The Royal Anniversary Trust Coronation Challenge CreaTech Report, published today in collaboration with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of a year-long research initiative, highlights five key recommendations to help government in supporting creative businesses and improving skills.
These policy recommendations include education reform to build a robust skills pipeline, creating a five-year plan to substantially increase the level of public investment in CreaTech research and development whilst developing a collaborative hub which would strengthen connections between businesses, educational institutions and technology developers. Further recommendations involve improving access to certain tax relief and bridging the gap in funding for CreaTech businesses wishing to grow.
Dr Allan Watson, from the University’s School of Social Sciences and Humanities, co-authored the report as part of a team of experts led by think-tank Erskine Analysis. He says there’s a lot for the government to think about: “There are a whole series of policy recommendations in the report around how best to support creative businesses and to improve skills across the sector – and in particular the role universities and colleges can play in creating a skills pipeline for new technologically-focused creative industries.
“We are hopeful that the government will act upon these recommendations, because if they do, it will provide a stream of support mechanisms to accelerate growth in the creative industries and further increase their contribution to the economic growth of the UK.
“I hope this call to action also contributes to the sustainable growth of the creative industries, at the same time as having a positive impact on the economy. One of the core principles of this report was to highlight and recognise the important role universities and colleges have to play in achieving this by creating a workforce with an appropriate skillset and knowledge of emerging technologies.
“The report focuses on how we can position ourselves most adeptly at supporting institutions within Higher and Further Education to overcome the challenges and barriers currently preventing us from achieving this.”
Sir Chris Bryant MP, Minister for Creative Industries, Arts, and Tourism, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said: "The CreaTech report demonstrates how creativity and technology go hand in hand. We want our creative industries to be at the forefront of technological development so that the UK remains a global leader and one of the best places in the world to invest and do business.
"I look forward to working across government and with industry to address the report's recommendations, so that we can drive economic growth in the sector, support good jobs, spread opportunity, and build a sustainable skills pipeline - all central to this government's Plan for Change."
Sir Damon Buffini, Chair of the Royal Anniversary Trust and Chair of the Coronation Challenge Advisory Board said: “This report is a call to action: the UK must claim its place as the global leader in CreaTech. As chair of BBC Studios and the National Theatre, I’ve witnessed the transformative impact of combining creativity with technology. It turns out that CreaTech is one of the UK’s most potent levers for economic growth, with the potential to generate an additional £18 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) over the next decade and create 160,000 new jobs. We already have 350,000 professionals working in this space and 14,000 creative businesses leveraging emerging tech, but these numbers should — and must — grow exponentially if we are to lead globally. If we act boldly and ambitiously, the rewards could shape our economy, our society, and our standing in the world for decades to come.”