Brexit will make Britain more creative than ever
Our cultural industries are the envy of the world, and independence will help us grow at home and abroad
Britain’s creative industries are truly flourishing. The sector managed to grow right through the recession and is now growing three times faster than the rest of the economy. It accounts for 1.9 million jobs, contributes £84 billion to the economy and exports £19.8 billion of services. Our creativity is also a powerful promotional tool for the UK. Just think Shakespeare, Harry Potter and James Bond – all magnets for tourism. We are the world’s second biggest exporter of music. And as new sectors emerge, we evolve with them. Take, for example, the valuable, international video gaming industry. I’m told that Grand Theft Auto V took a billion dollars in just three days. It was made in Edinburgh, not Los Angeles.
The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee has chosen to conduct an inquiry into the impact of Brexit on this vital sector. That is right. I know that some in the creative industries are anxious about us leaving the European Union. But I’m pleased to report that I’m feeling much more optimistic. That’s why I voted Leave on June 23. We Brits are not great at embracing change, so there is always an understandable level of concern when a shift of this scale occurs. But surely this sector, above all others, is equipped to turn challenge into opportunity? When have certainty and “the status quo” ever been a driving force for creativity?
If we look at the history of the industry, it has always been ahead of the curve in dealing with potentially disruptive developments, whether political, economic or technological. The rise of the internet presented myriad challenges, from copyright to new business models and the rapid growth in user-generated content. Not only did we rise to these challenges, but we successfully turned them into opportunities. Our creative industries just keep delivering no matter what – and I have no reason to believe that our response to Brexit will be any different.
The fundamentals of the sector’s success remain unchanged, from our language and rich cultural heritage to our pool of world-class talent, on and off screen. Take the British film and television industry. We have state-ofthe-art studios, a world-renowned post-production industry and an internationally envied track record of delivery. The continuation of current tax breaks would ensure the UK remains competitive as an attractive venue for film-makers, while showing a mouth-watering return for UK tax payers’ investment.
What’s more, being free of the EU’s state aid rules would liberate us to invest where we decide we can have the greatest impact – financially and culturally. At last we will have the power to fund the most important and exciting projects: something currently limited by Brussels.
One of the unsung benefits of the growth of the UK’s creative industries is the social mobility it fosters. Ridley Scott is an A-list director in Hollywood – his dad worked in the shipyards of the North East. His story is replicated thousands of times by the youngsters who come into the sector each year – there are no barriers to entry. All you need is some talent and ambition and any kid from anywhere can make it.
Far from diminishing our prospects, Brexit presents an opportunity further to extend our creativity to a wider world that is hungry to enjoy the best of our content. Why don’t we demonstrate our confidence in our future and set a date for an ambitious great British Exhibition to take place immediately after we leave the EU? An Expo that communicates our commitment to global trade and showcases the creative sector in all its glory. We need to help make Global Britain a reality by harnessing the talent of the creative industries to promote this country to new customers, wherever they are.
But there is another important opportunity the creative sector should embrace wholeheartedly. The EU referendum revealed a country divided. Those disconnected from our most vibrant cities and towns – the traditional centres of creative production – might wonder why they should care about the sector’s success. After all, have the cultural leaders who frequent London W1 given much thought to the concerns and aspirations of those in less fashionable parts?
Now is the time for our leading creative organisations to connect fully with Britain. Our aspiration should be to create truly world-class productions while extending the benefits of what we do further into the country. Put another way, Brexit should remind us that there are opportunities within the UK as well as out in the wider world.
Profound change is rarely comfortable, but this strikes me as a time for the UK’s creative sector to be ever more bold and imaginative. We are good at that, after all. We should start by telling the UK’s creative story in a much more confident and compelling way – at home and abroad.