⚡ Creative Briefing #65
News, research, case studies & opportunities for the UK creative sector
Hello,
2025 will be a significant year for the future of the UK’s creative industries. When the government releases its new industrial strategy in the Spring, the creative industries will be one of eight growth-driving sectors at its heart.
A new Creative Industries Taskforce - jointly led by the Creative Industries Council's current co-chair Sir Peter Bazalgette and future co-chair Baroness Shriti Vadera - is currently working with the government and CIC members to develop a plan for the sector, which will published alongside the industrial strategy.
The plan will set out specific policies and interventions designed to enable economic growth and wider opportunities for all. It will focus on unlocking private investment, supporting innovation, boosting exports and building a highly skilled creative workforce.
The UK creative sector in 2025: what's on the agenda
There’s a lot to look forward to in 2025, as our round-up of key events, openings, awards and launches in the UK creative industries calendar demonstrates. Highlights include the Tate Modern’s 25th birthday celebrations, the 30th anniversary of the Women's Prize for Fiction and a host of events marking the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen.
Creative industries news
This week the government unveiled its plan to make the UK a world leader in AI, creating dedicated AI Growth Zones to speed up planning for AI infrastructure and ramping up AI adoption in the private and public sector. Alongside this, the government is running a consultation to gather views on how the UK’s legal framework for AI and copyright can be updated to ensure it supports the growth of both the creative and AI sectors (submissions close on 25 February). Among those submitting their views is Creative Rights in AI - a coalition of more than 40 companies and industry groups - which is proposing a dynamic licensing market with robust protections for copyright, control and transparency for content creators.
A public consultation on the ticket resale market aimed at protecting fans, improving access to live events and supporting the growth of the UK’s live events sector is also underway. Putting Fans First explores options such as a new cap on the price of ticket resales and limits on the number of tickets resellers can list or purchase. Submit your views by 4 April.
Spending in the UK advertising market is forecast to reach £43.1bn in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 6.5%, according to the Advertising Association & Warc Expenditure Report. Other forecasters also see a good year for the UK market, with Group M, the media buying division, saying that UK advertising will grow faster than the French or German markets in 2025, solidifying the UK's position as the largest ad market in Europe and the third biggest globally (after the US and China).
🚀 Creative growth across the UK
🎲 Nottingham-based Games Workshop, which owns the franchise for tabletop fantasy Warhammer, has entered the FTSE 100 and signed a deal with Amazon to create films and TV series.
🏆 UK CreaTech startups are among the hot new businesses appearing on this year’s Startups 100 index, including indie fashion marketplace Cult Mia, in-game audio advertising developers Audiomob, and KOMI, which has developed an all-in-one management app for creators.
🎥 Northern England’s largest production studio campus Production Park will grow to 145,000 square feet this year, with four new live music and film production studios, and expanded facilities for education and collaboration with supply chain partners.
📐London-based Gendo, which uses AI tools to make image production more accessible and streamlined for architectural designers, raised £4.3m in seed funding less than four months after emerging from beta.
Bradford’s year of culture-led regeneration
Bradford is the UK’s City of Culture for 2025 - a year-long programme of more than 1,000 events and activities designed to restore civic pride, celebrate the city’s cultural heritage and spark culture-led regeneration. A new £50m music venue is due to open in the city, while the National Science and Media Museum has just reopened following a refurbishment, with a temporary exhibition dedicated to one of the city’s finest cultural exports - David Hockney.
The government has provided £15 million in funding to support the programme, which is expected to create 6,500 new jobs. An additional 3.3 million people are expected to visit Bradford this year, spending nearly £140 million in the local economy. Overall, the programme is predicted to generate an extra £700 million of growth for the area by 2030.
Opportunities
Rising Stars. Arts charity New Ashgate Gallery’s programme to support makers as they launch their careers with a curated selling exhibition and audience development. Apply by 20 January.
Collaborative R&D: Creative Catalyst. UK businesses can apply to Innovate UK for a share of up to £2 million for projects that develop new innovative products and tools for the UK creative industry. Apply by 29 January.
Film Forward 2025. ScreenSkills Film Skills Fund’s scheme provides training, networking and paid placements for deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent professionals with 3+ years of experience in virtual production, post-production, or VFX. Apply by 6 February.
BBC Creative U. Free 12-week masterclass for aspiring creatives from ethnic minority backgrounds. Apply by 12 February.
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. A chance to see your work displayed in the world’s largest open-submission exhibition. Submissions close on 12 February (or when the entry limit is reached).
Made in the UK, Sold to the World Awards. The Department for Business and Trade’s annual awards scheme celebrating outstanding small businesses achieving international success includes a ‘Creative Industries’ category. Apply by 9 March.
Events
23 & 24 January - Eco Narratives and Sustainability in Film (Edinburgh): two-day symposium featuring presentations by academics from across the UK and Europe.
23 January - A Creative Capital Region (Cardiff): dive into the vibrant creative industry sector in South Wales and discover how collaboration can shape a brighter future for SMEs, with keynote speakers from Tramshed Tech and Wales Millennium Centre.
28 January - Difficulty and Delight: Unpacking the complexities of architectural success (London): in-person RIBA course exploring the creativity and ingenuity needed to create buildings in all manner of environments.
6 February - LEAD (London): the advertising industry’s annual summit features sessions on advertising within the UK’s political landscape, advertising’s value to the economy, the role of AI and brand safety.
13 February - Reignite VII: The Intersection of Art & Technology (York): a showcase for the creative industries in York - one of 26 cities in the world designated a UNESCO City of Media Arts.
28 February - Leicester Music Conference: knowledge-sharing, networking, and live performances for artists, industry professionals, and music enthusiasts in the Midlands.
Until next time,
Rachel Wareing (Newsletter Editor) &
Carlos Grande (Editor, thecreativeindustries.co.uk)