New council of experts to advocate for the creative industries

The Government has announced the new members of the Creative Industries Council as part of its commitment to reshaping the body to align with national growth objectives and ensure it more accurately reflects the sector.

Established in 2011, the Creative Industries Council (CIC) serves as a strategic forum for collaboration between industry leaders and government. It provides a unified platform for senior figures across the creative sectors to engage directly with ministers, ensuring a coordinated voice on key issues.

The new membership brings together cultural institutions, trade bodies, creative businesses, regional leaders and sector representatives from across the UK’s creative industries, representing sectors and subsectors, such as film & TV, music and design. The Sector Plan’s themes of innovation, finance, skills and trade will underpin the work of the Creative Industries Council, and are priorities for the next year of activity.

Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, said:

The Creative Industries Council is vital to ensuring that we are effectively understanding and addressing the needs of the sector. Our ambition is that every corner of this country will flourish, cementing the UK’s position as a creative superpower. 

We are committed to delivering the Creative Industries Sector Plan, as part of the Government’s Plan for Change, and the remodelled CIC will continue to play a critical role in that.

Co-Chair of the Creative Industries Council, Peter Bazalgette, said:

Our renewed Council, with refreshed representation from across our sub-sectors, regions and Nations, will drive forward the clear growth plan set out in the Government’s Industrial Strategy. And we’ll have lots of new ideas too… we are the creative sector!

Co-Chair of the Creative Industries Council, Shriti Vadera, said:

The refreshed and representative CIC will support not just delivery of the growth plan and the development of new policy, but also ensure we demonstrate to policy makers and the public the UK’s global strength in creative industries and their critical importance to the success of the UK economy.

In the Creative Industries Sector Plan, published as part of the Industrial Strategy, the Government committed to reshaping the council, as part of the Government’s plan to strengthen its relationship with businesses. The Sector Plan outlines a vision to increase business investment in creative organisations from £17 billion to £31 billion by 2035 and  help creative businesses grow and create jobs. 

The creative industries are rapidly changing and growing, and the new council format seeks to be more representative of the sectors as they are now, while strengthening the partnership it has with industry. This includes prioritising regional representation and addressing the concerns and challenges of the sector within the UK as well as growing exports as the third largest creative services exporter in the world.

The Department for Business and Trade has also appointed the new Creative Industries Trade & Investment Board (CITIB) chairs, Michael Frohlich, CMOP at WPP, and Francesca Hegyi, Chief Executive of Edinburgh International Festival. They will work together to facilitate collaboration between the public and private sectors and ensure the creative industries contribute effectively to the UK economy. 

Minister for Trade Policy Chris Bryant said:

Our creative industries are world-leading, and we’re championing them as a cornerstone of growth in our modern Industrial Strategy.

A revamped Creative Industries Trade and Investment Board will help strengthen our international trading relationships, boost exports and attract inward investment to grow our economy. Congratulations to Francesca and Michael on becoming our new Co-Chairs – their experience and passion will be invaluable.

Working group leads will sit on a core steering group who will strategically drive the CIC’s progress, prioritise practical action and help to shape the sector-wide narrative.

ENDS

New membership of the Creative Industries Council

Co-Chairs

Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy
Business Secretary, Peter Kyle
Baroness Shriti Vadera
Sir Peter Bazalgette

Working group leads

Stephen Pegge OBE, Director UK Business Angels Association (Access to Finance)
Sinead Rocks, Managing Director of Nations & Regions, Channel 4 (Workforce)
Sara Pepper, Co-Director, Creative Economy Unit at Cardiff University (Innovation)
Michael Frohlich, CMOP at WPP (Co-Chair of the CITIB)
Francesca Hegyi, Chief Executive of Edinburgh International Festival (Co-Chair of the CITIB)

Members

Creative Industries Minister, Ian Murray
Tom Adeyoola, Executive Chair of Innovate UK 
Deborah Annetts, Chair, Creators Rights Alliance
Hasan Bakhshi, Director, Creative Industries Policy and Evidence centre
Jade Beason, CEO of the Creator Project
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
Lee Brooks, Production Park
Prof. John Collomosse, Principle Scientist, Adobe
Dan Conway, CEO, Publishers Association
Jon Gilchrist, Chief Executive, Birmingham Hippodrome
Dan Guthrie, Director General of Alliance for IP
Sophie Helm, Co-Founder of Manchester Contemporary and Manchester Art Fair
Darren Henley, CEO, Arts Council England
Tom Kiehl, CEO, UK Music
Alison Lomax, Managing Director, YouTube
Deepa Mann-Kler, CEO, NEON
John McVay, CEO, PACT
Natalie Melton, Executive Director, Craft Council
Keith Merrin, Deputy Chair, National Museums Directors Council and Director North East Museums
Minnie Moll, CEO, Design Council
Iain Munro, CEO, Creative Scotland
Caroline Norbury, CEO, Creative UK
Paula Orrell, Director, CVAN
Nick Poole, CEO, UKIE
Catryn Ramasut, Director of Arts, Arts Council of Wales
Rhuanedd Richards, Interim Nations Director, BBC
Ben Roberts, CEO, BFI
Mick Ross, CEO, Generator
Christopher Smith, Executive Chair, AHRC 
Chloe Straw, CEO, AudioUK
Alison Tickell, CEO, Julie’s Bicycle
Dr Valerie Vaughan-Dick, CEO, RIBA
Chris Van Der Kuyl, CEO, 4J Studios
Claire Walker / Hannah Essex, Co-Chief Executives, SOLT/UKT
Laura Weir, CEO, British Fashion Council
Richard Williams, CEO, NI Screen
Stephen Woodford, CEO, Advertising Association
Freelance Champion, to be appointed

The new CIC will establish working groups, with leads sitting on the council, who will develop and take forward proposals in areas of key strategic importance to drive growth across the Creative Industries, as detailed in the Creative Industries Sector Plan:

Innovation: Accelerate Innovation-led growth

Access to Finance: Secure growth finance for creative start-ups and scale-ups

Workforce: Build a resilient workforce fit for the future 

Trade and exports: Via the Creative Industries Trade & Investment Board: Increase trade and inward investment