Creating Prosperity: the role of higher education in ... - Universities UK

Creating Prosperity: the role of higher educationin driving the UK’s creative economy4The importance of the creative industries2.8 The importance of the creative industries to the UK economy is now widely accepted (see, for example,Work Foundation, 2007). According to the latest data published by DCMS (2010), in 2008, 1,165,500people were employed in 157,400 businesses in the creative industries in Great Britain, with a further805,700 employed in creative occupations in businesses outside the creative industries. By way ofwider comparison, this far exceeds employment in life sciences and even financial services, anddemonstrates the wider role of creative skills across the economy.2.9 Creative employment has shown consistent growth, increasing 26 per cent between 1997 and 2008.This compares with total employment growth of 19 per cent between 1998 and 2008 (Figure 2.1).Figure 2.1: Change in creative employment 1997–20082,500,0002,000,0001,500,0002,000,000500,0000199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008Source: DCMS Creative Industries Economic Estimates (February 2010)2.10 In 2007, the creative industries contributed almost £60 billion in gross value added (GVA) to the UKeconomy, with software, computer games and electronic publishing accounting for 62 per cent ofthe total. The creative industries are also strong exporters, accounting for £16.6 billion in exportsof services in 2007, a 74 per cent increase on 2000 figures (DCMS, 2010).2.11 In addition to the direct economic contribution of the creative industries, creativity has a pervasiveupgrading influence across the economy. This is evident, for example, in the contribution of designto innovation and growth, and the growing application of the outputs of creative industries in diversemarkets from mobile phones and healthcare to military and police training settings. The UK alsohas world-leading cultural institutions which, in addition to providing the essential cultural energyon which the creative economy depends, are essential to sustaining national creativity and makingour towns and cities vibrant places to live, work and invest. For example, the contribution of the UK’scultural assets to its attractiveness as a tourism destination should not be underestimated.2.12 The creative industries are important as trailblazing sectors for the wider knowledge economy. Theyare inherently knowledge-based businesses trading in intangibles – creativity, talent, intellectualproperty – and were ‘knowledge industries’ well before the term came into common usage.2.13 Those working in the creative sectors are well educated, employing a higher proportion of graduatesthan the economy as a whole.2.0 The context