Overview of the creative arts sector in the UK

Combining technological innovation with the traditional creative industries, the sector has a lot to offer those with the talent and drive to succeed

What areas of the creative arts sector can I work in?

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)  reported that in 2011 music and visual and performing arts were the largest employers in the creative industries.

Employment opportunities are grouped into:

• advertising;
• craft;
• cultural heritage;
• design;
• fashion;
• film entertainment;
• literature;
• music;
• performing arts;
• photography;
• TV and radio;
• visual arts.

The creative arts sector is often paired with the digital sector as digital technology provides the creative industries with the platforms and infrastructure to deliver the content.

In addition to this is the fashion industry which is worth around £11.5billion to the UK economy. It employs around 340,000 people and comprises three broad components - design, manufacture and servicing.

For examples of job roles in this sector, see graduate jobs in creative arts and design.

Who are the main graduate employers?

The creative arts sector is made up of a lot of small companies. According to the Creative and Cultural Industries 2012/13 reports, 85% of companies employ fewer than four people, 14% employ 5 to 50 people and only 1% employs more than 50 people.

The sector also has some large well-established organisations. Examples include:

• Advertising - Leo Burnett, Saatchi and Saatchi, Ogilvy Group
• Crafts - Crafts Council
• Cultural heritage - National Museum of Wales
• Film - Ealing studios, Working Title
• General arts - Arts Council
• Music - Opera North, EMI Group Ltd
• Television and radio - BBC, Granada, Global Radio

What's it like working in the sector?

Graduates entering the creative arts and culture sector can expect:

• a higher than average likelihood of working on a self-employed or part-time basis;
• to have an unsteady income and often be working in advance of being paid for their outputs;
• to earn less but achieve other objectives in their work;
• working hours to vary enormously, from regular, nine to five hours typical of cultural heritage occupations to unsocial hours undertaken by musicians and performers.

What are the key issues in the creative arts sector?

The sector can be highly competitive both to secure employment and to develop within a role. Some occupations such as those within media and publishing are highly sought-after. While others such as performing arts are at risk of periods of unemployment and may be subject to rapid change.

The distribution of employment in this sector is uneven. Performing arts employment is focussed within large cities, notably London. The film, music and broadcasting industries are similarly based in large cities, particularly London, Manchester and Birmingham.

However, self-employment and working in small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) provides opportunities for creative art and culture to be carried out anywhere. For example, there have been recent initiatives to stimulate social enterprises and cooperative enterprises in rural parts of the UK such as Wales and Cornwall.

Issues affecting the fashion industry include a poor image, loss of skills and competing with overseas companies who are doing the same things but cheaper. In addition to this there are skills shortages in a number of roles including:

• dyers and screen printers;
• fabric technologist;
• pattern cutters and graders;
• supervisors and production staff;
• supply chain managers.