Creative industries present huge opportunity for export growth
New research published today by Creative PEC shows that the creative industries present a huge opportunity for export growth.
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International, Trade, and Immigration
Trade restrictions and UK creative services
Read the latest State of the Nations report from Newcastle University on trade restrictions and UK creative services.
Will the Creative Exporters Please Stand Up?
Read the latest State of the Nations report from Newcastle University on recent export trends and features of creative MSME exporters.
Association of South-East Asian Nations’ long-term view of the creative economy
John Newbigin examines the ASEAN approach to sustainability and the creative economy.
Creating value: the creative economy beyond culture by Marta Foresti
Marta Foresti explains the value of international cooperation as she becomes Chair of the GCEC.
Regional Trade Agreements, Cultural Provisions and Trade in Cultural Goods
Analysing the impact of Regional Trade Agreements on the bilateral trade of cultural goods from 1999 to 2019.
Taking stock of the Creative Industries Sector Plan
We summarise some of the key sector-wide announcements from the Creative Industries Sector Plan.
Highly skilled, international talent helps fuel UK creative industries growth, finds new report
Embargoed 9am (UK time) Tuesday 10 June 2025 As the dust settles on the UK government’s Immigration White Paper, the creative industries reflect on what tighter restrictions might mean. New… Read More »Highly skilled, international talent helps fuel UK creative industries growth, finds new report
Migration in UK Creative Occupations and Industries
Filling the evidence gap in relation to migration, creative occupations and creative industries.
The impact of overseas mergers and acquisitions on UK video games industry
A new scoping study on the economic consequences and potential market failures The BFI’s Research and Statistics Unit and Creative PEC, with Games Investor Consulting and Oxford Economics, have published a… Read More »The impact of overseas mergers and acquisitions on UK video games industry
The Mahakumbh Mela, India, 2025
The festival economy: A Priceless Moment in Time Worth GBP 280 Billion in Trade Jairaj Mashru looks at the festival economy and how these large events drive creativity and innovation.… Read More »The Mahakumbh Mela, India, 2025
Foreign Direct Investment in the UK’s Creative Industries
A Creative PEC State of the Nations Report With the UK Government’s forthcoming industrial strategy highlighting the creative industries as a key sector for both investment and growth, this new… Read More »Foreign Direct Investment in the UK’s Creative Industries
Policy Brief: International Trade and the UK Creative Industries
This policy brief examines international trade in the UK creative industries. Drawing on our UK Trade in a Global Creative Economy State of the Nation report, the brief highlights key… Read More »Policy Brief: International Trade and the UK Creative Industries
International Trade Challenges and the Effectiveness of Support Measures for the UK’s Creative Industries
The formidable challenges confronting the UK’s creative industries in the realm of exports, stemming from the convergence of Covid-19 and the conclusion of the EU transition period, reached their apex… Read More »International Trade Challenges and the Effectiveness of Support Measures for the UK’s Creative Industries
Could the UK be a creative haven for writers? With support from policymakers, yes, says new report
17 August 2023 – The latest Authors’ Earnings Survey, from researchers at the CREATe Research Centre at the University of Glasgow, made for concerning reading. Author income is in sharp… Read More »Could the UK be a creative haven for writers? With support from policymakers, yes, says new report
The Motives of Inbound Foreign Direct Investors in the UK Creative Industries
The UK’s creative industries have a global reach. British arts, technology, and design are internationally famous, and attract investment from around the world. There are many different reasons for foreign… Read More »The Motives of Inbound Foreign Direct Investors in the UK Creative Industries
Brexit uncertainty and international trade in services: Evidence from the UK creative industries 2014-2019
This discussion paper is based on one of the first studies to look at the impact of Brexit on the Creative Industries international trade performance. This analysis of international trade… Read More »Brexit uncertainty and international trade in services: Evidence from the UK creative industries 2014-2019
Post-Brexit migration and accessing foreign talent in the Creative Industries
The UK’s departure from the EU has changed the way that British firms trade and work with Europe. Brexit has introduced new barriers to the single market, and through the… Read More »Post-Brexit migration and accessing foreign talent in the Creative Industries
Press release: Growing skills shortage & international trade decline post-Brexit
NEWS RELEASE Download the Press ReleaseEmbargoed: 00.01 UK time Thursday 30th March Two papers published today by the AHRC-funded Creative Industries Policy & Evidence Centre (Creative PEC) point to worrying trends… Read More »Press release: Growing skills shortage & international trade decline post-Brexit
Television production, international trade and pressures to consolidate
The UK television production sector is one of Britain’s leading creative export sectors. This briefing by Gillian Doyle discusses how ownership structures of TV production companies has a major impact… Read More »Television production, international trade and pressures to consolidate
Trade in creative services: scale, trends, and geography
Creative services such as advertising, publishing, and design are an important part of global trade. Their rise has been partly due to technology, which has made it easier to trade… Read More »Trade in creative services: scale, trends, and geography
The nature of foreign direct investment in the creative industries
For the host country receiving the investment, there is a wealth of evidence that FDI can increase productivity and employment and lead to broader development benefits. However, there are also… Read More »The nature of foreign direct investment in the creative industries
What distinguishes creative industry exporters? And does engaging in innovation, R&D and design matter?
