Bristol’s culture sector generated £892.9m in economic impact in 2023/24.
The figure was revealed by Bristol City Council’s first culture impact survey, which said the findings demonstrate the vital role culture plays in the city’s development and growth.
Part of the impact was £122.4m in social value (benefits to wellbeing, education, employment, and environmental sustainability).
Other findings were:
The council said the data will be used to support the development of a new cultural strategy and action plan for Bristol, and provide organisations with individual impact data to support funding bids, partnerships and long-term sustainability.
Helen Godwin, mayor of the West of England, said:
“I promised to work with the government and invest in the West. To have our creative industries recognised with this funding is a real vote of confidence in our region. People are drawn here from all over the world, whether it’s for our balloons and street art or the city so historic that UNESCO listed it twice. Creativity in the West knows few limits – or equals.
“Culture is part of who we are, whether it’s Oscar-collecting Aardman Animations or treble-winning Bath Rugby. It’s also a big part of the West of England’s economy, and it’s growing. Now we can invest in the future through the industrial strategy: helping businesses to grow, bringing through the next generation of creatives, and driving economic growth.”
As part of the government’s industrial strategy and creative industries sector plan, the West of England gets a share of £150m to support creative organisations and businesses.
Philip Walker, head of culture at Bristol City Council, said:
“The findings of this first culture impact survey highlight what many of us in the sector have long known – Bristol’s cultural offer is rich, diverse, and deeply embedded in the life of our city. From grassroots initiatives to world-class institutions, culture is a vital part of how we live, connect, and grow.
“This impact is only possible through the strength of our partnerships – between artists, organisations, communities, funders, our regional partners and the public sector. Together, we are building a cultural ecosystem that not only drives economic value but also fosters inclusion, wellbeing, and pride across Bristol and the wider region.”
We are proud to have several cultural businesses and organisations as Bristol Creative Industries members. They include:
Design West | Watershed | Bristol Beacon | Curzon Cinema & Arts | St George’s Bristol | Bristol Cathedral | We The Curious | Tobacco Factory Theatres | The Bakehouse Factory | Aardman Animations | Wake The Tiger
Culture will also be part of BTF+, The Bristol Festival of Tech, Creativity & Culture, on 6-11 October. Led by Techspark, Bristol Creative Industries and MyWorld, the week-long festival will celebrate technology, creativity and culture with a huge programme of events. Find out more here.
Culture is vital to our region. Let’s keep supporting it.
AI and copyright of content is a controversial issue in the creative industries, with the government receiving 11,500 responses to its consultation on the UK’s legal framework for copyright. Ministers say they are reviewing all the responses and technology secretary Peter Kyle said:
“I am determined to harness expert insights from across the debate as we work together to deliver a solution that brings the legal clarity our creative industries and AI sector badly need in the digital age.”
We asked some Bristol Creative Industries members what they think the government should do. See below for their responses.
Russell Jones, JonesMillbank (see JonesMillbank’s BCI profile here):
“Jean-Luc Godard (1930-2022), a pioneer in filmmaking, said “It’s not where you take things from – it’s where you take them to”. Had he lived three more years, would he be saying the same thing about the generative imagery we’re seeing today?
“When nothing is original, and humans have copied and been inspired by others since the dawn of time, where do we draw the line between human inspiration and en-mass machine learning?
“Nobody has the answer yet, but any regulation must be worldwide – human-wide – to avoid creating an AI-divide.”
Phil Robinson, Proctor + Stevenson (see Proctor + Stevenson’s BCI profile here):
“I believe clarity and fairness are the two critical factors here. AI offers exciting creative opportunities, but we need a legal framework that respects the rights of artists while helping us explore new tools. Creators should know if their work is used to train AI, and there must be proper consent and fair compensation.
“I’d like to see rules that protect originality but also empower creatives to be ambitious and produce incredible work. If the government gets that balance right, AI could become a genuine asset to the creative industries, not a threat to them.”
Catherine Frankpitt, Strike Communications (see Strike Communications’ BCI profile here):
“Creative professionals are natural early adopters, so we must balance protecting our intellectual property with harnessing AI’s potential through proper legal safeguards.
“The government must work urgently with creative and tech sectors to establish a legally enforceable framework requiring clear disclosure of AI training data sources and mandatory opt-in licensing. We need a distinction between AI as a creative tool versus unauthorised training on copyrighted works. Creators must retain ownership and receive fair compensation for any AI usage of their work. Given AI’s global reach, this framework needs both robust UK legislation and international coordination.
“Finally, we must move at pace with regular legal reviews to ensure our protections evolve alongside the technology, preventing creators from being left behind.”
Mark Shand, UWE Bristol (see UWE Bristol’s BCI profile here):
“The proposals in the government consultation reflect an inconsistent approach to intellectual property, favouring undisclosed AI companies (other industries compensate creators), while disadvantaging university copyright holders across culture, research, education, business, science, and health. It places an unfair burden on creators, remains vague, appears technically unfeasible, and perpetuates business practices that undermine creators’ control and compensation.
“We are also concerned by the accompanying narrative, which frames creators as being at odds with ‘innovators’. In reality, our students and staff are innovators – they are also current and future income generators, market disruptors, and employers.”
Tim Shapcott, Tiki Media (see Tim Shapcott’s BCI profile here):
“Painful as it is to consider, it may be unrealistic to hold AI companies accountable for what’s already been done. Rather than close our borders to the world as other countries take advantage of the up-side, a more pragmatic path may be to focus on future solutions.
