A new 500 million UK government package over three years aims to boost research, development and innovation in the creative industries, with funding distributed through UKRI and DCMS initiatives.

Regions across the UK are invited to bid for a second wave of Creative Clusters funding totaling 27 million, to support local clusters of creative businesses, universities and talent, fostering partnerships and job creation.

Funding components include 369 million to UKRI for the creative industries, 25 million for Createch Futures, 155 million for the DiSCCO programme to digitise natural science collections, and investments in the Creative Content Exchange and related R&D missions.

The initiative is framed within the broader Industrial Strategy and Creative Industries Sector Plan, seeking to sustain the UK’s leadership in global creative industries through coordinated investment, partnerships, and regional policy support.

A nationwide bid process opens for an additional 27 million to develop new regional clusters of creative businesses, encouraging collaboration with universities and development of content across film, TV, video games, fashion and music.

Industry leaders and academics, including Creative Industries Minister, regional leaders and UKRI AHRC figures, emphasize that targeted, strategic investment will drive regional growth, talent development and international competitiveness in the UK’s creative sectors.

Key voices underscore the strategic importance of sustained public and private investment in the creative economy and the new R&D Strategy for the Creative and Cultural Economy.

UKRI’s Creative and Cultural Economy R&D Strategy aims to maximize impact by leveraging clusters, scaling businesses and talent, and strengthening policy and evidence to keep the UK at the forefront of global creative innovation.

Liverpool City Region is highlighted as a leading success story in regional funding for creative industries, following nearly 7 million received in 2024 as part of music innovation and technology clusters.

Two linked streams support Liverpool: nearly 7 million for music and technology clusters in 2024 and 25 million from the Creative Places Growth Fund to bolster high-growth potential areas like games, film, music technology, and creative services.

The plan includes the next wave of Creative Clusters totaling 27 million, the Liverpool Creative Places Growth Fund of 25 million, and ongoing collaboration among the Creative Industries Council, Taskforce, and Policy and Evidence Centre.