Published: 2026-01-23 00:52
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has announced the launch of a new Creative Industries Strategy. This initiative signals a commitment to fostering growth, innovation, and research within the UK’s diverse creative sector.
While specific details regarding the strategy’s full scope and individual programmes are anticipated, the announcement underscores UKRI’s intent to support an industry recognised for its significant economic and cultural contributions.
Key Takeaways
- UKRI has launched a new Creative Industries Strategy to support the sector.
- The strategy aims to foster innovation, research, and economic growth within creative industries.
- It is expected to encourage collaboration across academia, industry, and government.
- Further details regarding specific funding calls and initiatives are anticipated from UKRI.
Understanding UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
UK Research and Innovation is a non-departmental public body of the UK government that directs research and innovation funding. Established in 2018, it brings together the seven Research Councils, Innovate UK, and Research England.
Its mandate is to ensure the UK maintains its position as a global leader in research and innovation, investing over £8 billion annually in a wide array of disciplines, from medical sciences and engineering to arts and humanities.
UKRI’s role extends beyond direct funding; it also aims to create a research and innovation ecosystem that supports collaboration, drives economic growth, and addresses societal challenges. Its strategies often involve long-term commitments to specific sectors or cross-cutting themes, aiming to build capacity, foster talent, and accelerate the translation of research into tangible benefits.
Defining the Creative Industries
The term ‘creative industries’ encompasses a broad and dynamic range of economic activities that are rooted in individual creativity, skill, and talent. These industries have the potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property. In the UK context, they typically include sectors such as:
- Advertising and marketing
- Architecture
- Crafts
- Design (product, graphic, fashion)
- Film, TV, video, radio, and photography
- IT, software, and computer services (including video games)
- Museums, galleries, and libraries
- Music, performing, and visual arts
- Publishing
These sectors are characterised by their reliance on human creativity and innovation, often leveraging advanced technologies to produce cultural, artistic, and commercial outputs. They contribute significantly to the UK’s global soft power and cultural influence.
Rationale for Investment in Creative Industries
Investment in creative industries by a body like UKRI is typically driven by several key rationales, reflecting both economic imperatives and broader societal benefits. These reasons often underpin national strategies aimed at strengthening the sector.
Economic Contribution and Job Creation
The creative industries are a substantial and growing part of the UK economy. They contribute billions of pounds in Gross Value Added (GVA) and support a significant number of jobs across the country.
Investment in research and innovation within these sectors can enhance productivity, stimulate new business models, and create high-value employment opportunities, contributing to national prosperity and regional development.
Fostering Innovation and Technology Adoption
Many creative industries are at the forefront of technological innovation. For instance, advancements in artificial intelligence, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and immersive technologies are increasingly being adopted and driven by sectors like gaming, film production, and digital design.
UKRI’s involvement can help accelerate the research and development of these technologies, facilitating their application across various creative domains and potentially other sectors, including healthcare.
For healthcare professionals, understanding the trajectory of such technological advancements in creative fields can be relevant. Innovations in visualisation, simulation, and user experience design, often pioneered in creative contexts, can find direct applications in medical training, patient education, therapeutic interventions, and the design of healthcare environments or digital health tools.
Cultural and Societal Impact
Beyond economic metrics, creative industries play a vital role in shaping national identity, fostering cultural exchange, and enhancing societal well-being. They provide platforms for storytelling, artistic expression, and critical discourse, enriching public life.
Research investment can support the development of new cultural forms, improve access to arts and heritage, and explore the social impact of creative interventions, such as arts-based therapies or community engagement programmes.
Potential Aims of a Creative Industries Strategy
While specific details of UKRI’s new strategy are yet to be fully disclosed, a comprehensive creative industries strategy typically aims to achieve several overarching objectives. These objectives often reflect a desire to strengthen the sector’s foundations and enhance its future potential.
Supporting Research and Development
A core aim would likely be to stimulate cutting-edge research and development (R&D) across the creative industries. This could involve funding projects that explore new technologies, develop innovative content formats, or investigate audience engagement. Such R&D can drive breakthroughs that keep the UK competitive on a global stage.
Talent Development and Skills Enhancement
Investing in the creative workforce is crucial. A strategy may focus on developing skills pipelines, supporting education and training programmes, and fostering diverse talent pools.
This could include initiatives to address skills gaps, promote lifelong learning, and ensure that the UK’s creative industries have access to a skilled and adaptable workforce capable of navigating evolving technological and market landscapes.
Promoting Collaboration and Interdisciplinary Approaches
Creative industries often thrive on collaboration. A strategy could aim to strengthen links between academic researchers, creative businesses, cultural organisations, and policymakers.
Encouraging interdisciplinary projects, for example, between creative technologists and healthcare innovators, could unlock new solutions and foster cross-sectoral innovation. This collaborative ethos is a hallmark of many UKRI-supported programmes.
Such interdisciplinary efforts might explore how creative methodologies can inform health communication, how immersive experiences can aid rehabilitation, or how design thinking can improve patient pathways. For healthcare professionals, these collaborations represent potential avenues for novel research and practical application.
Driving Commercialisation and Global Reach
Translating creative ideas and research into commercially successful products and services is often a key objective. A strategy might include mechanisms to support intellectual property protection, market access, and export opportunities for UK creative businesses.
This helps ensure that the economic benefits of innovation are realised and that UK creative content reaches international audiences.
Implications for the Broader Research Landscape
The launch of a dedicated Creative Industries Strategy by UKRI has implications for the wider UK research and innovation landscape. It signals a recognition of the sector’s importance not just in isolation, but also as a catalyst for innovation across other fields.
This strategic focus could lead to increased funding opportunities for interdisciplinary research that bridges creative arts with science, technology, engineering, and medicine. For healthcare professionals engaged in research, this might open new avenues for collaboration, particularly in areas like digital health, patient engagement, medical education, and the use of immersive technologies for therapeutic purposes.
Furthermore, by fostering a more robust and innovative creative sector, the strategy could indirectly benefit the broader economy and society, creating a more dynamic environment for all forms of research and innovation to flourish.
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Source: UKRI
