£60 million boost for creative industries to turbocharge growth
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-17)

Hundreds of creative businesses and projects across the UK are to receive government funding to help them grow as part of a major boost to the economy – marking the first step of the Government's Sector Plan for the creative industries.

- Culture Secretary hosts major economic growth summit in Gateshead for creative industries and announces key priority areas
- Marks first step towards delivering Sector Plan, as part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy
- £60 million package of support to drive growth, including £40 million investment for start-up video game studios, British music and film exports and creative businesses outside of London
- British Business Bank will increase its support for the sector to help the UK’s Creative Industries realise their full growth potential, while government also launches Soft Power Council to drive investment
Hundreds of creative businesses and projects across the UK are to receive government funding to help them grow as part of a major boost to the economy – marking the first step of the Government’s Sector Plan for the creative industries.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is bringing together more than 250 creative businesses and cultural leaders at the The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, in Gateshead today. As part of its modern Industrial Strategy, she will set out how the Government will work together with the sector to increase growth and investment, starting with a £60 million package of government support.This includes investments for start-up video game studios, grassroots music venues and creative businesses to boost British music and film exports, which will facilitate investment and innovation in communities, in turn supporting businesses and employment.

Growth is the number one mission of the Government’s Plan for Change, so we can put more money in people’s pockets. Today’s summit is the first step towards delivering the Creative Industry Sector Plan, as part of the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy. It will set out the enormous growth potential of the sector and where the biggest opportunities are at home and in new markets abroad.It will identify what key barriers are currently holding back the sector’s growth potential, and government and industry’s shared commitment to overcoming them, laying the groundwork for the publication of the full Creative Industries Sector Plan in the spring.

At the summit, the Culture Secretary will also announce that the priority regions for Creative Industries are the North East, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, West Midlands, Greater London, West of England, South Wales, Glasgow, Edinburgh-Dundee corridor, and Belfast.

Alongside this, the Government will provide additional funding, to be agreed as part of the Spending Review, to six Mayoral Combined Authorities (North East, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, West Midlands, West of England) . This will maximise the strengths of these areas to deliver growth and builds upon progress to provide an attractive business environment and encourage strong, continued investment in the creative industries for years to come.

As the Government ramps up support for the sector, the Culture Secretary will also announce that we will bring forward changes so that shorter apprenticeships are available from August 2025, recognising the particular needs of the creative industries, as one of our first steps towards a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy. The government is working with industry, including through a Creative Industries Taskforce chaired by Baroness Shriti Vadera and Sir Peter Bazalgette, on the sector plan and there will be more detail and policy announcements made in the months ahead.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

From film and fashion to music and advertising, our creative industries are truly world-class and play a critical role in helping us deliver on this Government’s mission to drive economic growth in all parts of the UK.

Our £60 million funding boost will support creative and cultural organisations across the UK to turbocharge growth by transforming local venues, creating jobs, supporting businesses and spreading opportunity across the country.

But this is by no means the limit of our ambitions, which is why the creative industries are at the heart of the forthcoming Industrial Strategy and will continue to play a key part in this Government’s Plan for Change.

The Government will create the most attractive business environment to encourage strong, continued investment in the creative industries for years to come. The Government will design the sector plan with business, who have set out the barriers to growth, including skills and access to finance. The Government will design the sector plan with business, who have set out the barriers to growth, including skills and access to finance. As a result the Government is also making a significant signal of intent ahead of the Spending Review by announcing positive changes to the way the British Business Bank, UK Research and Innovation and skills policy will prioritise the Creative Industries.

The British Business Bank, which supports £17.4 billion of finance to over 64,000 smaller businesses, has committed to increase its support for creative businesses to access the finance they need to grow.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

Our number one mission is to grow the economy and our creative industries are a British success story with a big part to play.

Building on our plans to boost our AI sector, this is another step as we go further and faster to deliver growth so we can put more money in people’s pockets.

Today’s summit comes as the Culture Secretary and Foreign Secretary David Lammy also confirmed the membership of a new Soft Power Council. The council will act as an advisory board to the UK Government and will bring together soft power and foreign policy experts to champion the UK abroad, and drive investment and growth at home. Members include former rower and chair of UK Sport Katherine Grainger, former athlete and television presenter Baroness Grey-Thompson and V&A director Tristram Hunt.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

Soft power is fundamental to the UK’s impact and reputation around the world. I am often struck by the enormous love and respect which our music, sport and educational institutions generate on every continent. But we have not taken a sufficiently strategic approach to these huge assets as a country. Harnessing soft power effectively can help to build relationships, deepen trust, enhance our security and drive economic growth.

