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The UK Creative Industries:

  • Are set to continue to grow faster than the economy at large…
  • Contributed £115.9bn in GVA to the UK economy in 2019, which is greater than aerospace, automotive, life sciences and oil and gas sectors combined.
  • Represented almost 6% of the UK’s GVA, and supported a further £62.1 billion across the supply chain, totalling a £178 billion GVA contribution.
  • Growing at four times the rate of the UK economy as a whole and experienced strong growth in all parts of the UK. Between 2010 and 2019, the sector’s GVA grew by 32.6% in the North West and 45.6% in Scotland.
  • Exported £46bn in goods and services worldwide and accounted for almost 12% UK exports.

…and create jobs in all UK nations and regions

  • Creating jobs at three times the UK average, employing 2 million people across the UK.
  • Employment in the sector grew by 21% in Northern Ireland and 30% in the West Midlands between 2010 and 2017.
  • Supported a further 1.4 million jobs across the supply chain, bringing the total number of jobs supported by the creative industries to 3.5 million.
  • Almost 1 in 8 UK businesses are creative businesses and 95% of these employ 9 people or fewer.
  • 33% of creative workers are freelancers, double the wider UK economy, and in some sub-sectors the figure is much higher, such as 70% in Music, Performing Arts and Visual Arts.