Exploring Creative Trades on the International Stage: The UK's Role
The creative industries in the UK are thriving, with significant growth in exports of creative services and goods, according to the latest reports. The Government's recently published Creative Industries Sector Plan outlines strong support for export growth, especially in music, through targeted funding packages and enhanced trade missions to boost international opportunities for artists and businesses.
The second 'State of the Nations' report, published by Creative PEC, focuses on the international outlook of the UK's creative industries and their exports. The report, authored by Professor Giorgio Fazio, Dr Jonathan Jones, Dr Sara Maioli, and Dr Daniel Simandjuntak from Newcastle University, discusses various aspects of the creative sector, including skills mismatches, geographies of creativity, and the role of higher education in the arts and culture sectors.
Key findings about creative exports include a £30 million Music Growth Package aimed at supporting touring, mentoring, and exporting emerging artists, alongside tripling the Music Export Growth Scheme funding. Despite challenges such as Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK's creative exports are a clear success story, highlighting the sector's resilience and growth potential.
The creative industries continue to show strong export performance, especially in music, film, high-end television, and digital creative services, fueled by international talent and investment. UK production spend in film and high-end TV hit £5.6 billion in 2024, partly driven by inward investment and co-productions, illustrating robust export activity in creative goods and content.
Regular data from Creative UK’s quarterly stats bulletins confirm thriving creative sector metrics, including export values, emphasizing ongoing strength in cultural and creative goods and services trade. The Government’s focused strategic investments and trade facilitation efforts underpin a positive outlook for the UK's creative service and goods exports, reinforcing the creative industries as a key export growth driver in the UK economy.
However, the report warns against complacency, as it suggests increased global competition from markets such as China. The report emphasizes the importance of UK trade policymakers negotiating digital agreements within existing and new trade agreements to future-proof international market access.
The report also discusses audiences and workforce in the arts, culture, and heritage sector, as well as the vital role these sectors play in the UK. The report design was done by Mike Green/Green Doe Ltd. If the information in this report is used in any subsequent research and/or publications, it should be cited as follows: Maioli, S., Fazio, G., Jones, J. and Simandjuntak, D. (2024) 'UK Trade in a Global Creative Economy'. Zenodo. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.10809397.
Despite a drop in creative goods exports below 3% of total UK goods exports in 2021, the outlook for creative goods exports remains stagnant and shows large drops in 2016 and 2020, with no sign of recovery in 2021. However, creative service exports continued to rise from 2010 to 2021, representing 14% of all UK services exports in 2021.
In conclusion, the UK's creative industries are a significant contributor to the country's economy, and the Government's strategic investments and trade facilitation efforts are essential to maintain and grow this sector's success. The report serves as a valuable resource for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers interested in understanding the UK's creative industries' current state and future potential.
- The creative industries in the UK are experiencing substantial growth in exports of creative services and goods, according to the latest reports.
- The Government's Creative Industries Sector Plan provides strong support for export growth, particularly in music, through funding packages and trade missions.
- The 'State of the Nations' report, published by Creative PEC, emphasizes the international outlook of the UK's creative industries and their exports.
- The report, authored by academics from Newcastle University, delves into aspects like skills mismatches, geographies of creativity, and the role of higher education in the arts and culture sectors.
- Key findings include a £30 million Music Growth Package and a tripling of the Music Export Growth Scheme funding for supporting and exporting emerging artists.
- Despite challenges such as Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK's creative exports are a resilient success story, demonstrating the sector's growth potential.
- The creative industries continue to excel in music, film, high-end television, and digital creative services, boosted by international talent and investment.
- UK production spend in film and high-end TV hit £5.6 billion in 2024, in part due to inward investment and co-productions, showcasing robust export activity in creative goods and content.
- Regular data from Creative UK’s quarterly stats bulletins confirm the creative sector's ongoing strength in cultural and creative goods and services trade.
- The Government's strategic investments and trade facilitation efforts contribute to a positive outlook for the UK's creative service and goods exports, making the creative industries a key export growth driver.
- However, the report urges against complacency due to increased global competition from markets like China.
- Negotiating digital agreements within existing and new trade agreements is crucial to ensure future-proof international market access for the UK's creative industries.
