⚡ Creative Briefing #66
News, research, case studies & opportunities for the UK creative sector
Hello,
Earlier this month, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced a £60 million package of support and policy initiatives for the creative industries - the first step towards delivering growth in our sector.
The announcements included:
✔️ Extra funding for five existing schemes: Create Growth Programme, Supporting Grassroots Music Fund, UK Games Fund, Music Export Growth Scheme and the UK Global Screen Fund.
✔️ Eleven priority regions for the sector have been identified: North East England, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, West Midlands, Greater London, West of England, South Wales, Glasgow, Edinburgh-Dundee corridor, and Belfast.
✔️ New Soft Power Council to champion the UK abroad, and drive growth at home. Members include the CIC’s industry co-chair, Sir Peter Bazalgette, and deputy co-chair, Francesca Hegyi.
✔️ British Business Bank commits to increase its support for creative businesses to access the finance they need to grow.
✔️ Cultural Development Fund will support a new Centre for Writing in Newcastle, world-class glassmaking facility Glassworks in Sunderland, music education centre Harmony Works in Sheffield and cultural venue The Tropicana in Weston-super-Mare.
The government is currently working with industry leaders to develop a Creative Sector Plan, which will set out further steps to embrace opportunities and overcome key barriers to growth. It’s due to be published in the Spring as part of the government’s national Industrial Strategy.
Creative industries news
The UK’s first national R&D facility for creative industries, the government-backed CoSTAR lab, will open at Pinewood Studios in January 2026.
Creative UK has launched a hub of ideas, learning and inspiration designed to support creative organisations in their work to improve equality, diversity and inclusion.
Seven of the UK’s lesser-known heritage treasures are to be given a new lease of life with support from the Heritage Fund. They include Northern Ireland’s last remaining Art Deco picture house and the neoclassical Old Royal High School in Edinburgh, which will become a cultural centre.
Independent film, TV, games and immersive companies from across the UK have received £2.15 million from the British Film Institute (BFI) and DCMS in the latest round of the UK Global Screen Fund.
Businesses are being invited to learn more about hosting industry placements for students studying Creative and Design T Levels - a vocational, industry-specific alternative to A Levels.
🌍 Creative sector climate action 🌍
🐑 Dundee-based textile artist Sandra Junele collects yarn waste from across the UK and turns it into biodegradable custom wall art and signs.
👗 UK fashion brand Nobody’s Child aims to cater for two often conflicting consumer demands - affordability and sustainability. It’s a formula which saw sales grow 30% in 2024. CEO Jody Plows talks to the Guardian about the company’s approach to traceability and accountability in the supply chain.
🔋 Theatres, museums, and music venues are among the cultural venues taking part in a programme to fully decarbonise their buildings by 2030.
👟 Stella McCartney’s new S Wave Sports trainer is made with Balena, a compostable bio-based plastic alternative.
🎬 Jimmy Keeping from Sustainable Film spoke to ScreenSkills about how sustainability coordinators can help to reduce the carbon footprint of productions.
📺 Experts discussed the hidden costs of fashion and barriers to reducing fast fashion consumption at King's College London’s latest Climate and Sustainability seminar.
📝 The British Fashion Council is rolling out Copenhagen Fashion Week’s Sustainability Requirements framework, beginning with its NEWGEN initiative, where the Minimum Standards will be embedded into the existing mandatory criteria for admission.
⛈️ Five research projects exploring how developing countries can respond more effectively to the challenges for cultural heritage resulting from natural disasters and climate change have won funding from DCMS.
Opportunities
COMPASS. Eight places are available on Craft Scotland’s programme to equip makers with the skills they need to create a successful and sustainable creative and business practice. Apply by 4 February.
Maker in Residence at Kelmscott Manor. Rural craftspeople are invited to apply for a seven-month residency at William Morris’ former home in Oxfordshire. Apply by 17 February.
Investment Readiness Programme. Creative UK’s six-month programme is designed to help companies in film, TV, gaming, animation, immersive, and creative technology gain the tools, knowledge, and confidence needed to secure funding. Apply by 28 February.
SIE Catalyst. Investment-readiness programme for pre-seed or seed-stage tech companies with at least one female founder. Run by Sie Ventures, whose portfolio includes London-based social fashion rental app By Rotation. Apply by 1 March.
POWER UP. PRS Foundation is recruiting for the fifth cohort of this programme designed to elevate black music creators and industry professionals. Apply by 13 March.
For a full list of funding and development opportunities, visit our opportunities page.
Events
14 February - Guildford.Games Festival and Developer Summit: talks, networking and portfolio reviews for gamers, studio founders and developers.
20 February-6 March - BFI Future Film Festival (London & online): panels with industry experts, masterclasses, workshops and discussions for the next generation of UK filmmakers.
28 February - Games Growth Summit (London): keynotes, panels, and networking to help games companies stay ahead in business.
For more events, visit our 2025 calendar for the UK creative industries.
Until next time,
Rachel Wareing (Newsletter Editor) &
Carlos Grande (Editor, thecreativeindustries.co.uk)