - the potential of creative clusters - key enablers for growth across the UK
- meeting the future: assessing the possibilities - priorities for R&D - innovation in emerging technology - business models - protecting IP - investment - adapting to change and disruption
- talent pipeline: meeting challenges in the education system - data on skills gaps - the future for qualifications - the blend of digital and creative skills - apprenticeships - career pathways - diversity
- local strategies: building joined-up approaches to support creative clusters
- policy: priorities for supporting inward investment - global positioning of the UK’s creative sector
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from the DBT; Department for Communities, NI; DCMS; DIT; DLUHC; DSIT; GLD; IPO; Ofcom; and the Welsh Government - as well as parliamentary pass-holders from The House of Lords.