“Applying pressure to the AI industry to establish clear checks and balances could ensure that original creators receive fair recognition and compensation as AI evolves. This balanced approach may allow us to embrace the benefits of AI while still supporting our creative talent. If ‘back pay’ is possible as a part of that, then awesome!”
Claire Snook, AMBITIOUS (see AMBITIOUS’ BCI profile here):
“For the last 20 years, AI has helped our work and operations through programmatic ads, content development, chatbots, virtual assistants and more.
“But it’s undermining our creativity. Copyright is essential to protect our work. Our government has a responsibility to provide clarity for how AI is used in conjunction with creative work; we need clear and defined safeguards for creators. This should have been in the works decades ago.
“Companies are taking measures to protect our content. Cloudflare, one of the biggest architect providers, now prevents AI crawlers from scraping content without the creators’ permission meaning websites will be able to charge AI companies for accessing their content.
“We need a practical approach that protects and ensures our creative labour isn’t stolen, while making sure people can responsibly use AI for their needs and wants.”
Susan Pearson, Wordways (see Susan Pearson’s BCI profile here):
“The copyright for anything I write is 100% mine or my client’s. No-one or no ‘thing’ should ever have the right to reproduce the words of writers exactly unless these words are expressed within quote marks with the source of the quote acknowledged – unless they have specific permission. Anything else would be creative theft.
“Weakening of copyright law in any way will have a profound effect on the livelihood of writers and others in the creative industries. Even the suggestion that AI software can re-hash original material from creatives is a suggestion that theft should be legalised!”
Jessica Morgan, Carnsight Communications (see Carnsight Communications’ BCI profile here):
“AI is rarely out of the spotlight – particularly in the creative industries. It’s also a growth opportunity identified by the government, so it’s likely to remain there. This feels like a pivotal moment. Will we be left behind if we don’t evolve our regulations, or do we risk completely exploiting creativity if we do?
“Holding the consultation is a good first step, and those thousands of views given will have to be considered and taken into account (AI may prove useful here!) The key thing is, creative work is important and should be valued. Copyright exists for a reason and we’ve been abiding by it for decades. Any path forward needs to acknowledge that.”
Sandra Mouton, French translator (see Sandra Mouton’s BCI profile here):
“Copyrighted works available for reading online are routinely used to train the LLMs AI runs on. In my field of translation, that’s translated books, but also magazine articles, white papers from businesses or NGOs, video game content, etc. All this IP was created within the framework of copyright law and the protection it’s meant to provide for authors’ and copyright-holders’ rights.
“The government needs to ensure that protection is real and that the work of creatives like translators cannot be exploited for money without our express consent (with a default opt-in rather than opt-out system) and adequate compensation through royalties.”
Alex Murrell, Epoch (see Epoch’s BCI profile here):
“Human creativity thrives on curious minds and their insatiable appetite for inspiration. Film, fashion, art and architecture; it all gets devoured, connected and remixed into new and novel ideas. Copyright laws protect this process: copy too closely, and you risk infringement.
“But now, generative AI is rewriting the rules. If a machine uses your work to train a model, is that theft or fair use? Is it ethically different from a human remixing their inspiration? Should copyright continue to cover one’s output, or should it cover the input as well? That’s the question governments must answer—and fast.”
Emma Barraclough, Epoch
“AI is reshaping the creative landscape; enabling highly personalised, efficient design at scale. And as it becomes mainstream, using it has become essential to staying competitive in a fast-moving industry. But there are concerns we can’t ignore. Ambiguity around the ownership of AI-generated content presents legal challenges.
“For brand assets to be valuable, they must be protectable. And yet without clear rules AI generated assets are at risk of being copied and compromised by others. For AI to become a truly powerful tool for creatives, we need laws that make its output safe, ownable, and enforceable.”
Penny Beeston, Beeston Media (see Beeston Media’s BCI profile here):
“As an SME in the creative sector we embrace AI where it improves the efficiency of our craft. The red flags are where AI stifles or steals creative human endeavour. The horse may well have bolted in terms of past copyright theft, but the government has an important role to play in regulation going forward.
“Original assets used in generative AI should be traceable, accredited or paid for by third parties. The government’s commitment to investing in AI research and innovation with projects such as the Isambard-AI supercomputer is impressive. Let’s use that sovereign capacity for good by creating AI tools to shift the balance of power from poachers to gamekeepers.”
Chas Rowe, voiceover artist (see Chas Rowe’s BCI profile here):
“First, AI steals from creators. Then, AI steals from creators. Two wrongs don’t make a right. The government should stop providing shovels for the gravediggers of the creative industries.”
Becoming a member of Bristol Creative Industries brings many benefits. We regularly add new opportunities so here is a guide to the latest benefits you can enjoy by signing up. This post is regularly updated.
Join Bristol Creative Industries from only £4.95 a month.
Showcase your best work and attract new clients with a company profile in the Bristol Creative Industries member directory. The directory receives lots of visits every month from people looking for services from creative businesses.
Got some business advice or news to share? As a Bristol Creative Industries member you can self-publish content on our website and it will automatically appear on your member profile. We upgrade great content to the newsfeed and homepage, while four posts by members are included in our monthly email newsletter.
To get an idea of the content topics that do well, here are the top 30 most popular posts by members in 2024.
Bristol Creative Industries member Jessica Morgan from Carnsight Communications discussed the benefits of posting content in this interview.
The Bristol Creative Industries jobs board attracts thousands of job hunters every month. Business members can post unlimited free job adverts, saving you on average £3,500 per candidate.
Piers Tincknell, co-founder of Atomic Smash, is one of BCI’s longest serving members and he told us in a member profile interview how he regularly uses the jobs board to recruit new employees.