Post-Brexit, the UK government is keen to accelerate UK exporting, including in creative goods and services. To best support and expand exporting, it is vital to better understand the characteristics… Read More »What distinguishes creative industry exporters? And does engaging in innovation, R&D and design matter?
PEC’s Submission to the DCMS Committee inquiry Promoting Britain Abroad
This submission – made from the PEC to the DCMS Committee in January 2022 – addresses the role that the UK’s creative industries play (and could play) in building the… Read More »PEC’s Submission to the DCMS Committee inquiry Promoting Britain Abroad
How to support the creative industries around the world
‘We need a change in mindset’ On 7 December 2021 the PEC’s International Council launched a Global Agenda for the Cultural and Creative Industries, together with the British Council at the World Conference on… Read More »How to support the creative industries around the world
A global agenda from the Global Creative Economy Council
The GCEC’s contribution to the United Nations 2021 International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development.
PEC announces the launch of six new commissioned research projects
The research will cover everything from fashion and music, to migration and seaside towns The PEC’s open calls for commissioned research are a fantastic opportunity to develop cutting edge ideas… Read More »PEC announces the launch of six new commissioned research projects
Creative firms and trade
The implications for policymakers emerging from this work are explored in our Policy Briefing: The Creative Industries in the UK’s Export Strategy. The evidence base on the international trade in the… Read More »Creative firms and trade
The Creative Industries in the UK’s Export Strategy
This brief is based upon the findings of our latest research into the features and barriers facing the UK’s creative industries exports, part of a discussion paper by PEC researchers from… Read More »The Creative Industries in the UK’s Export Strategy
A review of creative trade in the economics literature
This paper summarises the key research and models for creative trade. Starting with a general overview of how creative goods and services have been defined in the literature, it then… Read More »A review of creative trade in the economics literature
The UK’s international creative trade: A review of the official data sources
There is a growing recognition among policy makers and governments around the world of the importance of the creative industries. As these sectors continue to grow, it is increasingly important… Read More »The UK’s international creative trade: A review of the official data sources
Managing transition in the UK fashion sector
The UK fashion industry, like other sectors, is experiencing significant transformation due to the collision of three major issues: climate emergency, Brexit transitions and the economic and social crisis caused… Read More »Managing transition in the UK fashion sector
PEC’s Representation to the Autumn Spending Review
The UK’s creative industries – from film to fashion, and from video games to the performing arts – are integral to local communities throughout the country. This is in part… Read More »PEC’s Representation to the Autumn Spending Review
How the pandemic is impacting creative sectors around the world
The creative industries have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Over the past months our International Council has provided us with insight into different challenges, experiences, and sources of inspiration found… Read More »How the pandemic is impacting creative sectors around the world
The Brexit shock in the UK’s fashion and textile industry
While the dreaded no-deal scenario did not materialise when the UK left the EU single market and customs union in January 2021, many UK businesses are struggling to deal with the new… Read More »The Brexit shock in the UK’s fashion and textile industry
Response to the Integrated Review: A new era of soft power?
Yesterday, the Government published the Integrated Review, a survey of the UK’s foreign policy and national security. The Review includes commitments to push for economic and political openness, to act as… Read More »Response to the Integrated Review: A new era of soft power?
Response to the 2021 Budget: R&D, migration, skills and levelling-up
Our response to the 2021 Budget The PEC’s response to the 2021 Budget The creative industries – from film, to fashion, art, advertising, games, design and more – are a… Read More »Response to the 2021 Budget: R&D, migration, skills and levelling-up
The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement
We got there: a deal better than no-deal was eventually found. The two parties started with different priorities: the UK wanting more sovereignty and the EU wanting to preserve the… Read More »The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement
Gating the gatekeepers
The responsibilities of platforms for their content is changing, in the UK, in the EU and globally The 15th December 2020 will be remembered as a momentous day in the… Read More »Gating the gatekeepers
The impact of Brexit on UK’s cultural and creative sectors: More heat than light?
