⚡ Creative Briefing #68
News, research, case studies & opportunities for the UK creative sector
Hello,
The government launched a new £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund this month, which will be distributed among 11 new and existing programmes supporting arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage buildings.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced the funding at a lecture marking the 60th anniversary of the first-ever arts white paper by former Minister Jennie Lee, setting out how Lee’s vision of the ‘arts for everyone, everywhere’ will be made a reality as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.
Ten major culture projects across the UK also received a share of more than £67 million, as part of a strategy to showcase the UK as a world-leader in culture, bring in visitors from across the globe and create jobs. The projects include a new national poetry centre in Leeds and the repurposing of a former IKEA building in Coventry to become a new cultural and visitor attraction.
Creative industries news
As a government consultation on the UK’s legal framework for AI and copyright drew to a close this week, creatives and sector groups launched a campaign objecting to proposals for a system requiring copyright holders to opt out of their work being used to train AI models. Make it Fair argues that an ‘opt out’ system would place an unfair burden on creators and would be unworkable. A new report by researchers at the University of Cambridge argues that the unregulated use of generative AI will not guarantee economic growth and risks damaging the UK’s creative sector. Meanwhile, tech advocates have argued that the UK needs to align with overseas copyright frameworks in order to remain globally competitive in the field of AI. Ministers will now consider submissions to the consultation as they seek to develop a plan which balances the needs of the creative and AI industries - both priority sectors in the government’s industrial strategy.
Film and high-end TV production spend in the UK jumped 31% last year as parts of the sector regained momentum after a disrupted 2023. This month, the government announced the rollout of a 40% business rates relief for film studios in England.
A new toolkit to help employers in the media industry to better recruit, support, and retain neurodivergent talent has been released with support from Media Cymru.
Screenskills has published AI skills checklists to help people working in high-end television adapt to new technology. The checklists explain the projected impact of AI on 20 job roles and outline how AI can be used to optimise working practices.
Britain’s luxury brands of the future
A dozen British luxury brands have been selected for Brands of Tomorrow, a 12-month programme of networking and mentorship hosted by Walpole, the trade body for the UK luxury sector.
Participants include textile designer Molly Mahon, upcycled fashion label E.L.V. DENIM, knitwear designer Genevieve Sweeney and Cece Jewellery, which specialises in the ancient art of Champlevé enamel.
Creative sector climate action 🌍
⏱️ The live music, TV and film industries in Liverpool are taking part in city-wide trials to reduce carbon emissions as part of the UN Climate Change’s Entertainment and Culture for Climate Action (ECCA) programme.
🎮 Playing for the Planet has published a new guide to help games companies put sustainability at the heart of their event planning.
📗 The team at Julie’s Bicycle has been working on new projects for the publishing industry, including a sustainable guide for book fairs, a carbon accounting tool and support for an R&D programme helping public libraries to address environmental responsibility.
🌱Artists, writers, musicians and scientists have contributed to SOIL, an exhibition at Somerset House in London which explores the crucial role that soil plays in our planet's health.
📒 BAFTA albert has launched a new directory to connect TV and film production teams and broadcasters with sustainable suppliers.
Opportunities
Unscripted TV senior leadership training. Senior members of the UK unscripted industry can apply for funding towards the RTS Mini MBA in TV and streaming media, plus a package of executive coaching sessions and regular networking opportunities. Apply by 9 March.
EIT Culture & Creativity: Short Innovation Projects 2025. Funding for short-term innovation projects designed to accelerate commercialisation and market adoption of innovations that address the challenges of globalisation, digital transformation, emerging technologies (such as AI), and environmental sustainability in fashion, architecture, cultural heritage, audio-visual media and gaming. Apply by 11 March.
Innovate UK Immersive Tech Awards. Celebrating the UK’s best immersive projects and talent. Categories include creative XR storytelling, sensory, technical innovation and UX & UI design, while the Career Breakout Showcase highlights newcomers to the industry. Apply by 16 March.
CoSTAR Live Lab Call: New Frontiers for Live Performance. Teams with creative R&D projects focused on the live performance sector are invited to apply for an opportunity to access the new CoSTAR Live Lab at Production Park in Yorkshire and receive funding towards costs. Apply by 20 March.
CoSTAR Ideate: Growth Lab and Residency. Development programme for micro, start-up and early-growth companies looking to scale new IP in the creative technology space, with access to cutting-edge facilities at one of four national network labs, creative and technology expertise and world-leading research. Apply by 24 March.
High-Performance Computing (HPC) Innovation Vouchers 2025. Businesses in the creative industries can apply for a £5,000 voucher to access the Hartree Centre’s supercomputer to explore how HPC can enhance AI, simulation, or data-intensive workloads. Apply by 30 April.
For a full list of funding and development opportunities, visit our opportunities page.
Events
19 March - Place-Based Adaptation for Culture (online): Peer sharing session for people working in or with the cultural sector, nationally and internationally, who are interested in shaping community-led, locally-inspired solutions in response to climate impacts.
8 April - UK’s Art, Culture and Creative Industries Conference (London & Online): CIC’s industry co-chair Sir Peter Bazalgette will chair this conference exploring the key issues facing the sector.
30 April - Start-up, Scale-up and Grow conference (London): TIGA’s conference for games developers aiming to launch, expand and grow a studio.
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)