Heritage and Creative Clusters

Research published in 2023 by the Creative PEC with the RSA highlighted the opportunity for the North of England to develop a cross-regional strategy to support the growth of the Creative Industries. It found that if the sector share rose to around half levels in London and the South-East, this would be equivalent to an annual GVA boost of around ?10 billion by 2030.

Data commissioned by the DCMS from the ONS suggests that most creative sub-sectors are represented in specific clusters across the North of England. These include: o Advertising and Marketing: Harrogate, Leeds, Manchester; o Architecture: Skipton, Harrogate, Hexham, Manchester, Huddersfield, Sheffield; o Crafts: Blyth and Ashington, Kendal, Huddersfield; o Design: Skipton, Harrogate, Penrith, Halifax; o Film/TV: Manchester; o IT/software: Leeds Museums/galleries: York, Kendal, Malton, Durham, Newcastle, Crewe; o Music/performing arts: Hexham, Buxton, Scarborough.

The Creative PEC/RSA work elected to focus on three components of the conditions for growth in the Creative industries - skills, access to finance and investment in innovation. A fourth component, however, is affordable space. Examples such as Folkestone's Creative Quarter, Resort Studios in Margate, the Birmingham Canal Offices, The Hat Works in Luton and Mackies' Corner in Sunderland show how historic buildings can provide the inspiring and affordable spaces for creative start-ups and mature businesses alike.

In the same way as it did for using redundant textile mills for housing, Historic England can play a complementary part in the growth of the Creative Industries in the North by highlighting the opportunities offered by unused and underused historic buildings in areas where the wider conditions for clustering are being brought about by the Northern Creative Corridor initiative.