The Creative Business Panel is a groundbreaking survey supported by the UK Government. It is the first initiative to consistently collect comprehensive data from creative businesses and will meticulously track over time, the behaviours, performance and experiences of the sector to inform successful strategies, government policies and decisions for the future.

Covering all of the different sub-sectors that make up the creative industries, business sizes and UK geographies, the broad-ranging work will be conducted over five waves between 2025 and 2028. The data collected will support businesses to adopt digital innovations that enhance their competitiveness, foster diverse and inclusive workforces, and drive profitability and sustainability.

Topics covered in the survey include workforce makeup; business operations; finances and investment; technology and innovation; exports and foreign investment; and environmental sustainability. A key focus of the project is a cutting-edge examination of the use of emerging technologies

The evidence base will inform decision making to support businesses adopt digital innovations, enhance their competitiveness, foster diverse and inclusive workforces, and drive profitability and sustainability. For the first time, the sector will have a thorough picture of creative businesses as a whole, uniting efforts to drive forward improvements and see the industry thrive.

About the Research Project

The survey is led by the Creative Policy and Evidence Centre (Creative PEC) and CoSTAR (Convergent Screen Technologies and Performance in Realtime) Foresight Lab in partnership with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Data collection for the first wave of the study began in February 2025. Random sampling will ensure all sub-sectors are equitably represented throughout the research, which runs until 2028. The first wave report will be published in 2026.