Celebrating Creativity no. 245 - the Creative Trade Forum

This week, we’re celebrating a new partnership created to help more UK ideas, talent and creative businesses succeed internationally.

The Creative Trade Forum brings government together with leaders from across the UK’s creative industries - including film, television, music, advertising, gaming, design, architecture and emerging technology.

Its members represent organisations including the BBC, YouTube, WPP, the British Film Institute, the British Phonographic Industry, Ukie and the British Council.

Together, they will work to identify barriers to international growth, attract investment and help UK creative businesses build stronger commercial partnerships around the world.

The Forum launches at an important moment for the sector. The creative industries contributed more than £145 billion to the UK economy in 2024, but many smaller businesses still face significant challenges when attempting to scale internationally.

The challenge, as the Forum’s Co-Chair Michael Frohlich put it, is not the UK’s creativity—it is helping more creative businesses scale.

Alongside the Forum, the government has announced a further £10 million for Innovate UK’s Next Wave programme. This will support creative-technology businesses developing ideas such as new gaming platforms and AI tools for film production.

Creativity is sometimes discussed as though it exists separately from commercial growth. In reality, the UK’s creative industries turn original ideas into businesses, intellectual property, skilled employment and international influence.

The creation of the Creative Trade Forum recognises that potential—and the importance of giving UK creative businesses the support, connections and investment they need to compete globally.

Find out more about the Creative Trade Forum

➡️ Every Friday, we use the Handle blog and socials to celebrate the organisations, initiatives and people supporting the creative industries. If you would like to nominate something we should feature, please get in touch!