What does the Creative Industries Sector Plan mean for music, trade and exports?
Hurrah! The long anticipated Creative Industries Sector Plan, which aims to increase investment in creativity and innovation by 2035, was published yesterday. It forms part of the new UK government’s Industrial Strategy identifying the creative industries as one of eight high-growth sectors. This is a major and welcome policy development, especially the recognition of ‘music, performing and visual arts’ as one of the UK’s ‘frontier’ creative industries.
For the music industry, the Sector Plan means that a set of measures will be introduced, including:
Up to £30 million over three years for a music growth package to support emerging artists. This essentially doubles current government funding and will aim to help artists break through on a domestic and international stage;
A new industry-led ticket levy on arena gigs to support the grassroots sector, which is expected to deliver up to £20 million annually to help reverse the decline in grassroots venues and enable more artists to tour internationally;
A new industry-led agreement on music streaming which will boost earnings for creators;
A recommitment to supporting travel and cultural exchange, including the activities of touring artists, particularly in Europe;
Creative subjects and skills to form part of an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, to be delivered in the autumn;
Changes to local authority licensing system to support growth in the creative and hospitality sectors, including live music.
This level of investment is especially significant given the UK’s global standing in music. The UK has the third biggest music market in the world, so it’s encouraging to see a strong emphasis on boosting trade and exports of creative goods and services in the Sector Plan. The creative industries already account for around 15% of all UK services exports. However, the UK’s comparative advantage in global trade cannot be taken for granted, particularly in light of Brexit and growing international competition. To address this, the Sector Plan sets out a vision to expand creative trade missions and target a broader range of markets, building on traditional partners like the EU and the US, while also focusing on fast-growing regions such as Asia-Pacific.
The full list of priority markets for the UK’s creative industries consists of:
Primary markets: North America, the EU, China, the Gulf Cooperation Council and India;
Secondary markets, representing longer-term growth opportunities: Japan, South Korea, Australia, Brazil, Nigeria, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Central Asia.
