Agenda Item 7 & 11: Development of Creative Industries Prospectus
Agenda Item 7 & 11: Development of Creative Industries Prospectus
1) Background
Prior to the launch of Creative Network South in2012 the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire PUSHprepared a creative industries development framework. (
The objectives of the framework were:
- To highlight the contributions made by the creative industries to the Hampshire economy.
- To guide the future development of the sector.
- To secure commitment to the formation of a business led partnership to implement the aspirations set out in the framework
In parallel with the preparation of the framework, PUSH commissioned the University of Birmingham to prepare a data report on state the creative industries across each of LEPs in the former South East Region. The report identified trends in employment, business formation and the generation of GVA in each LEP. (
The data report revealed that in 2008 there were over 4 000 creative businesses in the Solent area employing nearly 18 000 people. Roughly 50% of these jobs were in digital related sectors. Furthermore the creative sector in the Solent area was growing faster than in almost all south east LEP . Employment grew by 17% between 2003 and 2008, (digital employment grew by more than 30%. The contributions of the creative economy to the Enterprise M3 LEP was significantly higher, again the digital sector made the largest contribution to the overall sector statistics.
2) The need to prepare a new prospectus for the development of the creative sector in Hampshire.
It is now timely to consider the need to prepare a new prospectus for the development of the sector:
- The evidence base on which the old framework was based is out of date.
- The referendum decision to leave the EU is likely to have a significant impact on the support infrastructure for creative businesses much of which has historically been provided with support from higher education institutions and has frequently benefited from direct or indirect EU funding support.
- The Government has indicated a desire to devolve further responsibilities for economic development and skills development to combined authorities. Local Authorities in the Solent and EM3 areas are currently considering how to respond to this challenge, but it is possible that combined authorities with elected mayors may come into existence by summer 2018.
A potential model for the development of the sector might be the approach adopted by Future South ( to guide the development of the low carbon economy. Future South is led by Hampshire Chamber of commerce, and is managed by a project board drawn business universities local government and the community sector. Future South published its 2016 prospectus earlier in the year (
PUSH has allocated £5 000 to support the development of the evidence base to underpin the prospectus . CNS are currently discussing with university partners ways of matching this sum as the likely cost of a like for like refresh of the data report would be £10 000.
3) Discussion
-The initial PUSH framework used the above bubble diagram to reflect types of support considered helpful to providing a fertile environment to support the growth of the creative economy . Do these remain valid has anything been left out. (E.G Infrastructure Connectivity and Broadband)
-What topics would it be useful to cover in focus group discussions during the research phase of the project and who should be consulted.
4) Recommendations
- CNS Members should agree
-That a proposal for the development of prospectus should be prepared for the October meeting . With a view to the final report being agreed March 2017
-That CNS should commission a refresh of the creative industries evidence base subject to funding being secured.
-That members of the research network be invited act as a sounding board for the development of the prospectus.
-That a steering group be appointed to manage the project.