Introduction
The Creative Industries Work Sector was established in 2013 in order to share expertise and learning across the eight BIC administrations, and to make decisions on common policies and approaches relating to the Creative Industries. The Creative Industries work sector reflects increasing global recognition of the economic and social potential of the creative industries. This relates to the commercial and cultural reach of key sub-sectors, such as film, television and other digital media, and the wider impact of the creative industries in other business sectors through innovative approaches to policy involving industry, government and education.
The sector can also play a key role in developing the blend of creative and innovative skills and approaches required to address societal challenges in areas such as education, health, and social inclusion. The work sector is therefore focusing on nurturing and further supporting environments from which more creative people, creative ideas and creative businesses emerge and flourish. The results of a data sharing and measurement initiative agreed at the 2015 BIC Creative Industries Ministerial meeting indicate that this is an area which contributes approximately £98.6bn / €110bn per year to the economies of the eight BIC administrations.
Lead Administration
The Creative Industries Work Sector is led by the Government of Jersey.
Current Focus
The work sector’s current work programme focuses on the following areas:-
- policy initiatives within education systems to encourage the acquisition of skills relevant to the creative industries;
- initiatives to encourage equality, diversity and inclusion within the creative industries; and
- initiatives to encourage equality, diversity and inclusion among audiences engaging with the creative industries (in practice, largely the cultural industries segment).
The group have ensured that the focus of site visits and external presentations links directly with this work plan. The group have continued to discuss forging tangible links with other BIC work sectors, including the Indigenous, Minority and Lesser Used (IML) Languages work sector.
The Creative Industries work sector was due to undertake a visit to the Wakefield Production Park in March 2020, that was to be hosted by the UK Government. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this visit and meeting was cancelled, but replaced by the group having a meeting via a virtual platform. It is hoped to re-schedule the visit to the Wakefield Production Park at a future date. As a result of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the work sector undertook a further virtual meeting in June 2020. At this meeting the group agreed to meet via a virtual platform every two months, and invite expert speakers from the creative industries sector to address thematic priorities identified in the work plan . The group have now planned virtual meetings to take place in August 2020, October 2020 and December 2020.
Further Information
Please see below some of the venues and initiatives that the Creative Industries work sector have visited as part of their work programme across the eight Member Administrations of the British Irish Council.
The group had a tour of the Gloworks building while on a sector visit to Cardiff Bay. Many of the tenants of the Gloworks building are directly involved in the creative industries sector.
The group had a tour of the Gloworks building while on a sector visit to Cardiff Bay. Many of the tenants of the Gloworks building are directly involved in the creative industries sector.
