For the past two decades, the UK's Creative Industries have grown faster than the wider economy. The 2022/23 financial year marked the second year of our new Creative UK brand, following its launch in 2021 after the coming together of our two former businesses, Creative England and the Creative Industries Federation. In the previous twelve months, the team at Creative UK have continued to tirelessly advocate for our sector, despite the vast number of challenges, including a global pandemic and a cost-of-living crisis that continues to have us all feeling the pinch. In spite of these constraints, we’ve managed to provide investment, support and advice to champion our colleagues across the industry and we’ve continued to fly the flag for issues that matter most to our members and the wider creative community.  I am immensely proud to have hosted our inaugural Creative Coalition Festival, bringing together more than 2,500 of the greatest leaders, thinkers and doers across the creative spectrum both digitally and in person for discussions, workshops, networking, performances and more. It was a true celebration of the best the Creative Industries has to offer, and we’ll be back next year with a bigger and better offering.  
 
We know our industry faces significant barriers when it comes to accessing investment. We’ve been listening to your plight and in the next financial year we’re planning, with the help of our partners at Tridios bank, to recapitalise our Creative Growth Finance Fund from a £20m venture to a £35m debt and equity investment fund for the Creative Industries. This new fund will provide the crucial investment needed to unleash the power of the creative sector to drive UK growth and innovation. This year also saw us continue to work closely with our colleagues in Whitehall. We made formal recommendations to the Government, including putting forward our Spring Budget Priorities and sent an Open Letter on behalf of our trade body and union members to newly appointed Prime Minister Liz Truss. I also had the great privilege of giving evidence to the House of Lords Communications Committee ahead of their report on the future of the UK's Creative Industries. Work also began on our Redesigning Freelancing initiative alongside key members, partners and nine Combined Authorities across the country. The campaign aims to deliver a policy framework to empower freelancers and organisations working across the creative economy to tackle inequalities and create a more sustainable future for our self-employed workforce.  

In the wake of the rising workplace harassment allegations facing a number of organisations, my team joined forces with Times UP UK and the then Secretary of State Nadine Dorries. We saw our collective role as being advocates across the industry and to ask the tough questions. It has forced all of us as business leaders to unpack whether we are truly doing enough to protect our colleagues.  

We began with a structural approach; establishing a working group, to bring together key leaders from across the creative ecosystem to address systemic issues. Our priority was to establish clear codes of conduct and create opportunities for training and development. It was from there that the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) was born - a body that will provide a single point of advice, support, early dispute resolution and investigation. It is our hope that CIISA will play a significant role in leading desperately needed cultural change across the industry.  

It’s been a busy but exciting year. We know there’s still work to be done, so rest assured we won’t be resting on our laurels. In 2024 and beyond, we’ll be working closely with our members, partners and the UK Government to deliver on the promises that have been made and to harness the power of the Creative Industries to build a fairer, more prosperous world, so we can realise our vision of a world where creativity is recognised and valued for the enormous contribution it makes. Until then… 

Stay safe,