Written by Kianna Best on Jun 24, 2025. Posted in General Interest

UK Government unveils GBP 380 million plan to supercharge creative industries

The UK government has launched an ambitious GBP 380 million investment plan to transform the nation’s creative industries, setting out a 10-year roadmap aimed at unlocking regional growth, fostering innovation, expanding access to finance, and upskilling the workforce. The Creative Industries Sector Vision, revealed today by the Department for Business and Trade in collaboration with the Creative Industries Council, positions the sector as a central pillar of the UK’s long-term economic strategy.

Image courtesy of Steven Van

The new strategy is designed to nearly double private investment in the sector outside London, growing it from GBP 17 billion to GBP 31 billion by 2035. The creative industries already contribute GBP 124 billion to the UK economy and support 2.4 million jobs, but ministers believe the sector has untapped potential to generate significantly more growth, particularly outside the capital.

At the heart of the plan is a GBP 150 million Creative Places Growth Fund, which will be distributed across six key regions: the West Midlands, West of England, West Yorkshire, North East, Liverpool City Region, and Greater Manchester. In each of these areas, local mayors will oversee efforts to improve access to mentoring, funding, and industry networks, strengthening the local creative ecosystems and unlocking new business and employment opportunities.

Innovation is another major focus. The government will invest GBP 50 million to expand the Creative Industries Clusters programme, effectively doubling its total funding to GBP100 million. These clusters bring together universities, businesses, and cultural institutions to drive research and development in emerging creative technologies. Additionally, GBP 25 million will be dedicated to establishing five new CoSTAR labs and two public showcase spaces. These facilities will allow creative companies to access cutting-edge production technologies, similar to those behind successful immersive experiences like Abba Voyage and the award-winning theatrical adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray.

A new initiative known as the Creative Content Exchange is also set to launch. This digital marketplace will make it easier for rights holders and producers to buy, sell, license, and share digitised cultural assets, helping creatives monetize their work in new ways while expanding audiences at home and abroad.

In terms of skills development, the plan includes a GBP 10 million investment in the National Film and Television School to train 2,000 new apprentices by 2035. This expansion is being delivered in partnership with major industry players including Disney and Sky. A separate £9 million will fund a national creative careers service designed to help young people explore training and employment opportunities across the sector.

The government is also rolling out targeted support for individual sub-sectors. A GBP 75 million Screen Growth Fund will support film and television production through an expanded UK Global Screen Fund and a new BFI Film Academy. The video games industry, which has seen rapid growth in recent years, will benefit from a GBP 30 million Video Games Growth Package. This funding will expand the UK Games Fund and help small studios grow their workforce and improve their access to markets. The music sector will see up to GBP 30 million of public and private investment over the next three years, including support for grassroots music venues and a new levy on large-scale events to fund emerging talent. Fashion designers will benefit from continued support through the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN programme, which will provide grants and showcase opportunities at London Fashion Week.

To facilitate access to capital, the strategy links directly with the British Business Bank’s GBP 4 billion Industrial Strategy Growth Capital programme. This alignment is designed to encourage investment in creative companies through a blend of debt and equity finance. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will serve as the primary source of public R&D funding, with a strong emphasis on Createch—the intersection of creative content and emerging technologies.

Key institutional leaders have welcomed the strategy. Christopher Smith of UKRI described it as an “engine for growth” that connects creativity and science, while the co-chairs of the Creative Industries Council, Sir Peter Bazalgette and Baroness Shriti Vadera, hailed the plan as a “step change” in public support. Vadera went further, calling it a “coming of age” moment for the sector.

The plan also addresses long-standing structural challenges, including freelance insecurity and rapid technological change. A Creative Freelance Champion will be appointed to advocate for self-employed workers, and new working groups will explore legal and ethical frameworks around artificial intelligence and intellectual property. Additionally, online directories of technology labs and training programmes will help creative businesses adapt to and adopt AI tools more effectively.