Highlighting Innovative Research and Development: A Week Focused on Studies and Governmental Policies
THE UK CREATIVE INDUSTRIES: TIME TO DIAL UP THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT!
Face it, the creative industries are taking over, building the sustainable homes of the future, dominating the entertainment world, and fueling the UK economy with their value and soft power. But here's the thing - they ain't getting the support they deserve!
Historically, investments into research and development (R&D) have transformed our culture, society, and lives for the better - steam engines, internet, you name it - all were born from R&D and experimentation. And it's heartbreaking that we're at the brink of losing these creatives, the innovators at the forefront of our economy, by not properly investing in R&D for the creative industries.
That's not cool. It's like ignoring the geniuses among us, leaving them to fade away.
But we don't have to stand for this nonsense. Change is needed - and it's needed fast!
Check out what we need to do and why, by taking a gander at the research and insights below:
The Skinny on the Creative Industries
Highly skilled, international talent fuels UK creative industries growth, finds new report
Increasing inequality in arts and culture revealed by new research
New Government-backed survey to provide unprecedented insight on what drives growth in the creative industries
UK Government's growth ambitions threatened by widening creative industries skills gap
Invest at scale in place-based approaches to unleash potential of 'Foreign Direct Investment' in UK's creative industries says new research
With the right financial support, creative industries could fuel the Government’s growth mission and help tackle persistent regional inequality
Access to Finance: launch of new research project
New research points to a looming creative economy skills shortage across the UK
Press Release: New research, including once-in-a-decade data, provides comprehensive overview of audiences and workforce across arts, culture, and heritage
Press Release: UK's creative industries are an export success story
Introducing the Creative PEC’s Research Fellows Network
'One Creative North' plans finalized at summit ahead of Convention of the North
Research, Development, and Innovation Insights
The UK government has pledged to up the R&D ante by investing £22.6 billion every year as part of their broader industrial and innovation strategy. While the creative industries are recognized as a strategic growth sector with a significant economic contribution, they're currently only getting about 1% of overall R&D funding. Ouch!
To address this, funding packages like the £75 million Screen Growth Package and the £30 million Music Growth Package have been announced to champion subsectors like film, TV, and music. Plus, there's a focus on SMEs – which make up 95% of creative businesses – by improving access to capital to support growth opportunities aligned with other sectors.
The video game industry, a key part of the creative economy, is lobbying for improved tax credits and targeted incentives to boost investment, jobs, and studio growth.
The aim here is to stimulate growth not just in the hubs but in the regions, shrink the gap between the high flyers and the underdogs, and create a more sustainable and diverse creative economy. However, until R&D criteria explicitly reflect the needs of the arts, humanities, and creative sectors, the full potential for R&D-driven innovation may remain untapped.
Sources:
[1] ‘Increasing inequality in arts and culture revealed by new research,’ Creative PEC, May 7, 2025, https://www.creativepec.co.uk/news-and-press/news-and-press/increasing-inequality-in-arts-and-culture-revealed-by-new-research/
[2] ‘Highly skilled, international talent helps fuel UK creative industries growth, finds new report,’ Creative PEC, June 10, 2025, https://www.creativepec.co.uk/news-and-press/news-and-press/highly-skilled-international-talent-helps-fuel-uk-creative-industries-growth-finds-new-report/
[3] ‘New Government-backed survey will provide unprecedent insight on what drives growth in the creative industries,’ Creative PEC, May 15, 2025, https://www.creativepec.co.uk/news-and-press/news-and-press/new-government-backed-survey-will-provide-unprecedent-insight-on-what-drives-growth-in-the-creative-industries/
[4] ‘UK Government’s growth ambitions threatened by widening creative industries skills gap,’ Creative PEC, February 12, 2025, https://www.creativepec.co.uk/news-and-press/news-and-press/uk-governments-growth-ambitions-threatened-by-widening-creative-industries-skills-gap/
[5] ‘Invest at scale in place-based approaches to unleash potential of 'Foreign Direct Investment' in UK’s creative industries says new research,’ Creative PEC, November 20, 2024, https://www.creativepec.co.uk/news-and-press/news-and-press/invest-at-scale-in-place-based-approaches-to-unleash-potential-of-foreign-direct-investment-in-uks-creative-industries-says-new-research/
[6] ‘With the right financial support, creative industries could fuel the Government’s growth mission and help tackle persistent regional inequality,’ Creative PEC, November 20, 2024, https://www.creativepec.co.uk/latest/with-the-right-financial-support-creative-industries-could-fuel-the-governments-growth-mission-and-help-tackle-persistent-regional-inequality/
[7] ‘Access to Finance: launch of new research project,’ Creative PEC, January 1, 2021, https://www.creativepec.co.uk/latest/access-to-finance-launch-of-new-research-project/
[8] ‘New research points to a looming creative economy skills shortage across the UK,’ Creative PEC, July 17, 2021, https://www.creativepec.co.uk/education-skills-talent/news-and-press/new-research-points-to-a-looming-creative-economy-skills-shortage-across-the-uk/
[9] ‘Press Release: New research, including once-in-a-decade data, provides comprehensive overview of audiences and workforce across arts, culture, and heritage,’ Creative PEC, May 15, 2024, https://www.creativepec.co.uk/arts-culture-and-heritage/news-and-press/press-release-new-research-including-once-in-a-decade-data-provides-comprehensive-overview-of-audiences-and-workforce-across-arts-culture-and-heritage/
[10] ‘Press Release: UK’s creative industries are an export success story,’ Creative PEC, March 20, 2024, https://www.creativepec.co.uk/internationalisation/news-and-press/press-release-uks-creative-industries-are-an-export-success-story/
[11] ‘Introducing the Creative PEC’s Research Fellows Network,’ Creative PEC, February 4, 2021, https://www.creativepec.co.uk/blog/introducing-the-creative-pecs-research-fellows-network/
[12] ‘'One Creative North' plans finalized at summit ahead of Convention of the North,’ Creative PEC, December 15, 2021, https://www.creativepec.co.uk/geography-of-the-creative-industries/news-and-press/one-creative-north-plans-finalized-at-summit-ahead-of-convention-of-the-north/
[13] ‘One Creative North,’ Creative PEC, October 1, 2021, https://www.creativepec.co.uk/geography-of-the-creative-industries/
[14] ‘Creative Industries,’ Creative PEC, November 1, 2021, https://www.creativepec.co.uk/learning-and-skills/
[15] ‘Creative Industries Industries,’ Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/creative-industries-wordpress/creative-industries
The Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (Creative PEC) is a UK-based, independent research organization, providing research and policy recommendations for the UK's creative industries. To learn more, visit creativepec.co.uk.
- The creative industries, a significant contributor to the UK economy, require increased investment in research and development (R&D) to drive innovation and growth.
- talent from around the world is fueling the growth of the UK's creative industries, yet there's a looming skills shortage that threatens the government's growth ambitions.
- A growing inequality in arts and culture has been revealed by new research, highlighting the urgent need for action.
- The government's new survey aims to provide unprecedented insights into what drives growth in the creative industries.
- The widening skills gap in the creative industries could be addressed by investing at scale in place-based approaches and SME support.
- Access to finance is also a key concern for the creative industries, with a new research project launched to address this issue.
- New evidence points to an impending creative economy skills shortage across the UK, making it critical to act swiftly.
- Comprehensive research has been published, offering a once-in-a-decade data-driven overview of the audiences and workforce across arts, culture, and heritage.
- The UK's creative industries have proved to be an export success story, demonstrating the sector's potential to contribute to the country's growth and economic development.
