Our Creative Future
The Manifesto
The Cultural and Creative Industries are key to social and economic prosperity in the United Kingdom. Now is the time for radical new thinking. Now is the time to secure Our Creative Future.
Caroline Norbury OBE
We have a vision for Our Creative Future – where the Cultural and Creative Industries can deliver their full potential, generating social and economic prosperity across our nation. The potential of the creative economy, and its ability to grow even in difficult circumstances, is proof that there is real value in innovation. It’s proof that we have the solutions. Now imagine what could be achieved if supporting culture and human creativity was perceived as an investment opportunity, not a cost.
Our Priorities
Grow the workforce of tomorrow by prioritising creative skills and education.
To help support the target of one million new jobs by 2030, a culture-rich education - complete with skills-focussed careers guidance - should be available to young people from all backgrounds. It’s the only way to ensure a diverse, skilled talent pool for the future.
Unleash creative freelancers’ potential to build more sustainable careers, by modelling better ways of working.
Strengthening protections for freelancers and appointing a Freelancer Commissioner will provide better support for people who work in this way. If we get this right, it will serve as a blueprint for more successful UK-wide self-employment.
Make the UK the best place in the world to build and retain creative talent and their businesses. Return the arts share of National Lottery funds to 25% and create and maintain genuinely competitive fiscal reliefs and incentives.
We need an ambitious and resilient new approach to financing the Cultural and Creative Industries.
Facilitate innovation by increasing investment in research and development funding, and supporting new products, services and IP.
Real growth comes when companies can scale through testing and developing new ideas.
Enable innovation and provide security for creatives, by protecting Intellectual Property (IP) in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
There is a positive future for AI and human creativity, with both working in tandem to help the UK lead the way in innovation. But IP rights need to be central to technology development and application. IP is the lifeblood of the sector – and the UK Government must uphold our existing gold-standard framework.
Strengthen the UK’s standing on the world stage, by supporting trade and exports.
To truly be a global creative leader, we need easy movement of people, goods and services – including the ability to bring in talent from anywhere in the world on a freelancing basis.
18-25 year-olds wanting to work in creative sectors
of artists wanting to see greater UK Government protection of their work
18-25 year-olds believe it's too hard to break in
Open Letter
Whilst launching our Manifesto, we have partnered with Land of Hope and Story to support their open letter also calling for change.
Did You Know?
75% of 18-25 year-olds want to work in creative sectors, but more than 42% say it’s too hard to break in.
There are 1.9 million freelancers in the UK, contributing £136bn to the economy.
Over 70% of creative businesses report not having enough finance – and 62% believe their growth is restricted by lack of funding.
In 2021, the Cultural and CreativeIndustries accounted for over 14% of all UK exports in services– as well as £9.14bn in goods.