Skip to content
>> Home > Discussion Papers > Research by Themes > Geography of the Creative Industries > Creative industries innovation in seaside resorts and country towns

Creative industries innovation in seaside resorts and country towns

Coastal village arial image

Read our four page policy brief for key recommendations based on this research:

Insights for Policymakers: Creative Industries Innovation in Seaside Resorts and Country Towns

______________________________________________

The creative industries in Devon and Cornwall have proven themselves to be agile and resilient during the Covid-19 pandemic. The creative SMEs included in this study were often relatively small, and had diverse portfolios, meaning they were quickly able to adapt to changing working conditions.

In addition to this, changing working practices as a result of the pandemic largely benefitted those rural and dispersed creative SMEs we spoke with. In particular, the increased ease with working remotely and online, opened creative SMEs in Devon and Cornwall to new clients, talent and creative opportunities.

However, the creative industries in Devon and Cornwall, like many other rural UK areas, are according to the report authors in need of investment in infrastructure in order that they might scale-up, innovate and grow. This report has been a part of making the case for increased investment that recognises the distinctive position of geographically dispersed, rural creative industries SMEs in the UK, who face unique challenges to their growth and innovation. The report also points to the need for more support for such regions in terms of access to skills, transport links and coordinated Creative Industry networks.

This research was commissioned by the AHRC- funded Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) from the The Centre for Intermedia and Creative Technology (CICT) at University of Exeter.


Related Discussion Papers

metal wire art installation - courtesy of Alina Grubnyak
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, st…

High Street
Northern England’s Creative Industries

The Creative Industries are already a driver of growth across the UK economy. Export-intensive and m…

Side of building with artwork of man and a robin
Creative Destruction? Creative firms, workers and residential gentrification

A new study by Tasos Kitsos, Max Nathan, and Diana Gutierrez-Posada finds only a minor influence of …

Family watching a tablet
Speaking with One Voice

A fundamental remit of the BBC, and other public service broadcasters (PSBs) like ITV and Channel 4,…

Dance performance
Transitioning to Sustainable Production across the UK Theatre Sector

This discussion paper examines transitional pathways to sustainable theatre production in the UK. By…

clothes hanging on rail
Identifying and analysing UK fashion micro-clusters

The UK’s Fashion and Textiles industry contributed almost £20 billion to the UK economy in 202…

Tree close up in a forest
Net Zero as a catalyst in fashion micro and small enterprises

This report identifies examples of work taking place across three levels of change – social, e…

Union Jacks over Portobello Road, London
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 internati…

EU Flags on flag poles
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 Cr…

Arts centre
Working Together – Cooperatives as a creative industry business model

This authors looks at how creative workers and students typically understand cooperatives, explore t…

Music Concert
Building sustainable regional music industry clusters

This report looks at the role the creative industries can play for the Levelling Up agenda, as well …

Monkey sign on lamp post
Crypto art and questions of value

Crypto Art is a novel, emerging creative form that is entirely digital, and native to the internet. …

Authors

Sign up to our newsletter