BCI’s monthly members’ lunches are a perfect opportunity for members to catch up with fellow members and the BCI team.
Everyone has a slot of up to three minutes to tell the others a little about who they are and what they do and share any news and/or challenges. You don’t need to fill the full three minutes. We usually find some common themes emerge to discuss over the course of the session. It’s all very informal with no need to stand up and present slides.
The events are free to attend for members, take place at The Square Club in Bristol and include a free buffet lunch.
Check the events section of details of the next lunches.
Our flagship keynote events and workshops feature world class speakers sharing their expertise. It’s a unique opportunity to access valuable insights for growing your business. Bristol Creative Industries members receive a ticket discount.
An example of a keynote event is the brilliant annual presentation on social media trends delivered by Drew Benvie, founder of global social media consultancy Battenhall. The next event from Drew is on 21 January 2026 in Bristol. Sign up here.
Our regular freelancer networking drinks events in Bristol are free with a free drink for members. It takes place several times during the year. The next event is on 10 February 2026. Sign up here.
Keen an eye on the events section for the latest events. You can also sign up to the monthly BCI Bulletin to be notified of events.
Big thanks to everyone who joined us at @SquareClifton last night for the Bristol Creative Industries freelancer networking drinks ☀️ 🍷
Sign up to the BCI Bulletin to be notified of new events: https://t.co/5WgBWPoN1C#BristolCreativeIndustries #Bristol #freelancers pic.twitter.com/1BvT60KZFp
— Bristol Creative Industries (@Bristol_CI) June 21, 2023
Wake Up Call is a member exclusive live webinar that takes place every other Friday at 8.30-9am. The content is delivered by members for members.
Attending the free event gives you access to valuable insights from your fellow members and if you host a Wake Up Call, you can share your expertise and attract potential new clients.
See details for upcoming Wake Up Call events in our events section.
If you’re a BCI member and you’d like to deliver a presentation on a topic of your choice during a Wake Up Call, email Dan Martin.
The Bristol Creative Industries LinkedIn group has more than 11,000 members and is one of the biggest creative sector focused groups on the platforms.
Anyone can join the group but posting promotional content, events, jobs (that appear on the BCI site) etc is for BCI members only. See the group rules in the group description for more details.
Research shows that diverse teams are more creative problem solvers, bringing fresh perspectives to solutions, against the echo-chamber effect that results when people in a business come from too-similar backgrounds. With a strong focus on diversity and inclusion, employees feel valued and that they belong.
To help Bristol Creative Industries members achieve this, we have partnered with The Hobbs Consultancy to provide on demand equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) e-learning.
The CPD certified online course consists of modules to help you bring about positive change in your business, understand the key challenges in the way for different groups, and explore your own biases and how to overcome them.
The training modules take an in-depth look at different diversity and inclusion topics: race, disability, LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, gender (split into female leadership, masculinity, gender identity), age and social mobility in the workplace.
The price of the training for BCI members is £120+VAT. All profits will be ploughed back into our youth engagement activity.
To access this brilliant training opportunity, log into your Bristol Creative Industries account and click on the ‘members’ training’ section.
We host regular roundtables for agency leaders to discuss strategic challenges. These events are vital for us to hear from the member community about the key issues you are facing and how we can help. A roundtable on funding led to us creating this popular and regularly updated guide to the latest finance on offer to creative businesses.
If you are interested in getting involved with future roundtables, email Alli Nicholas.
We regularly deliver other special member benefits.
To stay updated on the latest benefits, sign up to the monthly BCI Bulletin.
Reductions on co-working spaces, meeting rooms, hotel accommodation, a recruitment strategy review and a coffee subscription are just some of the many discounts and offers we’ve negotiated for members.
Join Bristol Creative Industries from only £4.95 a month.
If you have any questions about membership, email Alli Nicholas
The creative industries are a vital component of the local economy and here at Bristol Creative Industries, we encourage young people to look to the sector for a rewarding and inspiring career. As modern technologies like gaming, VR and AI continue to develop, we need a new generation to take on the jobs of the future that the local economy needs if it is to thrive.
See below for our updated guide to creative industries-related further and higher education in Bristol, Bath, Weston-super-mare and beyond.
A selection of the creative post-16 courses offered by sixth form departments at Bristol schools and academies:
Among the A-levels at Bath Academy are art and media studies.
A-levels on offer at this Bath sixth form for boys include creative design and music.
Bristol Cathedral Choir School
Founded in 1140 as part of what was then Bristol Abbey, Bristol Cathedral Choir School is one of the city’s most popular sixth forms. Among the A-levels offered by the school are art, drama and music.
The sixth form at Bristol Creative Industries member Bristol Grammar School offers creative IB Diploma and A-level courses including art, dance, drama and theatre studies, design technology, music and music technology.
The IB Diploma is an alternative to A-levels which the school describes as “offering breadth of learning as well as academic rigour”.
Opened in 2016, Bristol Free School offers A-levels alongside selected BTEC Level 3 courses. Creative courses include art, drama and theatre, music and music technology and photography.
Cabot Learning Federation Post 16
The Cabot Learning Federation Post 16 is an independent provision located in two of CLF’s 20 secondary academies; Bristol Brunel and John Cabot. Among the A-levels on offer are art and design, dance, music and photography.
The sixth form at this school offers A-levels in subjects including art and photography, drama and theatre studies and music.
The sixth form at this school offers A-levels including art, design and technology and drama and theatre.
The North Bristol Post 16 Centre is a collaboration between Cotham and Redland Green Schools. Creative A-levels include art, photography, film studies, and media studies.
