Government appoints two freelance champions to advocate for freelancers in the creative industries
The government has announced the appointment of Leila D’Aronville and Lizzie Crump as freelance champions to advocate for the 703,000 self-employed people in the creative industries.
The new role of freelance champion was promised in the government’s creative industries sector plan in 2025 due to the importance of freelancers in the sector. In 2025, 28.5% of the creative industries workforce were self-employed, almost double the rate for the wider economy (14.8%).
The government said that Leila D’Aronville and Lizzie Crump will help to deliver the recommendations of the Good Work Review, which highlighted freelancers’ issues with unpaid work, limited opportunities for professional development, and difficult working environments, despite high levels of job satisfaction, flexibility and autonomy. Job quality for freelancers was marked as a particular concern, it said.
Bristol Creative Industries members also recently shared the issues they think the freelance champions should focus on. Areas mentioned include late payment of invoices, copyright protection for content used by AI platforms, skills training and access to public sector contracts.
In a LinkedIn post announcing Leila and Lizzie’s appointment, the Creative Industries Council, which they will both join, said:
“The champions will collect the views and experiences of creative freelancers throughout their appointment, and represent their views in discussions with ministers and officials. They will identify areas where freelancers are underrepresented (e.g. in data collection) and advocate for policy interventions to support the specific needs of the UK’s freelance workforce.
“They will also to work to improve understanding of the freelance workforce and build awareness of key rights, responsibilities and resources amongst freelancers and their contractors.
“Areas they’ll cover are expected to include improving contracting practices, better recognition of creative freelancers’ IP rights, reviewing the adequacy of existing social and financial protections for freelancers and improving adherence to equality legislation, sexual harassment, and anti-bullying laws and standards.”
Leila and Lizzie are freelancers themselves. They have a combined 40 years of experience working in and representing the creative industries. Leila is the founder of the North East Cultural Freelancers, a network supporting freelancers and small organisations across the region and Lizzie is a co-directors of What Next?, a network for arts and culture.
They will be supported by Dave O’Brien, professor of cultural and creative industries at the University of Manchester, who is joining the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on an academic secondment to provide research support.
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy said:
“The creative industries are built on the talent and dedication of freelancers, from runners on film sets to session musicians in recording studios. They deserve fulfilment and support in their careers like anyone else in work, and that’s exactly what the appointment of the freelance champions sets out to do.
“We are committed to making sure the creative sector remains a place where everyone can build a rewarding and sustainable career, no matter where you live or what job you’re doing.”
Leila D’Aronville said:
“As someone who grew up in a freelancing family, and who continues to work freelance while championing the North East’s independent creative and cultural workforce, I know first-hand the pressures and possibilities that shape freelance lives. It’s why I’ve spent years advocating for better conditions, and why I’m honoured to take on this role.
“Freelancers are essential to the UK’s creative and cultural strength, yet too often misunderstood or overlooked. Lizzie and I are determined to change that. We will work with government, industry and freelancers themselves to build a fairer, more informed environment, one that recognises the realities of freelance work and supports people to build sustainable, rewarding careers. My commitment is to leave a legacy of greater fairness, clearer understanding and stronger foundations for creative and cultural freelancers.”
Lizzie Crump said:
“I have worked in sector support and in policy for many years, and as a freelance cultural worker for almost as long. I am delighted to have this opportunity to advocate for our worth and value, and for our sustainable and equitable future. We all need the tools, conditions, and infrastructure to meet the many new and existing challenges and opportunities on our horizon.
“Great policy is made when the people who it affects are heard and understood, and when decision-makers truly understand the issues and context they are working with. We will use this role to champion creative freelance voices at the heart of our systems, and to add value to the brilliant work that colleagues round the country are already doing in support of this agenda and each other.”
Bristol Creative Industries is the membership network that supports the region's creative sector to learn, grow and connect, driven by the common belief that we can achieve more collectively than alone.
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