The UK government has launched a comprehensive Creative Industries Sector Plan, underpinned by a £380 million investment that aims to position the nation as a global creative powerhouse. As part of the plan, a £75 million Screen Growth Package is allocated to strengthen the film and TV ecosystem, including funding to expand the UK Global Screen Fund to £18 million annually from 2026 through 2029. This package also includes £10 million to expand the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, unlocking an additional £11 million from private partners such as Disney, the Dana and Albert R. Broccoli Foundation, and Sky, and aims to train 2,000 new apprentices over the next decade. Recognising the need to diversify participation, the plan significantly scales up BFI Film Academy outreach for 16- to 25-year-olds from underrepresented backgrounds.
Investment extends into createch, with £25 million earmarked for CoSTAR labs and showcase spaces to support AR and motion capture innovation, and a £150 million Creative Places Growth Fund allocated to regional authorities to boost screen clusters across the UK. As Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy stated, “From Barbie and Killing Eve to Adolescence and Saltburn, the UK already has a stellar track record… but I want us to go further and to cement the UK as the best place on earth to make film and television.”
The Arts and Humanities Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation, is tasked with deploying £75 million toward expanding Creative Industries Clusters and CoSTAR labs to accelerate innovation across art, technology, and AI. AHRC Executive Chair Professor Christopher Smith emphasised the strategic importance of supporting the intersection of science and creative industries to “democratize access to technology and foster multidisciplinary growth.”
Industry bodies have welcomed the package. Sir Peter Bazalgette described it as a “coming of age” for the creative sector, highlighting its transformative ambitions. The British Film Commission noted that sustained funding secures its ability to champion UK-based inward investment, reinforced by enhanced tax reliefs and infrastructure. BFI CEO Ben Roberts commented that expanded support for the Global Screen Fund and Film Academy will “open doors for young people from under-represented backgrounds,” while CoSTAR labs and creative clusters will attract fresh investment.
As part of the government’s wider Industrial Strategy, the plan aims to double business investment in the creative industries to £31 billion by 2035 and nearly double annual investment into R&D and skills. With the creative sector already contributing over £124 billion annually and supporting 2.4 million jobs across the UK, the new funding framework seeks to drive economic growth, stimulate innovation, and nurture a more inclusive workforce.
This sector-focused strategy positions the UK to capitalize on emerging opportunities across screen, music, games, and fashion, leveraging public-private partnerships to reinforce talent pipelines, regional clusters, and technological ingenuity. It signals a decisive move to treat creative content and createch as national economic priorities — essentials in the modern industrial landscape.