Business skills are among a number of factors being called on to help boost the UK’s creative economy.

The proposals have been developed by a team of experts tasked with exploring new ways to help the UK’s creative industries prosper.

Now the Government wants to know what people working in those industries, including fashion, music, computer games and advertising, think about their ideas.

Following consultation with the industry, the experts identified themes such as business skills, education and high city centre rents, which create barriers that prevent small and medium sized businesses growing. They have produced recommendations for breaking down these barriers including:

• A complete re-assessment of business education in the creative sector and cash incentives for investment in management development.


• A network of UK creative ambassadors to promote small and medium sized companies abroad.


• A creative business ‘health check’ service to ensure businesses are getting quality, tailored business advice.


• ‘Creativity towers’ – new models for establishing concentrations of specialist creative workspace and activity space in new developments – the idea being to provide flexible, affordable homes for creative businesses.


• A creative industries ‘dating agency’ to broker and co-ordinate new relationships and partnerships.

Creative industries minister, Shaun Woodward, said: “Our creativity and talent are respected and envied the world over. And our creative industries are a major success story. But we need to master the alchemy of turning our brilliant ideas into hard, global business success if we’re going to stay ahead of the game.”

The creative industries account for more than eight per cent of GDP, more than four per cent of the UK’s export income and provide jobs for two million people.

The consultation runs until September 20 and can be found at: www.cep.culture.gov.uk