⚡ Creative Briefing #67
News, research, case studies & opportunities for the UK creative sector
Hello,
Long-time readers of this newsletter will know that the Creative Industries Council has been championing the growth potential of CreaTech - the intersection of creativity and innovative technology - since 2017, when we held the first CreaTech summit as part of London Tech Week.
So it was great to see a comprehensive new report on CreaTech published this week by The Royal Anniversary Trust with support from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The UK is already a leader in CreaTech, from AI-powered advertising services to 3D-printed fashion and augmented reality museum experiences.
There are now 350,000 UK professionals working in CreaTech and 14,000 creative businesses leveraging emerging tech, according to research conducted by report authors Erskine Analysis.
Building on the UK's existing strengths in this field could grow these numbers exponentially, providing a much-needed boost to our economy and cultural soft power. But there are some major hurdles to overcome if we’re to maximise the opportunity.
The report outlines where these challenges lie - namely education, funding and R&D capacity - and how we might overcome them.
Download the CreaTech report.
Creative industries news
A gap between the UK workforce’s skills and the needs of creative sector employers is widening, according to new research by the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre. As the CreaTech report highlights, skills gaps caused by the introduction of new technology (including but not limited to AI) and the development of new products and services are a particular challenge for creative businesses.
Musician Jamie Cullum headlined the official launch of CoSTAR Live Lab at Yorkshire’s Production Park. The state-of-the-art facility will be used to research and develop live performance experiences using virtual production. It’s one of five UKRI-funded Network Labs being opened across the UK as part of the government’s work to maintain the UK’s world-leading position in the screen, performance, and digital entertainment sectors.
A landmark new study commissioned by Channel 4, Gen Z: Trends, Truth and Trust, explores the macro themes shaping young people’s experiences today, examining how they navigate content online, and their distinctive worldviews.
Creative industry trade union Bectu has launched its largest survey of workers in non-performing roles across the creative sectors. The union is asking workers across the UK’s creative industries about their experiences and views on key issues facing the sector, including pay, employment practices, mental health and wellbeing and finances.
📚 Women's Prize: Non-Fiction's Stars of 2025 📚
Biographies, reportage, history and books that defy genre are among 16 titles longlisted for the 2025 Women's Prize for Non-Fiction.
The list includes singer-songwriter Neneh Cherry’s memoir about love, family and the joy of creativity ‘A Thousand Threads’, former civil servant Chloe Dalton’s account of fostering a leveret ‘Raising Hare’ and Dr Rachel Clarke’s ‘The Story of a Heart’, which tracks the process of a heart transplant through the intertwined stories of a young donor and her recipient.
🚀 Creative Industries Growth 🚀
🖼️ Art and culture guide Smartify has raised £1.5million in a funding round led by Metavallon VC. The app, one of our CreaTech ‘Ones To Watch’ in 2020, has partnered with more than 700 galleries, museums and heritage institutions around the world, including the National Trust, the Smithsonian and the National Museum of China.
🎥 Manchester’s largest multi-use content production studio has opened at MediaCity, providing affordable space for podcasting, filming, photo shoots and castings.
💸 Bristol-based Moonraker VFX, Newcastle’s BeamXR and costume and prop design company Orbital FX are among the latest recipients of investment from Creative UK.
🪑 Pixel, a new shared workspace for the creative industries, has opened its doors in Penzance.
Opportunities
UK Global Screen Fund: International Co-production strand. BFI’s grant fund supports UK producers to work as partners on international co-productions and help create new global projects. Apply by 3 April (or 6 March for fast-track application)
The Breakthrough Strand. Film London is inviting up-and-coming British filmmakers seeking sales representation and international festival exposure for their completed feature films (including documentaries) to apply to be showcased at London Screenings, the leading UK film export market. Apply by 17 March.
Luxury Retail Festival trade mission. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is hosting a five-day festival in Mumbai for British luxury brands interested in reaching the luxury market in India. Apply by 1 May.
For a full list of funding and development opportunities, visit our opportunities page.
Events
4 March - The Big Creative UK Summit: Investment for Growth (London): national summit exploring investment in – and for – the creative sector, with a keynote address by ITV News Political Editor, Robert Peston.
12 March - Drapers Conscious Fashion Summit (London): exploring advancements in ethical practices and circular-economy models within the fashion industry.
2-3 April - London Games Festival: UK’s biggest games festival includes the Screen Play conference focusing on the expanding relationship between games and other entertainment panel discussions and a new expo for boutique games, New Games Plus.
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)