CE50 2019

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The CE50 is Creative England’s annual celebration of 50 of the most exciting, innovative and disruptive creative companies and individuals across the country. CE50 highlights some of the exceptional talent that we believe will be central to the country’s creative economy in the coming years. The people featured in the CE50 are the talented minds at the very forefront of creativity. Many of this year’s cohort are fusing creativity with technology to create meaningful solutions to real world problems. See below for full details of the CE50 for 2019.

It’s my pleasure to introduce to you the CE50 2019

For over a decade, the creative industries have been the UK’s fastest growing economic sector. They’re now worth over £100bn in GVA, and make over £27bn in service exports. For every 11 jobs in the UK, one is within the creative economy.

Whilst these exceptional statistics should be celebrated, it’s important to recognise that the creative industries are more than just economics. Our creative sector gives us wider opportunity too; to engage audiences around the world with our ideas and creativity. Whether it be through our games, interactive platforms, or our world leading film and TV productions; the content that we produce and export, plays a vital part in how we show ourselves to each other and to the world. Culture and creativity can often be the key to greater inclusion, empathy and understanding – things I think we’d all agree that we need right now.

As we grapple with the opportunities and challenges created by rapidly evolving technology, it’s more important than ever that we work to support our creative businesses in the positive approaches they bring to innovation. At Creative England we help businesses and individuals who look at new ways of doing things. We support the creation of highly inventive and original content. We invest money to grow creative companies and we work with key influencers, across industry and in Government, to make sure that the needs of our sectors are met and challenges addressed. It’s our mission to ensure more voices the length and breadth of England can be heard, so that the great successes of our creative industries are enjoyed by everybody.

CE50 highlights some of the exceptional talent that we believe will be central to the UK’s creative economy in the coming years. The people featured in this report are the talented minds at the very forefront of creativity. Many of this year’s cohort are fusing creativity with technology to create meaningful solutions to real world problems. Whether by teaching young girls to code, providing a platform for unheard voices or creating more accessible media content, the innovators presented here are those which make our creative industries truly world-leading.

This report uncovers just some of the exciting enterprises which, in our day-to-day work at Creative England we are able to support. I hope you enjoy discovering these future creative leaders as much I did. I’m sure you will agree with me that, if given the right support, the future of our creative sector looks very bright indeed.

CE50 selection

Creative England’s annual CE50 highlights some of the exceptional talent that we believe will be central to the UK’s creative economy in the coming years. To identify the CE50 we liaise with creative industry leaders, as well as working closely with our industry specialist staff, to recognise the talented minds across England who are at the very forefront of creativity. The nominations are shortlisted by heads of department before being presented to the senior leadership team for final selection.

This year’s list recognises the rapid rise of immersive technology experiences which bring together skills from across the worlds of tech and digital, film and television, and games, creating incredible content and experiences for consumers. Many of this year’s cohort are fusing creativity with technology to create meaningful solutions to real world problems

CE50 2019 Map