The creative industries have been a pillar of the UK’s industrial strategies in the past two decades, with remarkable results, putting the country on the map as one of the… Read More »The impact of Brexit on UK’s cultural and creative sectors: More heat than light?
Why regulating the public sphere matters more than ever
Schlesinger argues that in capitalist democracies we can only guess at how the post-public sphere will develop in the future. In previous work on the public sphere he explored the… Read More »Why regulating the public sphere matters more than ever
Free-time, leisure, culture and learning in 2020
The beginning of this new decade, the 2020s, was marked by irreversible disruptions. For the first time in a century, the world population faced a pandemic that spread globally, affecting… Read More »Free-time, leisure, culture and learning in 2020
International creative students: their significance for UK universities, regions and the creative industries
Assessing the value of higher education has become a divisive issue, in particular, the use of graduate earnings as a measure of “value for money”. Creative arts-based subjects systematically end… Read More »International creative students: their significance for UK universities, regions and the creative industries
UK sovereignty: A challenge for the creative industries
Under the three word strapline, Check, Change, Go, a new campaign aims to prepare the UK for the end of the “transition period” on 31st December 2020. According to the UK… Read More »UK sovereignty: A challenge for the creative industries
Rebuilding the creative economy with conscious capital: A view from the United States
At the start of the COVID-19 crisis, the UN Secretary General asked artists, filmmakers, musicians and others to help spread public health messages with the goal of flattening the curve of the… Read More »Rebuilding the creative economy with conscious capital: A view from the United States
Brazilian culture and creativity during COVID-19: Solidarity and lives
Paraphrasing Jorge Amado, a famous Brazilian literary writer of the twentieth century, in his popular novel ‘The country of carnival’: “… Sometimes we understand that something is missing in our… Read More »Brazilian culture and creativity during COVID-19: Solidarity and lives
Safeguarding a creative and cultural moment
A discussion on the impact of COVID-19 on East Africa’s creative sectors In the first decade of the 21st century, the increasing visibility of cultural and creative industries in cities… Read More »Safeguarding a creative and cultural moment
12 facts about the UK’s international trade in creative goods and services
Worldwide exports of creative goods exceeded 500 billion USD in 2015, with a 150% increase since 2002. In the UK, the creative industries have become an increasingly international sector in… Read More »12 facts about the UK’s international trade in creative goods and services
The hopes and fears that creative employers have for “points-based” skilled immigration post-Brexit
One bright spot in an otherwise uncertain year for immigration policy, was the expansion in October 2019 of the UK’s Shortage Occupation List (SOL) to include many more creative industry roles. Prior… Read More »The hopes and fears that creative employers have for “points-based” skilled immigration post-Brexit
Discontent industries? Creative works and international trade law: making sense of ‘analogue’ IP rules in a digital age
The global economic order fails to understand the creative industries as producing trade. Trade statistics do not account for royalty payments. Trade agreements fail to address streaming (typically classified as… Read More »Discontent industries? Creative works and international trade law: making sense of ‘analogue’ IP rules in a digital age
The migrant and skills needs of creative businesses in the UK
This report details the results of a survey of employers commissioned by the Creative Industries Council (CIC) from December 2017 to January 2018. The CIC survey ‘piggybacked’ on the Department… Read More »The migrant and skills needs of creative businesses in the UK
Silence speaks volumes
The economic value of our creative industries is clear. But are they a priority for Britain’s political leaders? The impressive growth performance of the UK’s creative industries, from design and… Read More »Silence speaks volumes
How internationally competitive are the creative industries?
Creative industries in the global economy Recent international trends show that the creative industries are gaining pace not only in advanced economies (the so-called global North) but also in less advanced ones… Read More »How internationally competitive are the creative industries?
Regulating a platform economy
The Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) offers a unique opportunity to respond to a dramatic challenge to the industrial organisation of the creative industries: Are the creative industries… Read More »Regulating a platform economy
Skilled migration and the UK’s creative industries
This report argued that to support the growth of the creative industries, we need to ensure that the UK is able to access talent from outside of Europe. Publication date:… Read More »Skilled migration and the UK’s creative industries
Creative Economy Employment in the US, Canada and the UK
This report measured employment in the creative economies of the US, Canada and the UK. It provided consistent statistics on the US and Canadian creative economies in comparison to the… Read More »Creative Economy Employment in the US, Canada and the UK
Creative economy employment in the EU and UK: A comparative analysis
This report compared the size and growth of the EU’s creative industries on a consistent basis. It also provided consistent statistics for the creative economies (employment in creative industries and… Read More »Creative economy employment in the EU and UK: A comparative analysis