Varying degrees of artistic and intellectual expression in academic institutions
In the realm of higher education and accredited qualifications, the Arts, Culture, and Heritage sectors are gaining significant attention. They are being discussed in relation to the importance of journalism, the co-location of creative industries with other industrial strategy priority sectors, and more.
Research on class inequalities in film funding and the creative self-employed workforce in England and Wales is being conducted by Professor Dave O'Brien of the University of Manchester, among others. This research is part of a broader effort to understand and address the disparities that exist within the creative economy.
The Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (Creative PEC), supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, is at the forefront of this research. Their work has revealed some concerning findings, such as the barriers to 'equity, diversity, and inclusion' that internships can present in the creative economy.
The Creative PEC's 'Good Work Review' delved deeper into these issues, uncovering evidence of low-pay, precarious short-term contracts, extreme working hours, bullying, lack of worker voice and representation, informal recruitment and employment practices, opaque career pathways, lack of training and professional development, and leadership and management deficiencies in the creative sector.
In an attempt to address these issues, the Creative PEC has recommended universities to devise specific, targeted programs to enable marginalized groups to access employment. This is in line with the recommendations made by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Creative Diversity in their report "Making the Creative Majority".
The APPG's report focuses on diversity in the creative industries, particularly post-16 creative education. It recommends measures to improve diversity, including increasing access and representation for underrepresented groups, supporting inclusive curricula, and addressing structural barriers that limit participation in creative education beyond age 16. The report emphasizes the need to widen access to creative job opportunities and cultural experiences more broadly.
If the creative industries were as socioeconomically diverse as the rest of the economy, they would employ over 250,000 more working-class people. However, the report finds inequalities of gender, ethnicity, and social class in applications, offers, and acceptances to creative higher education courses. This highlights the urgent need for systemic reforms, such as enhanced funding, inclusive policies, and targeted diversity initiatives, to enable broader participation in creative education and employment.
The 2025 Spending Review has implications for the creative industries in various areas, including Business Models and Access to Finance, Diversity and Inclusion, Geography of the Creative Industries, Public Service Broadcasting, R&D and Innovation, Skills, Jobs and Education, and The Value of Arts and Culture.
Professor Nick Wilson discusses the Equity Gap in Britain's Creative Industries in the context of Business Models and Access to Finance. Meanwhile, the Global Creative Economy Council aims to unsettle and reorder the creative economy through conversations between the Global North and South.
One significant festival economy worth GBP 280 Billion in trade is the Mahakumbh Mela in India, 2025, as highlighted by the Global Creative Economy Council.
However, the report highlights that apprenticeships are not working for the creative industries due to low numbers of courses, limited choice, lack of suppliers, and the Apprenticeship Levy not being suited to the realities of creative work. This underscores the need for innovative solutions to education and employment in the creative sectors.
In conclusion, the creative industries are undergoing a period of introspection and reform, with various reports and research shedding light on the inequalities that exist within these sectors. The recommendations put forth by organisations like the Creative PEC and the APPG for Creative Diversity provide a roadmap towards a more inclusive, equitable, and diverse creative economy.
- The Arts, Culture, and Heritage sectors, in the realm of higher education, are undergoing significant research, such as Professor Dave O'Brien's work on class inequalities in film funding.
- The Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (Creative PEC) is at the forefront of this research, revealing concerns about barriers to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the creative economy.
- The Creative PEC's 'Good Work Review' uncovered evidence of low-pay, precarious contracts, and other issues in the creative sector, calling for targeted programs to address these disparities.
- The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Creative Diversity's report recommends measures to improve diversity in creative education, including increasing access for underrepresented groups.
- If the creative industries were as socioeconomically diverse as the rest of the economy, they would employ over 250,000 more working-class people, highlighting the need for systemic reforms and targeted diversity initiatives.
- The 2025 Spending Review will impact various areas of the creative industries, including Business Models and Access to Finance, Diversity and Inclusion, and Skills, Jobs, and Education.
- Professor Nick Wilson discusses the Equity Gap in Britain's Creative Industries, particularly in relation to Business Models and Access to Finance.
- The Global Creative Economy Council is aiming to reorder the creative economy through conversations between the Global North and South, with the Mahakumbh Mela in India being a significant festival economy worth £280 Billion in trade.
- Despite the Apprenticeship Levy, apprenticeships are not working for the creative industries due to low numbers of courses, limited choice, and lack of suppliers, underscoring the need for innovative solutions to education and employment in the creative sectors.