St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School
Located near Bristol Temple Meads, creative A-levels offered by this school are art, film studies, media studies, music, music technology and theatre studies.
Providing education to 10,000 learners across two campuses, Bath College offers a wide range of courses including post-16, apprenticeships, part-time courses, traineeships and degree-level education.
Subjects include art and design, fashion and textiles, fashion business and retail, photography, graphic design, digital production, and performing arts.
As one of the South West’s largest further and higher education colleges, Bristol Creative Industries member City of Bristol College operates from seven centres across the city. It offers a range of post-16 qualifications including A-levels, Level 2 Diplomas and BTEC Nationals.
For school leavers, several courses relevant to the creative industries are on offer. They include specialist subjects include visual arts and design, photography, fashion, performing arts and creative digital technologies (film and TV production, games design, computer graphics and animation).
The college also offers university-level creative arts and media courses in subjects including games design, animation and VFX, graphic design and photographic practices.
Abbeywood Community Schools is part of Olympus Post 16 with Bradley Stoke Community School and Winterbourne Academy.
Courses include art, design and technology, digital media, drama and theatre studies, film studies, music performance, music technology, photography and textile design.
Digitech delivers a specialised curriculum for progression into the creative digital and high tech sectors. Studio schools are small by design and only take 90 students into each year group. The school opened in 2015 and moved into a new purpose-built building in Warmley in November 2016.
For years 12 and 13, Digitech offers courses in partnership with boomsatsuma (see below), Bristol School of Acting and Robins Foundation. They include digital media, e-sports, film and television, music, and photography.
South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
This college has six campuses.
The college has a very extensive programme of Level 2 and 3 courses including computer games design, film and TV production, music production and musical and technical theatre.
At university level, the college offers a range of courses at foundation degrees, many of which also offer the opportunity to top up to a full Bachelor’s degree by adding a year. Subjects include fine art, game art, media production and computer games design and production.
Since September 2022, the college has offered the new vocational skills focused T-levels. The two-year technical courses are equivalent to three A-Levels and include a 45-day work placement. Courses include digital production, design and development.
St Brendan’s Sixth Form College
This college provides a diverse range of over 60 different A-level and Level 3 Applied General courses to 16 – 18 year olds. Courses include media studies, music, music performance, music technology, textile design and graphic communication.
Bristol Creative Industries member Weston College has several creative industries-related diploma and extended diploma courses for 16-19 year-olds as part of Creative Arts Weston.
The departments are art, design, graphics and fashion; film and tv, media production, photography, game and animation; performing and production arts, and music.
Creative courses at Cirencester College include craft and design (T-level), 3D design (A-level), digital foundation, digital media certificate, graphic communication (A-level), and photogrraphy (A-level).
Boasting ex-students including Ed Sheeran, Jess Glynne, Rita Ora and JP Cooper, Bristol Creative Industries member Access Creative College is a national college for young people looking for a career in the creative industries. It offers courses at various levels in subjects including games, animation and video effects, graphic and digital design, film, software development, video and photography and music technology.
In summer 2021, Access Creative College opened a new £5m games and media campus in Bristol city centre. It’s on the site of the former Bristol Bierkeller, host to Nirvana’s first ever UK gig, Slipknot, The Stone Roses and Arctic Monkeys. Facilities include a games lab, green screen studio, music tech suites, digital recording studio and band rehearsal studio.
Access runs degree courses in Bristol covering audio and music technology and music performance at dBS Institute, which it acquired in 2021.
Bristol Creative Industries member boomsatsuma is a specialist creative industries training provider. Courses take place in relevant professional environments in the city such as Leadworks, Ashton Gate Stadium, Bottle Yard Studios and Tobacco Factory.
boomsatsuma provides Level 3 Extended Diplomas, that are equivalent to 3 A-levels, as well as BA (Hons) and BSC (Hons) degrees. Courses include creative and digital media, film and television, games, VR and VFX and photography.
As a registered charity, Creative Youth Network supports young people to reach their potential and enjoy fulfilling lives. It offers free courses in youth clubs and other venues in Bristol. Subjects include music, photography and song writing.
Creative Youth Network has opened The Courts in central Bristol. It is an enterprise hub, located in Bristol’s Old Magistrates’ Courts, where young people can explore their creative potential, receive support, access mentoring, and find meaningful work.
dBs Institute of Sound & Digital Technologies
Based in the centre of Bristol, dBs is a specialist educational institute that offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in music production, sound engineering, live sound, and game development.
It is a registered Avid Learning Partner (ALP) and Ableton Certified Training Centre that works with a wide range of creative industry organisations.
Students at dBs Institute can gain real-world experience alongside their studies thanks to dBs Pro, an in-house creative audio company. Students provide sound and music for film, television, video games, art installations and more.
University of the West of England (UWE Bristol)
The School of Arts at Bristol Creative Industries member UWE Bristol offers courses in subjects including drama, filmmaking, animation, photography, media production, journalism, creative and professional writing, film studies and media communications. There are also several fashion and design courses.
Facilities include film, photography and animation studios as well as drama, acting and music facilities.
Many graduates also enter the creatives industries after studying marketing courses at the UWE Business School. It includes the MSc in digital marketing, and MSc/postgraduate diploma/postgraduate certificate in marketing communications.
UoB offers undergraduate degrees in film and television, music and theatre. Facilities include Wickham Theatre, a 24-hour rehearsal space, sound and design studios, carpentry and costume workshops, 214-seat cinema, 39-seat screening room, digital filmmaking equipment, production studios, animation and edit suites and sound rooms.
The University of Bath does not have specific creative industries courses as it focuses on engineering, humanities, management, science, and social science. However, its degree courses include management with marketing featuring a work placement.
