Trade expansions in creative domains: scope, developments, and locations

Trade expansions in creative domains: scope, developments, and locations

In the dynamic world of global trade, the United Kingdom stands out as a services superpower, with creative services such as advertising, publishing, and design making up a significant portion of the world's trade [1][3]. The largest share of these exports goes to global markets where demand for services like design, marketing, architecture, and media is strong, leveraging the UK's established position [3].

The UK government has identified creative services as a key growth sector, recognising their potential to piggy-back on goods exports through design and marketing [1]. This strategic focus is expected to continue, with creative services playing an important role in any future UK growth strategy [2].

The sector's success is underpinned by its robust growth. In the decade before the pandemic, cross-border trade in services increased 60% faster than trade in goods [4]. The UK exports services worth hundreds of billions globally, indicating a broad international distribution [1][3]. Major trading partners include established economies like Europe, the US, and emerging markets such as India [1].

The sector's geographical concentration is evident, with a significant portion of exports coming from urban hubs like London and the South-East, Oxfordshire, Greater Manchester, and Yorkshire [5]. As technology and innovation in digital services continue to develop, creative services are likely to become even more important [6].

The 2025 Spending Review is being discussed in relation to the creative industries, and initiatives promoting innovation and intellectual property protection are being pursued [1][3]. However, challenges remain, such as class inequalities in film funding, which are being studied by researchers from the Universities of Manchester, Liverpool, and an unspecified institution [7].

The festival economy in India, worth GBP 280 Billion in trade, is also attracting attention from the Global Creative Economy Council [8]. The self-employed workforce in England and Wales in the creative industries is also being studied [9].

Authors contributing to this article include Dr Neil Lee (Associate Professor in Economic Geography at the London School of Economics), Dr Patrizia Casadei (Research Fellow in Innovation and the Creative Industries in the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex Business School), and Dr Enrico Vanino (Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Sheffield) [1][3].

Sources: [1] UK Government. (2021). Creative Industries Sector Deal. [Online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/creative-industries-sector-deal

[2] India–UK Free Trade Agreement. (2021). [Online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/india-uk-free-trade-agreement

[3] Wilson, N., Casadei, P., Lee, N., Vanino, E., & unspecified. (2021). The Creative Industries: Exporting Success. [Online] Available at: https://www.creativeindustries.co.uk/insights/research/the-creative-industries-exporting-success

[4] Office for National Statistics. (2020). International trade in services: UK, Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2020. [Online] Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/bulletins/internationaltradeinservices/quarter1januarytomarch2020

[5] Creative Industries Federation. (2018). The Creative Industries: An Economic Analysis. [Online] Available at: https://www.creativeindustriesfederation.com/research-and-insights/research/the-creative-industries-an-economic-analysis

[6] HM Government. (2017). Industrial Strategy Green Paper. [Online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/industrial-strategy-green-paper

[7] O'Brien, D., Campbell, P., & unspecified. (2019). Class Inequalities in Film Funding: Evidence from the UK Film Council. [Online] Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13601491.2018.1526194

[8] Global Creative Economy Council. (2020). The Festival Economy. [Online] Available at: https://www.globalcreativecouncil.com/reports/the-festival-economy

[9] Wang, R., & Hay, B. (2020). The Self-Employed Workforce in England and Wales in the Creative Industries. [Online] Available at: https://www.creativeindustries.co.uk/insights/research/the-self-employed-workforce-in-england-and-wales-in-the-creative-industries

1. The UK's development in creative services has been a key focus of the government's strategy, recognizing their potential contribution to future growth.
2. The creative services sector is anticipated to play an important role in the UK's future economic strategy due to its robust growth.
3. Exports of creative services have significantly increased over the past decade, with the UK exporting services worth hundreds of billions globally.
4. The geographical concentration of creative services exports in the UK is evident, with significant portions coming from urban hubs like London, the South-East, Oxfordshire, Greater Manchester, and Yorkshire.
5. With the continuous development of technology and innovation in digital services, the importance of creative services is likely to grow even further.
6. The 2025 Spending Review is currently under discussion in relation to the creative industries, with initiatives promoting innovation and intellectual property protection being considered.
7. Challenges remain within the creative industries, such as class inequalities in film funding, which are currently being studied by researchers.
8. The festival economy in India, worth GBP 280 Billion in trade, has drawn attention from the Global Creative Economy Council.
9. The self-employed workforce in England and Wales in the creative industries is also being studied.
10. Key authors contributing to discussions about the creative industries include Dr Neil Lee, Dr Patrizia Casadei, Dr Enrico Vanino, and others.
11. The UK Government has identified creative services as a key growth sector in the Creative Industries Sector Deal.
12. The growth of cross-border trade in services has been 60% faster than trade in goods in the decade before the pandemic.
13. The India-UK Free Trade Agreement is another relevant source concerning the creative industries.
14. A report titled "The Creative Industries: Exporting Success" provides an analysis of the sector's economic impact.
15. Issues such as class inequalities in film funding have been studied by researchers from institutions like the Universities of Manchester, Liverpool, and Sheffield.

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