This week's Political Monitor covers updates to creative industries tax reliefs and R&D expenditure credits, a new entrepreneurship investment, as well as updates on statistical releases.
Read more and subscribe to stay stay ahead of the latest developments: creativepec.substack.com/p/political-...
Join us for the unveiling of a major new study on skills provision across all sectors of the creative industries.
A panel of industry experts will discuss the findings and what they mean for the future of creative education, skills and workforce planning.
12 May, online or in-person
Register now 👇
Last week saw Arts Council England and the UK Government publish their responses to the Hodge Independent Review, as well as notable developments for creative freelancers and small businesses.
Find out more in this week's Political Monitor. 👇
Book your place on our new Creative PEC Seminar Series, where our network of global experts will present their latest research in the creative industries, spanning AI, publishing, tourist taxes and the music industry.
See the full programme and book your free, online place: pec.ac.uk/events/
The House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee has published its report on AI, copyright and the creative industries. Creative PEC was invited to submit evidence to the inquiry, and we are pleased to see our work reflected across a number of the key findings.
Read more 👇
📬 The Political Monitor is back after a short break, packed with the latest policy updates. Catch up on everything you’ve missed and start your week informed with our weekly briefing by the Creative PEC Policy Unit.
Read the latest and subscribe: creativepec.substack.com/p/political-...
🌍 From Wales to the World: How can we improve international cultural policy by considering future generations?
In our latest blog, Professor Sara Louise Pepper, member of our Global Creative Economy Council, looks at what the world can learn from Wales' Well-being of Future Generations Act. 👇
The creative industries boast more ‘high-growth potential’ businesses than sectors like life sciences and advanced manufacturing, according to findings by the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (Creative PEC).
Findings will be discussed at a roundtable today at the @creativeuk.bsky.social Big Investment Summit, where the report was welcomed by @ianmurraymp.bsky.social, Minister of State for Media, Tourism and Creative Industries at DCMS.
The report, co-authored by Creative PEC director Hasan Bakhshi with Beauhurst, reveals the scale of the investment opportunity, not only in Application Software, but also in areas like Advertising, Films and TV, Video Content and Video Games.
📈 New research published today by Creative PEC shows that the Creative Industries account for almost a tenth of UK firms classified as having ‘high-growth potential’, higher than both the Life Sciences (5.1%) and Advanced Manufacturing (2.4%).
🔗 shorturl.at/cWxlF
As London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan announces £2.2 million in new funding for Creative Enterprise Zones, we asked Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, to share why and how London is choosing to invest in artists and creatives.
New blog post:
shorturl.at/sYZvB
One year on from the publication of the AI Opportunities Action Plan, this week’s Political Monitor looks at the latest developments in UK AI policy – the launch of the AI Skills Hub, a new AI Growth Zone, and more.
👉 Read more: open.substack.com/pub/creative...
The deadline to submit papers for the Creative PEC Research Symposium 2026 is fast approaching.
Send your extended abstract of ~500 words to research@pec.ac.uk by Monday 2nd February.
For more information and to register for the Symposium, email research@pec.ac.uk.
As part of the independent review of ACE, Creative PEC developed a submission outlining how it should continue to be supported as a vital force for supporting arts, culture and creativity across the country.
We've now released the submission so you can take a look: pec.ac.uk/government_s...
work with me and @drdaveobrien.bsky.social as part of @creativepec.bsky.social! we're recruiting a postdoc to work on the arts, culture and heritage sectors using quantitative methods. please share, please feel free to email me directly with any Qs! jobsite.sheffield.ac.uk/job/Sheffiel...
What's ahead for the UK's creative industries in 2026? This week’s Political Monitor offers a round-up of key policy updates to watch in the coming months.
📬 Subscribe to receive a weekly overview of the latest policy developments straight to your inbox: creativepec.substack.com/p/political-...
📢 Call for submissions:
The Creative PEC Research Symposium 2026 will take place on 28–29 April at Newcastle University Business School and will provide a forum for researchers to present their latest work on the economics of the cultural and creative industries.
Find out more: shorturl.at/9xuYX
The report suggests creative industries micro firms have a vital role to play in driving innovation, which is key for helping the government achieve its productivity and growth ambitions.
👉 Download the full report: pec.ac.uk/state_of_the...
ℹ️ There are clear gaps in information: half of R&D-active creative micro firms do not access guidance or advice about R&D and innovation, significantly more than micro firms in other Industrial Strategy priority sectors.
📅 44% of creative industries micro firms plan to engage in R&D over the next three years, compared with just 24% of micro firms more generally.
💻 Creative industries micro firms are significantly more likely than the wider population of micro firms – and firms in other Industrial Strategy priority sectors – to consider the integration of new technology into their products and services as vital.
🔍 64% of the creative industries micro firms surveyed have participated in some form of R&D in the past three years, compared with 46% of all micro firms across the economy.
💡 Creative industries micro firms are almost 20% more likely to engage in R&D than firms in other sectors, according to the latest State of the Nations report launched today, ‘Support for R&D and innovation in creative industries micro firms’ by @joshsiepel.bsky.social
Key findings below 👇
Remodelled Creative Industries Council to play ‘crucial role’ in government’s sector plan www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/fac... #ChangingFaces
If you missed last week’s event in our Seminar Series, the recording is now available online.
Camille Pedersen (Aarhus University) presents new research examining how formal evaluation criteria shape decision-making in public arts funding.
▶️ Watch the full seminar on YouTube:
🎨 Youth, culture and creativity in the spotlight. The latest edition of the Creative PEC Political Monitor explores the UK Government’s new National Youth Strategy for England, as well as key dates before Parliament rises for winter recess.
Read the full newsletter and subscribe. 👇
Watch the replay of Wednesday's State of the Nations launch event. 👇
Daniel Simandjuntak and Giorgio Fazio present the findings of the new report, and our expert panel discuss the policy implications – including IP regulation, international trade agreements and tailored mentorship programmes.