Bath Spa offers courses in subjects including film, design, media communications, art and drama. Facilities include a theatre and TV studios.
The university also has the Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries (CCCI) which “aims to magnify research, engagement and discourse surrounding the theoretical, practical and commercial frameworks that embody the arts, media, or creative industries”.
UCW offers higher apprenticeships, full-time degrees and higher technical qualifications (HTQs) in partnership with UWE Bristol and Bath Spa University.
Courses cover subjects including art, film, game, graphic design, digital technologies, performance, production arts and music.
Bristol Creative Industries jobs board
Members of Bristol Creative Industries sometimes post apprenticeship opportunities on the BCI jobs board. See the latest vacancies here.
National College Creative Industries
The National College Creative Industries (NCCI) offers specialist technical production and business support apprenticeships via Access Creative College. You can find the latest details on the NCCI website.
Channel 4, which has a Bristol office, offers apprenticeships. Find out more.
The BBC offers various TV production apprenticeship schemes, some of which are based in Bristol. See the latest opportunities here.
ITV Academy provides traineeships and entry-level pathways into one of the world’s largest commercial production companies. See the latest opportunities here.
Babbasa offers many training and employment opportunities for young people. See the latest opportunities here.
Government apprenticeships website
Creative and design and digital apprenticeships are regularly listed on the government’s apprenticeships website. Search here.
Circencester College offers apprenticeships in creative areas covering digital and IT, media broadcast and production, sales and marketing, and creative and digital.
The college provides intermediate, advanced, higher and degree apprenticeships.
Bristol Creative Industries member Professional Apprenticeships is a government-funded apprenticeship training provider specialising in marketing, IT, business and management. The latest apprenticeships are here.
UCAS has a guide to creative and design apprenticeships here including a directory of relevant employers.
Discover Creative Careers has a guide to apprenticeship routes into the creative industries here.
This list is not exhaustive. Email Dan with suggestions of other educational institutions and companies we can add.
A key focus at Bristol Creative Industries is boosting workforce diversity in creative businesses and helping to grow the talent pipeline for our members. Find out more about our intiatives here.
Alongside its new Industrial Strategy for the next 10 years, the government has published five sector-specific plans.
We’ve outlined the creative industries sector plan here and in this article, we outline what’s in the digital and technologies sector plan for creative businesses.
Bristol is mentioned 11 times in the plan. That includes references to the Isambard-AI supercomputer at University of Bristol, the ScienceCreates engineering biology accelerator, the city’s semiconductor design cluster and NVIDIA’s recent decision to expand its AI lab in Bristol.
It also includes this:
The British Business Bank (BBB) is committing an additional £4bn of growth capital to the eight sectors of focus in the industrial strategy, which includes the digital and technologies sector and the creative industries.
West of England is one of 10 regions in which BBB will launch a new “Cluster Champions” programme through which “individuals with deep expertise and local knowledge will coordinate investment-readiness programmes, strengthen financial networks, and connect high-potential firms” in the eight Industrial Strategy sectors.
The BBB will also double its investment in new fund managers, and make direct investments of up to £60m in “strategically important companies”.
The government announced at the Spending Review that BBB’s overall yearly investments will increase by around two thirds, bringing its total financial capacity to £25.6bn.
The government will address regulatory and non-regulatory barriers to lending to IP-rich SMEs, by establishing a new working group of relevant departments and authorities, businesses, commercial banks and other financial institutions.
The Spending Review has confirmed that funding for R&D will reach £22.6 billion a year in 2029/30.
The government says it will “reform and streamline UKRI funding routes to make it easier for businesses to navigate different funding streams and reducing the length of time between applications and funding decisions”. Innovate UK will also increase the proportion of its investments which are joint with private sector.
The government will deliver a new TechFirst skills programme aimed at reaching up to one million young people and provide over 4,500 undergraduate bursaries, Masters’ placements and PhD opportunities for domestic students to support them into the tech workforce.
The sector plan said digital and technology businesses rely on specialist skills, but there are mismatches between demand and supply. In 2022, there were approximately 130,000 STEM and 13,500 digital vacancies due to skills shortages.
New technical excellence colleges will be set with the aim of increasing specialist and practical skills.
Skills England will publish analysis on sector skills needs and work with employers to co-design solutions to address skills needs.
The government will introduce short courses in England, funded through the Growth and Skills Levy, in areas such as digital, AI, and engineering.
The independent AI Opportunities Action Plan was published earlier this year, and the government has accepted all 50 recommendations. The Spending Review announced £2 billion to deliver the plan.
A new AI Adoption Fund and regional business support will provide businesses with advice on integrating AI into their operations.
There is a big debate around copyright and AI in the creative industries. The government published a consultation on how “the UK’s legal framework for AI and copyright supports the UK creative industries and AI sector together”. The sector plan says:
“Delivering an AI and copyright framework that supports AI development in the UK. The government wants to support rightsholders in licensing their work in the digital age while allowing AI developers to benefit from access to creative material in the United Kingdom. The right approach here will unlock new opportunities for innovation across the whole economy.
“The government is analysing responses to the consultation on delivering a copyright and AI framework, looking at all options. The government recognises the need for this to be done properly and carefully in a considered, measured and reasoned way, to develop any future proposals. The government will set out a detailed economic impact assessment on all options under consideration and a report on the use of copyright material for AI training, transparency and technical standards.
“This analysis will inform the government’s position, alongside a series of expert working groups to bring together people from both the AI and creative sectors on the issues of transparency, licensing and other technical standards to chart a way forward.”
The government has previously announced that £18m will be provided to the new TechLocal scheme which offer seed funding to help regional innovators and small businesses develop new tech products and adopt AI. A panel made up of local tech businesses will be established in each region to decide which applications have merit, with the necessary checks then done centrally by Innovate UK.
The government will provide support to start-ups through an initial £6 million for the Cyber Runway accelerator to support 60 start-ups annually with mentoring, skills development and access to networks.
Experts at University of Bristol will provide independent advice for the government’s Cyber Growth Action Plan to be published in summer 2025.
The much anticipated creative industries sector plan has been published by the government.
With the creative industries one of the key sectors of focus in the government’s industrial strategy and the West of England one of the government’s priority areas for the creative industries, there is much of interest in the plan to creative businesses in our region.
Here’s a round-up of what’s in the creative industries sector plan:
Bristol and the wider region is mentioned several times in the plan. That includes a reference to Bristol as a “strong regional creative hub” and home to “cutting-edge createch“. It also references the BBC Studio’s Natural History Unit in Bristol which it says “has led to the region being known as ‘Green Hollywood'” which “not only boosts the region’s economy but also adds vital social value”.
A map of the creative industries in different regions has this for the West of England, with references to Bristol Creative Industries members Channel 4, The Bottle Yard Studios, and Aardman Animations.
The West of England is one of six areas getting a share of £150m to “design interventions that work for the creative businesses and freelancers in their region” as part of the new Creative Places Growth Fund. The government said this could include providing access to mentors, expert guidance, and connections to suitable investors.
The other areas are Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North East, West Midlands, and West Yorkshire.
The fund will also support the development of a West of England-South Wales Creative Corridor.
Highlighting the West of England, the plan said the region is the UK’s third-largest production hub, a global centre for natural history filmmaking, and film tourism. It also referenced the region as being home to the the BBC as well as Bristol Creative Industries members Channel 4, The Bottle Yard Studios, and Oscar-winning Aardman Animations.
Helen Godwin, mayor of the West of England, said:
“I promised to work with the government and invest in the West. To have our creative industries recognised with this funding is a real vote of confidence in our region. People are drawn here from all over the world, whether it’s for our balloons and street art or the city so historic that UNESCO listed it twice. Creativity in the West knows few limits – or equals.
“Culture is part of who we are, whether it’s Oscar-collecting Aardman Animations or treble-winning Bath Rugby. It’s also a big part of the West of England’s economy, and it’s growing. Now we can invest in the future through the Industrial Strategy: helping businesses to grow, bringing through the next generation of creatives, and driving economic growth.”
The British Business Bank (BBB) will “significantly increase” support for UK creative businesses with debt and equity finance. It will be provided with £4 billion of Industrial Strategy Growth Capital to support investment and growth in the Industrial Strategy eight key sectors which includes the creative industries.
The British Business Bank will also launch a ‘Cluster Champion’ programme, with ‘Champions’ with deep expertise and local knowledge to support investment in 10 city regions, including the West of England.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will “significantly increase” public funding for the creative industries, including support for commercialisation and technology adoption.
A £100m UKRI investment will “support the ambitious next wove of R&D creative clusters in new sub-sectors and locations throughout the UK”.
UKRI will publish a new creative industries R&D strategy later in 2025, enhance and streamline the funding support journey through Innovate UK, and support access to Horizon Europe funding.
The government wil investigate specific measuresto tackle barriers to lending to IP-rich SMEs in the creative industries.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will fund the £25m Creative Futures programme to add five new CoSTAR R&D labs and two showcase spaces across the UK.
HM Revenue & Customs will publish revised guidance for the R&D tax reliefs. It will clarify that “where a project in the creative sector seeks an advance in science or technology, arts activities that directly contribute to the advance by resolving scientific or technological uncertainties are within the definition of R&D for the reliefs, and their qualifying costs, such as salaries, can qualify for relief”.
The guidance will be published in 2025 and will clarify that eligible interdisciplinary innovation can be supported by R&D tax relief.
Protection of copyright in the AI age has been a conversial issue in the creative industries. The government said it “will ensure a copyright regime that values and protects human creativity, can be trusted, and unlocks new opportunities for innovation across the creative sector and wider economy. It said is analysing responses to the consultation on delivering a copyright and Al framework and “recognises the need for this to be done properly and carefully in a considered, measured and reasoned way, to develop any future proposals”.
The government will establish a Creative Content Exchange (CCE) to be “a trusted marketplace for selling, buying, licensing, and enabling permitted access to digitised cultural and creative assets”.
An independent review will be published in the autumn which “seeks to deliver a curriculum that readies young people for life and work, Including in creative subjects and skills”.
The government will launch a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education in England in September 2026.
A new UK-wide £9m creative careers service will be launched “to equip the next generation of young people withthe ambition and knowledge to work in the creative industries”.
The government will launch a new DCMS and Skills England led Creative Sector Skills Forum and the Digital Skills Council, an industry-led advisory body.
DCMS, Department for Education and Skills England will work with industry to support increased access to quality specialist creative education provision acrossEngland to strengthen the supply of highly trained creative students.
The government will refine and develop the growth and skills offer to deliver apprenticeships and skills training that recognises the particular needs of the creative industries.
The government will allocate £132.5 million to increase disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities, including in arts and culture, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability.
UKRI will provide resources and support for technology adoption, as well as an online directory of facilities across the UK where creative businesses can access cutting-edge technology.
Creative UK will work with chief technology officers from the sector and other technology leaders to identify next steps to accelerate the adoption of responsible AI.
The government will upskill creative businesses on security through guidance from the National Protective Security Authority and National Cyber Security Centre .
