💡 Creative Briefing #72
News, research, case studies & opportunities for the UK creative sector
Hello,
Some encouraging news for creatives concerned about the use of copyrighted materials in generative AI, with the launch of a new report outlining a proposed new AI copyright framework for the UK’s creative industries.
Developed by researchers at CoSTAR, the government-funded national network of R&D labs for the creative sector, and partners DECaDE and Sheridans, the report aims to provide creative industries and AI developers with a framework to guide them through challenges around content usage, rights and remuneration in the age of generative artificial intelligence.
The framework would enable a machine-readable, publicly available approach for copyright holders to either consent to or protect their work from data and text mining, whilst also allowing AI companies to legally access data.
CIC industry co-chair Sir Peter Bazalgette praised the report, saying it “provides tangible and achievable steps forward in making the UK creative industries not just fit for the age of GenAI, but a world-leader where AI developers and creative rights holders want to base their business”.
Creative industries news
Employers from across the creative sector are encouraged to get involved in this year's Discover Creative Careers Month in November and showcase their industry to 11 to 18-year-olds.
AHRC’s Creative Communities programme has published four ‘policy provocation papers’ informed by policy workshops held across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the twelve Mayoral Authorities in England. They explore ways that culture can create a stronger, fairer economy and society through cross-sector collaboration and delivery into health and wellbeing, environment, belonging, and community cohesion. Creative Communities has also published a toolkit to help others carry out cultural R&D programmes.
Mayors from across the north of England have launched a new partnership, The Great North, aimed at bringing investment to the region - and the creative sector will play a key role. The partnership includes One Creative North, an initiative to grow the creative sectors through increased access to finance, skills training, R&D and connectivity.
SXSW lands in London
The first-ever European edition of creative festival SXSW is being held in Shoreditch next month.
Alongside the main festival, the Department for Business and Trade will be hosting UK House in Devonshire Square, with a free programme of talks, immersive activations and networking opportunities connecting industry leaders from across the creative industries and tech.
At night, the venue will be transformed into the British Music Embassy, with performances by rising British talent.
Find the full programme and register your place.
🚀 Creative Growth 🚀
🛍️ The advertising industry contributed a record £109 billion to the UK economy in 2024, according to a new report from Credos. Around 3.5 million businesses spent an estimated £66.6 billion on advertising, generating an average profit ROI of £4.11 for medium-large businesses and £1.89 for micro-small businesses, for every £1 invested.
📱 Tripledot Studios is acquiring US-based AppLovin’s gaming portfolio for $800 million.
📺 Channel 4 has announced plans to develop its in-house production capabilities and launch a new Creative Investment Fund, with a focus on building majority stakes in indies and content producers with strong commercial potential.
🎟️ Booked it, a white-label platform that streamlines bookings, ticketing, CRM, marketing, and loyalty programmes for the entertainment and visitor economy, has raised £2.5 million in investment.
🏬 The Victoria and Albert Museum opens its East Storehouse in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on 31 May. The new visitor attraction and ‘working store’ will be home to more than half a million creative works, including David Bowie's personal archive. A new V&A East Museum will follow early in 2026.
🎭 Pantomime and children’s theatre producers, Imagine Theatre, have opened a new 68,000 sq ft headquarters in Coventry, including a production base, central store, and creative hub.
Opportunities
EIT Culture & Creativity: Spark - Incubation Programme 2025. Business support for aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage innovators in the architecture and cultural heritage sectors. Apply by 11 July.
EIT Culture & Creativity Acceleration and Post-Acceleration programmes 2025. Business support for promising start-ups and scale-ups in fashion, architecture, cultural heritage, audio-visual media, and gaming. Apply by 11 July.
Beyond Borders. Funding of up to £15,000 is available for projects that stimulate and strengthen cross-border collaborations between music creators, performers and presenters in the UK and Ireland. Apply by 28 July.
UK Co-Lab Policy Network Awards. Funding for four new cross-sector cultural policy networks - one in each of the three devolved nations and one in a devolved region of England - to create new capacity for cross-sector collaborative exchange of policy ideas on culture and devolution. Apply by 19 September 25.
For a full list of funding and development opportunities, visit our opportunities page.
Events
2-7 June 2025 - SXSW London: live convergence of creativity, tech and innovation in the heart of East London.
9-11 June - The Big Thing (Bradford): Immersive Arts’ annual gathering for artists, producers, technologists, researchers and the wider ecosystem of venues, distributors, curators and funders from the UK and beyond.
24 June - Next steps for creative education in England (online) - conference exploring future of creative subjects in schools, FE and HEIs, progression, and career development with speakers from the Royal Shakespeare Company, Birkbeck, the Brit School and more.
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)