Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) joined leading voices from across politics, education and the creative sector at the Houses of Parliament to launch a landmark report championing the creative industries in the Great South West.
Organised by the Great South West Creative Industries University Alliance, the event, which took place on Monday 7 July, showcased new evidence that confirms the region as one of the UK’s fastest-growing creative hubs.
The report, Creative Industries in the Great South West: Leading from the Edge, reveals the sector’s remarkable growth and potential, in that between 2019 and 2022, the Great South West recorded the fastest Creative Industries job growth of any UK region outside London.
The region’s Creative Industries now support over 35,000 employees, more than the energy and defence sectors combined, alongside more than 40,000 freelancers and a further 50,000 creative roles in non-creative industries.
Together, they contribute £2.7 billion in GVA each year, with productivity far exceeding many other sectors. The region’s strengths align strongly with the four ‘frontier’ sub-sectors identified in the national Creative Industries Sector Plan: Advertising and Marketing, Music, Performing and Visual Arts, Video Games, and Film and TV.
The six universities behind the report – AUB, Falmouth University, Arts University Plymouth, Bournemouth University, the University of Exeter and the University of Plymouth – collectively produce almost 7,000 creative graduates each year, meeting the growing demand for talent. With the research, facilities and industry partnerships helping drive innovation, entrepreneurial start-ups and investment, ensuring the sector’s success is shared across urban and rural communities alike.
The event called for the Creative Industries in the Great South West to be formally recognised as a national cluster, unlocking investment and cementing the region’s position as a leader in inclusive, place-based creative growth.
Lisa Mann, Vice Chancellor and CEO at AUB, says, “The creative industries are a huge UK success story with 2.4 million people employed in the sector in 2023 and contributing £124.6 billion to UK Economy GVA during 2022.
“This report shows the extraordinary talent and ambition in the Great South West and just how vital our Creative Industries are. Our region is producing world-class artists and creative entrepreneurs crucial for local jobs, regional prosperity and securing the UK’s place on the world stage. This crucial research demonstrates the importance of continued support and investment in our creative industries.”
“The Government’s recent Creative Industries Sector Vision rightly recognises that this sector is one of the UK’s greatest growth opportunities," adds Caroline Norbury OBE, Chief Executive of Creative UK, "but to realise that potential, we need to back creative talent in every part of the country.
"The Great South West shows what’s possible when local ambition, world-class education and national policy work together. This region’s creative industries are thriving — with the right support, they can go even further, driving jobs, innovation and cultural impact across the UK.”
