Keeping the UK’s creative industries globally competitive | UAL Skip to main content
Story

Keeping the UK’s creative industries globally competitive

A student working at a large machine. In the background are large windows
  • Written byPress Office
  • Published date 16 May 2024
A student working at a large machine. In the background are large windows
Student in Footwear Plant Workshop at East Bank, 2024, LCF, UAL | Photograph: Ana Blumenkron

A new report by Erskine Analysis, in collaboration with University of the Arts London, highlights the critical role of the UK's Creative Industries as an economic powerhouse. However, the report also identifies challenges that threaten the UK's global leadership in this sector.

Despite demonstrably leading in every sub-sector, the report warns that the UK's global position is under threat. From fashion to film, music to museums between 2010 and 2019 (pre-pandemic) the creative sector grew 60% faster than the wider economy. Yet, emerging data and industry insights suggest a need for strategic action to ensure continued growth and solidify the creative industries’ role in supporting the UK's soft power and foreign policy goals.

By not taking action, the UK risks self-inflicted economic and diplomatic damage. The nation's creative output fuels a powerful brand – a key tool for foreign policy. However, creative goods and services exports haven't fully bounced back from the pandemic. Additionally, competitors like France, Canada, and South Korea are actively supporting their creative sectors with well-defined strategies.

This neglect in the UK is felt by creative businesses, who are calling for a more prominent role in trade, migration, and foreign policy discussions. They believe urgent measures are needed to boost exports and solidify the UK's soft power advantage.

The report makes a number of recommendations. Five of the most critical are:

  • The introduction of a Soft Power Council chaired by the Foreign Secretary. Made up of artists, organisations and businesses who represent the diversity of emerging and established British talent.
  • The creation of a new Soft Power Unit sitting at the heart of the UK Government in the Cabinet Office, bringing together the resources from a number of disempowered, smaller teams which already operate across Whitehall;
  • A £50m digitisation fund for the BBC World Service. As one of the most globally familiar creative industries’ brands, it would allow the UK to reflect British values around the world and tackle global disinformation in the digital age;
  • The introduction of a visa for the world’s best designers and craftspeople;
  • A live calendar of creative trade opportunities delivered by the Department for Business and Trade.
The creative industries – from fashion to film, music to museums, video games to visual arts –  are a UK success story. They are one of only a few areas of the economy where we export more than we buy in, and we remain a world leader in every part of the sector. The sector also supports UK foreign policy goals, facilitating global conversations on issues like climate change and tackling disinformation on the ground. But the UK Government has been complacent in its support for the sector on its global stage. Creative businesses feel they have been an afterthought in trade, migration and foreign policy. Funding for the British Council and BBC World Service has dwindled. Now, exports in many creative sub-sectors are down; fewer tourists are visiting our cultural organisations; fewer young people are engaging with our cultural exports. In short, the UK’s brand is diminishing. I hope this paper sets out a series of actionable policies that support a future government to change that trajectory, before it is too late.

— Eliza Easton, Founder of Erskine Analysis and author of the report
The creative industries are both a huge strength and in jeopardy.  We are in the top three in the world in all of its sub-sectors. But as our report shows, they are all in danger of slipping down those league tables. The good news is that it's all to play for. The creative industries must not be treated as an afterthought. This will take coordinated action across government, educational institutions and business. Thank you to Eliza for setting out some of the policy options available.

— James Purnell, President and Vice-Chancellor of UAL

The report is the first in a series of projects linked to creative industries policy that UAL is examining, with future areas of interest being AI in the creative industries, and the creative education pipeline.

Download the report: