Support for creative industries must be maintained to fully realise their significant growth potential, according to a new report from the Creative Industries Federation published today.

The report, Growing the UK’s Creative Industries – what creative enterprises need to thrive and grow, says creative industries are the fastest growing sector of the UK economy, with the potential to unlock even more significant growth with the right support.

One in eight UK enterprises are creative enterprises, collectively responsible for two million jobs and generating over £100 billion gross value added (GVA) to the economy, the report says. This is bigger than the automotive, life sciences, aerospace and oil and gas sectors combined.

The sector’s growth is borne out in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly where the latest data shows that the number of creative enterprises has grown by 41% to 1,400 since 2011.

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has identified creative industries as a key growth sector in its 10 Opportunities investment prospectus.

The Creative Industries Federation report says that creative enterprises share many of the challenges faced by the wider business community. A lack of time, finance and funding, business support, and talent came out on top.

But the report singles out Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly as one area that has introduced tailored programmes to support sector growth. It cites the Cultivator programme as one example. This offers specialist support for creative enterprises through coaching, mentoring, and targeted investment.

Emmie Kell

Emmie Kell, creative industries lead on the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP boad, said: “This is an important report and stresses the need to maintain momentum in the growth of creative industries.

“As one of just three LEPs interviewed for the report we are pleased that our work to foster a creative industries support ecosystem in our region has been recognised, but more needs to be done to unlock growth.

“We welcome calls for devolved regional sector deals with Government that can be tailored by area, and for a review to ensure that the Shared Prosperity Fund, which will replace EU funding, maximises investment and does not short-change creative industries after Brexit.

“And we support calls for Government to ensure that creativity is at the heart of curriculum in every school to help create a rich pipeline of talent for the future.

“We look forward to working with Government and the industry to take forward the report’s recommendations.”

The report defines creative industries as comprising 12 sub-sectors which are: advertising and marketing; architecture; crafts; design (product, graphic and fashion); film, TV, video, radio and photography; IT, software and computer services; publishing; museums, galleries and libraries; music, performing and visual arts; animation (visual and special effects); video games; heritage.