The Creative Industries Council (CIC) has relaunched with a new panel of more than 40 expert members, bringing together cultural institutions, trade bodies, creative businesses, regional leaders and sector representatives from across the UK’s creative industries.

The CIC is a forum for collaboration between the government and industry leaders on key industry issues. The membership has been reshaped to improve representation across sub-sectors, regions and nations, including doubling representation outside London.

The move follows the publication of the Creative Industries Sector Plan last June, which set out the government’s strategy to boost investment and competitiveness. It aims to increase business investment in creative organisations from £17 billion to £31 billion by 2035, helping creative businesses scale and create jobs.

Our working parties

The Plan’s growth themes – innovation, finance, skills and trade – will underpin the CIC’s programme of work over the coming year, with four working groups developing and progressing plans in these four areas:

 – Access to Finance (securing growth finance for creative start-ups and scale-ups). Led by Stephen Pegge OBE, Director UK Business Angels Association
– Workforce (building a resilient workforce fit for the future). Led by Sinead Rocks, Managing Director of Nations & Regions, Channel 4.
– Innovation (accelerating innovation-led growth). Led by Sara Pepper, Co-Director, Creative Economy Unit at Cardiff University.
– The Creative Industries Trade and Investment Board (CITIB) will continue to work on strengthening our international trading relationships, boosting exports and attracting inward investment to grow our economy. It will be co-chaired by Edinburgh International Festival’s Francesca Hegyi OBE and WPP’s Michael Frohlich.

Baroness Shriti Vadera and Sir Peter Bazalgette will continue to co-chair the CIC alongside Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Business Secretary Peter Kyle.

New members from across government & the UK creative sector:

• Creative Industries Minister, Ian Murray
• Tom Adeyoola, Executive Chair of Innovate UK
• Deborah Annetts, Chair, Creators Rights Alliance
• Hasan Bakhshi, Director, Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre
• Jade Beason, CEO of the Creator Project
• Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
• Lee Brooks, Production Park
• Prof. John Collomosse, Principle Scientist, Adobe
• Dan Conway, CEO, Publishers Association
• Jon Gilchrist, Chief Executive, Birmingham Hippodrome
• Dan Guthrie, Director General of Alliance for IP
• Sophie Helm, Co-Founder of Manchester Contemporary and Manchester Art Fair
• Darren Henley, CEO, Arts Council England
• Tom Kiehl, CEO, UK Music
• Alison Lomax, Managing Director, YouTube
• Deepa Mann-Kler, CEO, NEON
• John McVay, CEO, PACT
• Natalie Melton, Executive Director, Craft Council
• Keith Merrin, Deputy Chair, National Museums Directors Council and Director North East Museums
• Minnie Moll, CEO, Design Council
• Iain Munro, CEO, Creative Scotland
• Caroline Norbury, CEO, Creative UK
• Paula Orrell, Director, CVAN
• Nick Poole, CEO, UKIE
• Catryn Ramasut, Director of Arts, Arts Council of Wales
• Rhuanedd Richards, Interim Nations Director, BBC
• Ben Roberts, CEO, BFI
• Mick Ross, CEO, Generator
• Christopher Smith, Executive Chair, AHRC
• Chloe Straw, CEO, AudioUK (see below)
• Alison Tickell, CEO, Julie’s Bicycle
• Dr Valerie Vaughan-Dick, CEO, RIBA
• Chris Van Der Kuyl, CEO, 4J Studios
• Claire Walker / Hannah Essex, Co-Chief Executives, SOLT/UKT
• Laura Weir, CEO, British Fashion Council
• Richard Williams, CEO, NI Screen
• Stephen Woodford, CEO, Advertising Association
• A new Freelance Champion will also join the CIC, once they have been appointed.

Meanwhile, Podcasting and audio have been formally granted a seat on the Creative Industries Council (CIC).

The move follows a successful lobbying campaign led by AudioUK (the industry body dedicated to advancing the podcast and audio industry) which saw more than 400 podcast and audio businesses sign an open letter to the government urging the sector to be formally recognised as a core UK creative industry. A key objective of the campaign was securing representation on the CIC, a milestone now achieved, ensuring podcasting and audio have a direct voice at the highest level, reflecting the industry’s growth and contribution to the UK’s creative economy.

AudioUK has long argued that the lack of formal representation at government level risked the industry being overlooked in critical discussions around funding, skills development, data collection and future growth. The new seat will allow the industry to engage directly with policymakers and help shape decisions that affect thousands of creators, producers and businesses across the UK and globally.

Chloe Straw, outgoing CEO of AudioUK, said: “I am beyond delighted to be joining the Creative Industries Council, representing the podcast and audio industry in its first-ever dedicated seat. I’d like to offer my congratulations and thanks to Hannah Brankin and Katie Banham, who ran a brilliant campaign on behalf of AudioUK and the wider podcast and audio industry this summer – their work supercharged the case for representation. This is something we’ve been advocating for over many years, and it’s fantastic to see it come to fruition. I’m excited to help shape the future of this fantastic, fast-growing industry, working collaboratively with colleagues from across the creative industries to unlock sustainable growth, maximise economic impact, and ensure the UK remains a global creative leader.”

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Tags: AudioUK, Creative Industries Council, podcast