Measuring the impact of creative and cultural skills

How do you measure the impact of a sector that covers as many professions as the creative and cultural industries? From theatre lighting designers to guitar technicians, from account managers to art handlers, there’s an enormous range of jobs that have a positive role to play in the future of the country.

Britain’s creative and cultural industries are a unique feature in the UK economy and a force to be reckoned with. Creative & Cultural Skills, the Sector Skills Council for Craft, Cultural Heritage, Design, Literature, Music, Performing and Visual Arts, carried out the first comprehensive study of these industries back in 2006, updating the data in 2008. The statistics revealed a vibrant sector of over half a million workers and over 74,000 businesses contributing nearly £24bn in Gross Value Added to the national economy.

The government’s own research shows that in the period 1998-2008 creative industry businesses as a whole (i.e. including other sub-sectors such as radio and TV), grew from 116,200 to 157,400. According to research by NESTA on the sector, the GVA figure finds creative industries making more of an impression by generating £57bn in Gross Value Added in 2007.

It is predicted that even in the current climate a 9% annual growth rate could be achieved by 2013 provided that Government continues its support. ‘Culture Capital’ – a Manifesto for the Future supported by 17 cultural bodies, including Arts Council England and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) claims that a 9% growth rate would “boost GVA to £85bn and create 185,000 new jobs”.

Creativity and culture then is clearly a national asset which is particularly important at this present time when it can aid the UK’s economic recovery. As former chief executive at Creative & Cultural Skills Tom Bewick commented recently:

“Despite the global recession, the sector continues to attract audiences and businesses are surviving, and even thriving. The sector is set to continue growing at a rapid rate, and the Olympics will help fuel that growth.”

Culture Capital also points to the way the sector can have an influence by providing employment through schemes such as the Future Jobs Fund.

The DCMS recently announced more than 3,000 new culture and sports jobs as part of the Future Jobs Fund. The Fund aims to create 170,000 new jobs for 18-24 year olds.

The National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural Skills (NSA) has also been working to support the creation of jobs for long-term unemployed young people and others who face significant disadvantage in the labour market. The NSA is a network of twenty FE Founder Colleges working with industry to ensure training courses meet real employment needs. It also includes over 200 industry members, representing theatre and live music across the country.

The NSA’s approach to the Future Jobs Fund is just one way in which FE and the creative and cultural industries are working together to grow the UK’s creative economy. However it has also been noted that skills shortages and poor investment in training could prevent growth. The issue as it relates to UK’s performing arts sector is highlighted in a report called the Performing Arts Blueprint, which was launched at the first National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural Skills Conference in February 2010.

According to the Performing Arts Blueprint, the sector is facing both skills shortages and skills gaps, and these skills problems are already showing repercussions for business. Skills shortages are leading 50% of businesses to increase the workload of existing members of staff. Skills gaps mean that 36% of organisations are turning away business.
If the impact on the sector is as significant as the research suggests, skills gaps could have worrying effects for a range of job roles. Here again though, better relationships between the creative and cultural industries and FE colleges – especially colleges with training hub business services – could help ensure that the creative and cultural industries fulfil their economic potential.

As Arts Council England’s website states ‘the arts broaden horizons, stimulate fresh ideas, provide pleasure and raise aspirations – they inspire and sustain the spirit. More people are enjoying the arts than ever before’.

While none of us can argue with that, the value of the creative and cultural sector is often measured in terms of economic and employment impact. The sector clearly carries a punch, although this is not always recognised.

The FE sector and the creative sector can work together to ensure that the creative and cultural industries thrive in the UK. With the National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural Skills, we have the infrastructure in place to meet this opportunity.

Robert West is Education & Curriculum Manager for the National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural Skills, a freelance writer, cultural commentator, and an FE tutor