The creative industries are becoming more important in local economies across the UK, with 47 creative clusters emerging, a new report finds.
The Geography of Creativity in the UK study from innovation charity Nesta and Creative England reports that between 2007 and 2014 creative industries became more important to local business in nine out of every 10 locations.
It also states that the UK’s geography of creativity isn’t only about ‘hip creative cities’, and identifies 47 clusters in creative conurbations all over the country.
Researchers determine that the North, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also important creative hubs alongside London and the South East.
Using Office of National Statistics data, the report finds these clusters grew their creative employment by 28 percent between 2007 and 2014.
And, although London employs 40 percent of the UK’s creative industry workers, motorway towns like Slough, Basingstoke and Warrington help drive creative industries’ success. This is in addition to the better known creative hubs in cities such as Manchester and Glasgow.
Elsewhere, data shows the UK creative industries are an interconnected system, with communities in different parts of the country working together across cluster and administrative boundaries.
The report, authored by Juan Mateos-Garcia and Hasan Bakhshi, also puts forward recommendations for managing creative industry growth in the UK.
These include supporting the further development of clusters outside London and the South East, and continuing efforts to share the benefits of London’s status as a global creative hub.
The study also recommends Local Enterprise Partnerships and universities consider what more they can do to address the strengths and weaknesses within their particular area, such as an over reliance on large firms or growing links between graduate talent pools and creative clusters.
Access the interactive creative cluster map - http://www.nesta.org.uk/blog/interactive-map-geography-creativity-uk
The Geography of Creativity in the UK study from innovation charity Nesta and Creative England reports that between 2007 and 2014 creative industries became more important to local business in nine out of every 10 locations.
It also states that the UK’s geography of creativity isn’t only about ‘hip creative cities’, and identifies 47 clusters in creative conurbations all over the country.
Researchers determine that the North, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also important creative hubs alongside London and the South East.
Using Office of National Statistics data, the report finds these clusters grew their creative employment by 28 percent between 2007 and 2014.
And, although London employs 40 percent of the UK’s creative industry workers, motorway towns like Slough, Basingstoke and Warrington help drive creative industries’ success. This is in addition to the better known creative hubs in cities such as Manchester and Glasgow.
Elsewhere, data shows the UK creative industries are an interconnected system, with communities in different parts of the country working together across cluster and administrative boundaries.
The report, authored by Juan Mateos-Garcia and Hasan Bakhshi, also puts forward recommendations for managing creative industry growth in the UK.
These include supporting the further development of clusters outside London and the South East, and continuing efforts to share the benefits of London’s status as a global creative hub.
The study also recommends Local Enterprise Partnerships and universities consider what more they can do to address the strengths and weaknesses within their particular area, such as an over reliance on large firms or growing links between graduate talent pools and creative clusters.
Access the interactive creative cluster map - http://www.nesta.org.uk/blog/interactive-map-geography-creativity-uk
