Creative industries
The creative industries field employs nearly 144,000 people in the South West.
The region is a hotbed of creative and digital media. The sector is growing more rapidly than anywhere else in the UK, employing more creatives than any other region outside London.
The South West has some of the most modern and sought-after audio-visual production facilities in the UK. The Performance and Visual Arts domains also exhibit steady employment growth.
The South West is nationally recognised as a region with a vibrant arts, crafts and music scene. It has an increasing wealth of cultural diversity with a thriving community of craftspeople and artists working in glass, metalwork, textile, pottery, paint, woodwork, and jewellery.
The region has established media clusters currently established in the Plymouth, Wessex, Gloucestershire and Bristol areas, providing an opportunity for growth and innovation.
The sector has a relatively high proportion of self employed people
Research* indicates that development in the cultural sector is driven by:
- The advent of broadband services and digital broadcasting
- Recent changes to the Communication Act which have opened up opportunities for independent film and TV producers, digital content creators and others
- The increasing role of the sector in raising the quality of life in the region
* The State of the Key Sectors Research, Arthur D Little, SW Regional Development Agency 2004
Culture South West and South West Screen support the growth and advancement of the creative industries in the region.
The Creative Enterprise Gateway offers easy access to a wide variety of sources of information, advice and guidance.
For more information about Creative Industries and to search our Employer Directory please visit our new Graduate Toolkit.
Creative industries news
- University zones in on creative talent
- New media centre for Knowle West
- South West creative vision receives international recognition
- A boost for creative businesses
