City to benefit from creative cash
NEARLY £80m is being spent to boost productivity and jobs in the UK’s creative industries – with businesses in Cardiff set to benefit.
Businesses and academia are to be combined to improve lucrative sectors, including fashion, broadcast and video games.
Cardiff – alongside cities such as Bristol, Bath, Leeds, London, York, Belfast, Dundee and Edinburgh – is to receive research funding for its creative industries.
Led by the Arts and Humanities Research Council within UKRI (UK Research and Innovation), the Creative Industries Clusters Programme comprises nine creative clusters across the UK and a new Policy and Evidence Centre, led by “innovation foundation” Nesta in partnership with 13 universities.
Businesses will work will academics in these nationwide hubs to research ways to improve production.
The aim for these Creative Clusters is to make better use of digital technology and to drive down production time, while creating more jobs.
The programme aims to bring together world-class research talent with companies and organisations, including household names such as Aardman, Burberry and Sony, in a first-of-its kind research and development investment.
This investment, through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and industry, offers support to Wales’ globally important creative industries, which are already worth more than £1bn to the UK economy, and supports 63,000 jobs.
The aim of the Clusters programme is to create jobs and drive the creation of companies, products and experiences that can be marketed around the world.
The Clwstwr Creadigol project, led by Cardiff University, with partners Sony UK Technology Centre, BBC Cymru and S4C, makes up one of the nine clusters.
It is looking to transform the screen and broadcast industries in the Cardiff region by helping them to innovate and compete, aimed at responding to changing technologies such as the emergence of 5G mobile infrastructure and changing patterns of consumption.
Business Secretary Greg Clark said: “The screen and broadcast industries in South Wales are massive success stories for the whole of the UK, creating skilled jobs and business opportunities across the country.
“The creative industries in Wales currently contributes over £1bn a year to the UK’s economy, and through our modern Industrial Strategy we are investing to enable the sector to keep on growing and bringing the benefits to all corners of the United Kingdom.”
Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright said: “Britain’s creative industries are an economic and cultural powerhouse and the Creative Clusters will ensure they continue to thrive in regions across the country.
“These partnerships between business, academia and industry will encourage the use of future technology to develop new products and experiences, and boost employment opportunities across the breadth of the UK.” Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns said: “Wales is a creative nation, and the creative industries provide valuable jobs and opportunities for thousands of people across the country.
“This UK Government investment cements South Wales’ place as a global leader in the screen and broadcast industries.”