Boosting the Creative Industries via Research Advancements and Innovations

Boosting the Creative Industries via Research Advancements and Innovations

The UK's Creative Industries sector is seeing a significant boost, thanks to the Creative Industries Clusters Programme (CICP) by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). This programme, launched in 2018, has invested £56.8m in Creative Industries research and innovation, with a focus on fostering local research and innovation clusters.

These clusters, established in cities like Birmingham and Liverpool, are designed to connect organizations, businesses, and local leaders, driving economic growth and high-quality job creation. The key component of the CICP model emphasizes innovation ecosystems, enhancing connectivity and knowledge exchange within the creative sector.

For every £1 spent by UKRI, the programme has so far raised a further £3.80, largely from the private sector, generating a total of £213m of co-investment. This funding supports the emergence of new creative enterprises, encourages private investment, and strengthens the UK's competitive position globally in key creative fields such as advertising, film, music, and video games.

Universities play a central role in the CICP model, acting as cultural and sector brokers, providing talent and expertise, and investing in or providing access to research and innovation infrastructure. Each Creative Research and Development Partnership (CRDP), funded by the CICP, is hosted by a university and involves over a hundred businesses.

Partnerships and collaboration are key to the CICP's success. Each CRDP increases its industry network, engaging local and combined authorities, devolved governments, Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), and economic development agencies. A space for the CRDPs to connect virtually and in-person has been created, breaking down barriers of regional competitiveness and opening the doors for greater collaboration.

The CICP aims to test the theory that turbocharging Research and Innovation (R&I) within a creative cluster would drive measurable economic growth. The programme has funded nine CRDPs across the UK, with the success attributed to the specific way it has been delivered: building partnerships, facilitating networks, and devolving powers.

The 2025 Spending Review and the Levelling-Up White Paper, produced by the Department for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities, emphasize the importance of ideas and innovation as key drivers for rebalancing the economy. The CICP's contributions to growth, including providing £100 million over five years to develop creative clusters, align with these goals.

Moreover, the CICP has implications for the creative industries beyond the UK. For instance, the Global Creative Economy Council (GCEC), chaired by Marta Foresti, is facilitating conversations between the Global North and South to unsettle and reorder the creative economy.

The CICP also addresses pressing issues within the creative industries. For example, Professor Dave O'Brien has discussed class inequalities in film funding and the importance of higher education to the arts, culture, and heritage sectors. The programme also highlights the need for accredited qualifications in journalism, with journalism occupations included on the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport's (DCMS) list of Creative Occupations.

Lastly, the CICP recognizes the potential of the creative industries in driving regional regeneration. For instance, the Mahakumbh Mela, India, 2025 is expected to generate GBP 280 Billion in trade, demonstrating the economic potential of the creative industries on a global scale. The CICP aims to harness this potential, contributing to sustainable economic growth, job creation, and regional regeneration in the creative economy.

1. The Creative Industries Clusters Programme (CICP), launched by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is investing in local research and innovation clusters to boost the UK's Creative Industries sector.
2. These clusters, established in cities like Birmingham and Liverpool, are designed to foster economic growth and high-quality job creation by connecting organizations, businesses, and local leaders.
3. Innovation ecosystems are a key component of the CICP model, enhancing connectivity and knowledge exchange within the creative sector.
4. For every £1 spent by UKRI, the programme has generated a total of £213m of co-investment from the private sector, supporting the emergence of new creative enterprises.
5. Universities play a central role in the CICP model, providing talent, expertise, and investing in research and innovation infrastructure.
6. Each Creative Research and Development Partnership (CRDP), funded by the CICP, is hosted by a university and involves over a hundred businesses.
7. The CICP aims to drive measurable economic growth by turbocharging Research and Innovation (R&I) within a creative cluster.
8. The 2025 Spending Review and the Levelling-Up White Paper highlight the importance of ideas and innovation as key drivers for rebalancing the economy, aligning with the CICP's goals.
9. The CICP has implications for the creative industries beyond the UK, facilitating conversations between the Global North and South to reorder the creative economy.
10. The CICP recognizes the potential of the creative industries in driving regional regeneration, contributing to sustainable economic growth, job creation, and regional regeneration in the creative economy on a global scale.

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