The government will appoint a creative freelance champion, to advocate for the sector’s creative freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council.
The Department for Business and Trade will increase funding to facilitate meetings and showcasing at major creative trade shows and events, including South by Southwest, Cannes Lions, Game Developers Conference and International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo.
DCMS will invest in the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN programme for emerging UK designers with funding for London Fashion Week showcases and business mentoring.
The government said createch will be a central part of UKRl’s new strategy for the creative industries launching later this year. UKRI will bring together stakeholders to tackle barriers and accelerate createch growth, reporting to DCMS and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) ministers with recommendations by the end of 2025.
Describing createch, the plan says:
“Createch combines creative innovation and cutting-edge technology to generate novel products, services and experiences. Createch businesses have the same growth potential as other technology firms and are expected to generate £18 billion in gross value added (GVA) and 160,000 jobs over the next decade.
“They are found in every creative sub-sector, with an estimated 13,800 creative businesses leveraging technologies including robotics, engineering biology, and XR. 3D printing has revolutionised sustainable fashion, AI is reshaping video games and performing arts, and gaming technologies are used in mental health therapeutics, aeronautics and engineering.”
A new £75m Screen Growth package over three years to develop independent UK screen content, support inward investment, and showcase the UK and International film. It includes a scaled-up £18m per year UK Global Screen Fund from 2026-2029 to develop international business capabilities, enable co-productions and distribute independent UK screen content.
The government will provide £10m to expand the National Film and Television School. It said the investment will unlock £11m of private investment, including from the Walt Disney Company, the Dana and Albert R. Broccoli Foundation, and Sky.
The government will scale up the BFI Film Academy to support 16-25 year olds from underrepresented backgrounds to enter the film industry.
New funding of £30m will be launched to suport start-up games studios and talent.
The UK Games Fund (UKGF) will be enhanced by providing support for new UK titles and skills over 2026-29 attracting match-funding for every supported project.
A new UK Video Games Council of industry representatives will work with the government and the Creative Industries Council to support growth of the video games sector.
Up to £30m in funding over the next three years will be launched with the aim of helping more UK emerging artists break through on a domestic and international stage.
A new ticket levy on arena and stadium gigs will deliver up to £20m annually through the LIVE Trust, with the aim of bolstering the UK’s grassroots music sector, supporting artists, venues, festivals and promoters.
The goverment said it is “working towards an industry-led agreement on music streaming, which will boost earnings for creators.
Ad tech businesses will be supported with accelerator programmes, to upskill founders towards International expansion and connect them with key investors.
The government will launch the BBC Charter to “ensure the BBC is empowered to continue to deliver a vital public service funded in a sustainable way, delivering a BBC that can maintain the trust and support of the public in difficult times, support the wider ecosystem, and that isset up to drive growth in every part of the United Kingdom”.
The government will ask the CMA and Ofcom to set out how changes in the sector – such as the convergence of broadcast, on-demand and video sharing – could be taken into account as part of any future assessment of television and advertising markets. This would include when considering any potential closer, strategic partnerships or possible consolidation between broadcasters which may benefit their financial sustainability and audiences.
Bristol Creative Industries was delighted to be part of the Culture and Creative Industries Summit organised by the University of the West of England at Bristol Beacon. The event brought together people from cultural and creative businesses and organisations from across the region to discuss the government’s UK creative sector plan which will be published soon.
Officials from Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Sir Peter Bazalgette, co-chair of the Creative Industries Council which advises the government, set the scene including outlining how the West of England is one of the government’s priority areas for the creative industries.
A panel (Ben Shorrock from techSPARK, Charlotte Geeves from Bristol Old Vic, Fiona Matthews from Super Culture, and Nimesh Joshi from ITV News West Country, chaired by Annabel Smith from Centre for Progressive Policy) then discussed the key issues, before, grouped into tables, delegates discussed ideas for strengthening the economy in the west.
The conversations have been summarised into the brilliant list of ideas below. It has been shared with DCMS and West of England Combined Mayoral Authority.
Regional Production Fund and screen agency: Establish a dedicated fund and agency to match creative funding levels in other UK nations. Functions include soft money support, local employment stimulation, retention of post-production services, and enabling regional intellectual property (IP) ownership.
Addressing funding gaps: Ensure long-term, strategic investment to overcome inconsistencies and short-termism in current funding models.
Public-private partnerships: Promote and expand collaborative investment models, taking cues from Creative Wales. Encourage cross-sector funding initiatives.
Bristol Music Fund: Introduce a regionally managed fund sourced from a small percentage of ticket sales to bolster the music sector.
Creative tech investment: Develop a sustainable, large-scale funding pipeline for creative technology ventures beyond the pilot stage.
Cross-sector collaboration: Encourage stronger relationships among creative organisations, universities, local governments, and adjacent sectors.
Higher education partnerships: Foster collaborative projects between higher education institutions and the creative industries, overcoming resistance to commercial partnerships.
Shared data strategy: Develop coordinated, standardised data collection and impact measurement across the sector.
Creative cluster hub: Create a physical and strategic hub to promote connectivity, knowledge-sharing, and sector resilience.
Creative education reform: Advocate for more modular, skills-based learning at further and higher education levels, with links to primary/secondary outcomes.
Freelancer support: Fund paid development and training opportunities to support freelance creatives.
Film/TV entry pathways: Clarify and promote inclusive, sustainable pathways into screen industries.
Talent retention: Tackle affordability and infrastructure issues to retain local talent.
Place-based storytelling: Highlight regional strengths such as the BBC Natural History Unit, social innovation legacy, and cultural diversity.