That is why I have created the Soft Power Council to channel British expertise as we look to re-imagine Britain’s role on the world stage, reinvigorate alliances and forge new partnerships.

ENDS

Notes to editors

Today’s Creative Industries Growth Summit will include representatives from Netflix, Spotify, Warner Bros., the National Theatre and British Museum. Sector leaders will discuss what they need to unlock its enormous potential to boost the UK’s economy further, adding to its contribution currently valued at £124 billion.

Today is the latest example of our modern Industrial Strategy in action, following on from Monday’s AI Action Plan.

The Government’s Industrial Strategy is a credible, 10-year plan to deliver the certainty and stability businesses need to invest in the high growth sectors that will drive our growth mission. That is why our Industrial Strategy will channel support to 8 growth-driving sectors, including the creative industries.

The commitment from the UKRI is a response to the recommendation from the Prime Minister’s Council of Science and Technology that ‘public investment in R&D in the creative industries should reflect the size, economic contribution and future growth potential of the sector.’

Further sector moments for other Industrial Strategy sectors will be delivered over the next few months, ahead of the Industrial Strategy publication in the spring.

The £60 million package of support from the Culture Secretary is comprised of:

£40 million in funding over the next financial year. This includes a further £16.3 million for the Create Growth Programme, £2.5 million for the Supporting Grassroots Music Fund, £5.5 million for the UK Games Fund, £1.6 million for the Music Export Growth Scheme and £7 million for the UK Global Screen Fund.

Four cultural projects receiving £16.2 million from the Cultural Development Fund. These are:

The Centre for Writing, a new creative centre for the written word, will strengthen Newcastle’s position as a national centre of excellence for writing and publishing. The centre is expected to support over 100 trainees and attract 35 creative businesses to the city (£5 million);

Glassworks, a new world class facility for glass making in Sunderland that will connect the city’s 1350 years of glassmaking heritage (£5 million);

Harmony Works, a music education centre in Sheffield, to transform a vacant Grade II listed building into a music education centre where young people from all backgrounds will be able to explore and hone their musical talents (£3.5 million);

The Tropicana, a cultural venue in North Somerset, to complete the final development phase and transformation of the historic seafront complex into a flagship cultural centre in Weston-super-Mare. (£2.7 million).
- 127 creative businesses in 12 regions across England awarded a share of £3.6 million through the Create Growth Programme (https://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/programme/create-growth/) (CGP), delivered by Innovate UK. Grants will help firms like Borro (https://borro-it.com/), a children’s clothing rental platform in the West Midlands, and Tapocketa (https://www.tapocketa.com/), an animation studio in Hertfordshire, to develop innovative new products, attract private investment and access one-to-one mentoring with industry experts. See the full list of businesses benefitting from the third round of the CGP: CGP3 winners (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67895beed0561c11b91d0547/FINAL_-_List_of_CGP_Comp_3_Successful_Applicants.ods) (ODS, 13.9 KB).
Supportive Quotes

Abigail Pogson, Chief Executive Officer, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, said:

Supporting the creative industries is key to driving long-term growth and creating jobs in every region. What’s happened here in Gateshead – transforming a former industrial area into a thriving cultural hub - demonstrates that investment in creativity delivers real economic and social impact.

It’s particularly significant to host a summit like this in Gateshead as The Glasshouse turns 20 and renews its commitment to the region and its next generation. It’s a statement of intent that the creative economy is a whole nation of opportunity.

This announcement of support for the creative sector across the UK represents an exciting new era. These are the building blocks of a thriving sector that benefits everyone.

Caroline Norbury OBE, Chief Executive of Creative UK, said:

We’re delighted to be working with the Department on today’s Growth Summit in Gateshead, designed to showcase the enormous impact that the Create Growth Programme has made right across England. Working with our partners at the NE Combined Authority on the programme, we have supported 100 businesses to develop the skills and knowledge needed to secure investment and achieve their growth ambitions. Through our own funds and relationships with other investors, by the end of March 2025 we will have seen a further £2.5m invested in over 35 North East businesses.

Realising the growth potential of the UK’s creative industries means strengthening the scale and complexity of investment and support from the UK Government, as key to leverage greater private and philanthropic contributions. As part of this, it’s great to see today’s commitments as to how the British Business Bank and UK Research & Innovation respond to the opportunities we have to drive growth in the creative sector - which generates cultural and economic value right across the UK and in other industries.

