More young people from working class and ethnic minority backgrounds in the Liverpool City Region are to be encouraged to explore a career in the creative industries as part of a government campaign launching today.
A new report suggests a lack of information, understanding and support is preventing young people from working in creative sectors including film and TV, music, visual arts, advertising and video games.
Government-commissioned research reveals that although nearly one in three (31%) of young people aged 11-18 years old express an interest in pursuing jobs in the creative industries, nearly half (49%) do not know what skills or qualifications are needed to work in the sector.
The research showed that the attitudes of young people outside of London were significantly less positive than those who live in London, with almost 1 in 4 (23%) believing there are no jobs in creative industries where they live.
Liverpool City Region was one of six priority regions with growing creative sectors identified in the Government’s Industrial Strategy. It is home to over 50 active gaming companies, one of the most booming modern sectors in the creative industries, including industry titans like Sony. The region is also the UK’s most filmed location outside of London, with the trailblazing LCR Production Fund and planned Littlewoods Film and TV studios development.
It comes as the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is launching the ‘Discover! Creative Careers’ campaign to increase awareness, consideration and uptake of creative careers among young people aged 13-17 years old across the region, as well as their parents and carers. The programme gives young people direct access to employers and businesses in their local area, through experiences of the workplace and employer-led careers activities.
Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, said:
“A fulfilling career in the creative industries is more accessible than parents and young people realise – it is no longer the sole preserve of those in the South East.
“Liverpool’s creative industries are a cultural and economic powerhouse and we recently announced £25 million to help grow them even further.
“But in order to keep their magic alive, we are going to nurture a new generation of talent in Liverpool by demystifying creative jobs and breaking down the barriers blocking people from diverse backgrounds from pursuing them.”
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, said:
“Our region has always punched well above its weight when it comes to creativity from music and film to gaming and design, the talent here is shaping culture around the world. But talent is everywhere, while opportunity too often isn’t.
“That’s why initiatives like this are so important – helping young people from all backgrounds to see that there’s a place for them in the creative industries, right here on their doorstep.
“With the right support and investment, I want every young person in our region to know that a good job in the creative sector isn’t a dream – it’s a real, achievable future.”
The campaign has been co-created and co-delivered with trade body CreativeUK and skills provider ScreenSkills. It is supported by organisations including Channel 4, Ubisoft, Netflix, National Youth Theatre, Co-op Live, UKMusic, WPP and UCAS.
Campaign ambassadors include former Coronation Street and Holby City star Angela Griffin, broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake, BBC Radio 6 Music DJ Deb Grant and TV producer Cameron Roach.
It will feature social, online video and digital ads that will be seen on Youtube, Reddit, Meta, Snapchat, UCAS and games such as Minecraft, as well as across advertising spaces and screens across the region, including Liverpool John Lennon Airport and the city’s train stations.
The campaign also features a content series made with grassroots organisation the Black Creative Trailblazers. The group will help to reach underrepresented communities in the creative industries by facilitating discussions within their network and increasing access to resources – showing young people how they can professionalise their passions.
The Discover! Creative Careers Programme is part of the Government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan which was announced in June alongside a £380 million investment package to drive innovation, regional growth and private investment.
Actor Angela Griffin said:
“I’m supporting Discover! Creative Careers as I want to spread the word that getting involved in the creative world is for everybody, no matter where they are from. There are affordable accessible routes that don’t involve having to go to university. I want to encourage young people and let them know that they do belong, they can do it and help them realise their dreams.”
Ronke Jane Adelakun & Adeola Adelakun, Black Creative Trailblazers, said:
“It’s incredibly exciting to be part of a campaign that empowers young people, especially those from underrepresented and often overlooked backgrounds, to see that there’s a place for them in the creative industries.
“When we were growing up, the acceptable career paths were limited to becoming a doctor, lawyer or engineer. Being able to challenge that perception and inspire a new wave of creatives is something I’m truly proud of.”
Mary Rose, ScreenSkills’ Programme Lead for Discover Creative Careers said:
“It is abundantly clear from this research and from our steering group partners that our industry-led programme is needed now more than ever. We have been thrilled to work collaboratively with our funders at DCMS and our steering group to continue to design a programme that supports the awareness and interest of young people and gives them a clearer path to follow into our vibrant creative industries. Earlier this year we set out ambitious plans to expand the Discover! Creative Careers programme; including a whole month of industry encounters, supported work experience and sector-based work academy programmes. We aim to reach over 100,000 students by March 2026.
“Our success has shown that strengthening connections between education and industry is essential to ensuring every young person has the chance to develop the skills our creative sectors need. This strength along with focused regional engagement, has seen Discover! Creative Careers build partnerships that support and expose young people to opportunities on their doorstep.”
Sarah Gregory, Head of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, Creative UK said:
“Creative UK is proud to partner with employers from across the breadth of the Creative and Cultural Industries to deliver this year’s expanded Discover Creative Careers Month and to engage young people from some of the UK’s least advantaged communities with the possibilities of a creative career.
“We are delighted to have this year’s activities elevated by a new DCMS funded communications campaign which has been supported by Creative UK and task & finish group members including the Advertising Association, WPP, Ubisoft, ScreenSkills, Ukie, Channel 4, PRS Foundation, IPA, BPI, and UK Music, along with JC Decaux, Outsmart and Discover Month partners to amplify positive messages about careers in our sector.”
Anne Mensah, VP of Content, UK, Netflix said:
“As others have said before me, ‘Creativity is everywhere, opportunity is not’. That’s why we’re delighted to support the Government’s Discover! Creative Careers campaign to help open doors for young people who might not yet see themselves in this industry. Together with the National Youth Theatre, this is something we continue to address with our IGNITE Your Creativity programme. The initiative, renewed for a third year and bolstered to include an additional element for aspiring writers, underlines our shared mission to nurture new voices and broaden access to creative opportunities across the UK. We want to show that a creative career isn’t a distant dream, it’s an achievable and rewarding path for anyone with imagination, curiosity and drive.”