Unified regional narrative: Promote a cohesive story across urban, coastal, and rural areas to avoid intra-regional competition.
Valuing creative process: Emphasise the importance of creative processes and R&D alongside final products.
Global positioning: Market the region internationally as a cultural hub with strong geopolitical and creative links.
Creative innovation culture: Elevate visibility of values-driven, socially-conscious innovation. Align with broader innovation strategies.
Creative health: Support initiatives at the intersection of arts, health, and policy for societal benefit.
Cultural placemaking: Embed creatives in city planning and infrastructure development.
Creative tech coordination: Improve storytelling, infrastructure, and investment strategies to scale regional creative tech.
Sustained leadership: Build consistent leadership in both civic and business sectors to guide long-term cultural strategy.
Regional coalitions: Establish strategic alliances across key geographic hubs like Bristol, Cardiff, and Cheltenham.
Devolved powers: Advocate for devolved powers in cultural development to local and combined authorities.
Civic engagement: Pilot a Citizen’s Assembly for Culture as a model for inclusive, democratic cultural strategy-making.
Funding complexity: Simplify access to funding, reduce reporting burdens, and diversify beyond dominant bodies like Arts Council England (ACE).
Inclusion gaps: Prioritise equity-focused strategies to support underrepresented groups.
Leadership fatigue: Address burnout and recruitment issues within the creative sector.
Infrastructure deficits: Invest in new and upgraded venues, studios, and support spaces.
We are delighted to announce an amazing new benefit for Bristol Creative Industries members this summer. You can enjoy free access to the brilliant Origin Workspace in Berkeley Square, Bristol.
Here are all the details direct from Origin:
Every Friday throughout June, July, and August 2025, Origin Workspace invites members of Bristol Creative Industries to enjoy a complimentary, inspiring, and productive workspace in the heart of the city.
Whether you’re a designer, writer, artist, or innovator, this is more than just a free desk – it’s a chance to thrive with no strings attached. Our lounge and lobby provide the ideal setting to focus, connect, and create, with unlimited coffee, reliable Wi-Fi, and a welcoming atmosphere designed to support your productivity and wellbeing.
We know many creatives are navigating the challenges of securing consistent work. That’s why we’re offering more than just space, we’re a community, offering solidarity, and creating a space where local talent can connect and collaborate.
Surrounded by like-minded professionals, you’ll have the chance to be part of a vibrant network that values support and shared success. As a proudly independent Bristol business, nurturing our Bristol ecosystem is at the heart of what we do. Whether you’re looking for a change of scenery, a spark of inspiration, or simply a place to get things done, Creative Fridays is your opportunity to be part of something bigger.
Spaces are limited, so fill in this form to secure your spot and make Fridays your most creative day of the week. We can’t wait to welcome you to the space. Terms and conditions apply.
Not a Bristol Creative Industries member and want to take advantage of this brilliant offer? Join today.
Get your networking hat on in May, June and July! We have some brilliant networking opportunities over the next few months. They are free or discounted for Bristol Creative Industries members.
Our second screen industries meetup focuses on skills and opportunities for people in the industry, and the challenges for finding work or moving to different sectors.
The event is £5+VAT for BCI members, £8+VAT for non-members. Tickets include food and drinks. Register here.
BCI’s free members’ lunches are the perfect opportunity to catch up with fellow members and the BCI team which enjoying a delicious Mediterranean buffet lunch too.
Open to freelancers and those who engage with freelancers, join this event to widen networks, make new connections, discuss common problems, and discover potential opportunities for collaboration.
The event is free with a free drink for BCI members, or £5+VAT for non-members.
A great opportunity for members to make new connections whilst getting some much needed fresh air! This event is for BCI members only and costs £10+VAT.
A new report by Creative UK has revealed the challenges faced by creative industry freelancers.
According to the study, almost two-thirds (64%) of respondents had experienced low or unfair pay in their careers, and “an overwhelming majority” said late payment of invoices had impacted their ability to meet everyday expenses such as rent and household bills.
In other findings, a fifth of freelancers said they had seen a decrease in demand for their services as a result of generative AI, and structural inequalities were highlighted too.
There was a recurring theme of “tokenism” reported by ethnic minority respondents to the survey who said their inclusion in projects felt performative rather than substantive, while the report highlighted barriers for disabled freelancers such as inaccessible application processes and limited workplace adjustments.
Caroline Norbury, chief executive of Creative UK, said:
“The Covid pandemic changed so much about all of our working lives, but this is especially true for freelancers. Many who work in this way have found opportunities to be more precarious than ever. We need to find ways to better support this vital part of the creative workforce, and to create new systems in a post-Covid world.
“This means adapting provision within both the public and private sector to ensure it is more fit for purpose, incentivising the creation of new products and services that support the freelance workforce, and in the process, unlocking the potential of an expert, committed, agile and flexible workforce. It’s vital that we get this right – for creatives, and for the wider economy.”
Among the recommendations in the report were:
Freelancers are the backbone of the creative industries, accounting for 30% of the sector’s workforce. It’s vital that they are supported.
In the Bristol Creative Industries membership community, we have several hundred freelancers and many business members who employ freelancers. See them in our member directory. If you’re not already a member, you can sign up here.
Collaboration, sharing of ideas and meeting freelancer-friendly employers is a key benefit of the network. We facilitate this at our freelancer networking drinks events at The Square Club in Bristol. They are free for BCI members including a free drink or £5+VAT for non-members.
The next event is on Tuesday 10 June at 5.30pm. Sign up here.
Other freelancer networking drinks events take place in 2025 on 9 September and 11 November.
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