Nick Malyan, Chief Executive, Sunderland Culture, said:

We are immensely grateful to DCMS for awarding this grant for Glassworks: Sunderland and recognising the important connection between the city’s proud 1,350 year heritage of glassmaking and our creative future. This is a significant step in ensuring Sunderland remains one of the few nationally significant centres of excellence in the UK with specialist facilities to create and produce in glass.

Councillor Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council’s Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, said:

The much-loved Tropicana is a key destination at the heart of Weston-super-Mare’s seafront. I’m delighted that our bid for £2.7 million from Arts Council England’s Cultural Development Fund has been approved by the UK government. This now enables us to carry out additional work to the building including finishing, fit out and providing increased accessibility so that more people can enjoy cultural activities and entertainment there. Reinventing this iconic landmark building will create new jobs, support local businesses, and deliver a year-round experience-led economy for the future.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:

The North East’s cultural offer is strong, and steeped in the pride and creativity of our people, places and industrial heritage. Now this investment means we are making it even better, and helping the North East stand tall on the national and international stage. I want the world to know about our world-class arts and culture and discover our region. As a Mayor, I will back these industries. These investments will help create jobs, attract visitors, revitalise our city centres and create more opportunity for people across the North East to enjoy our brilliant cultural offer.”

Sarah Green, founder of Borro, CGP winner, said:

This grant will enable us to build our own innovative tech for the first time, providing users with a truly easy circular solution for their kids’ clothes. As a small start-up, this grant is invaluable and it will not only develop our innovative business model, it will make us more attractive to private investment in the future.

Eleanor Long, co-founder of Tapocketa, said:

The CGP grant will enable innovative techniques that raise our exposure and attract sponsorship, all the while making our work more accessible to a wider audience.

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

Investment in the creative industries brings huge benefits to people and communities across England, as well as playing a key role in the future of our country’s economic growth. This new Cultural Development Fund will unlock more growth, and boost access and productivity in our cultural infrastructure; and the extension of the Supporting Grassroots Music Fund is brilliant news for our music scene – benefitting the fans, artists and dedicated teams who support them.

I am proud that Arts Council England is playing a part in delivering this DCMS investment, bringing more creativity to people everywhere.

David Conway, CEO, Pinewood Group, said:

It’s very positive news that the Government is putting the Creative Industries at the heart of their Industrial Strategy. The Creative Industries make a huge contribution to the UK and attract massive inward investment. The UK boasts some fantastic competitive advantages, but we cannot rest on our laurels as it is a fragile time with many nations competing for this investment. Without the right focus and support, we will not unlock our further growth potential. These newly announced initiatives are therefore broadly welcomed.

Anne Mensah, Vice President of Content, UK, Netflix, said:

World leading creativity has long been at the heart of the UK. Today’s Summit, and the announcement of a £60 million boost for the creative industries, is a clear indication that the Government recognises the enormous contribution our sector makes to the UK economy and its potential to drive even greater growth. Netflix welcomes this commitment to an industry that creates jobs and investment right across the country. It will help ensure we remain one of the best places in the world to develop fabulous TV, Games and Film which connect with global audiences long into the future.

Kate Varah, Executive Director and Co-Chief Executive National Theatre, said:

The UK’s performing arts are resilient, innovative and deeply committed to powering creativity that changes lives. We thrill audiences, boost the economy, enhance soft power, enrich local communities. In the face of significant challenges, including successive funding cuts and the aftershocks of a global pandemic, our sector’s ongoing success now depends in large part on partnership with a Government who understands and recognises the transformative power of the creative industries. Today’s announcement is a visible sign that this Government ‘gets’ what we do – nationally and internationally – to produce artistic excellence alongside social and economic value that breaks down the barriers to growth. More of this, please. Together we can deliver extraordinary things for this extraordinary nation.

An Amazon spokesperson said:

We welcome the Government’s announcement. Amazon has invested over £4 billion in the UK creative industries since 2010, and the Culture Secretary’s leadership to further strengthen the UK’s reputation as a creative powerhouse is very welcome. Having experienced first-hand the exceptional talent and opportunities across all the nations and regions through our UK-wide productions, including landmark shows in Scotland and Wales, we applaud the Government’s commitment to developing creative clusters beyond the South East, which will ensure the sector’s benefits are felt across the nation.