Virus set to cause 2,000 job cuts in Yorkshire's creative industry sector

Newly commissioned research from Oxford Economics reveals that the UK’s creative industries are on the brink of devastation.

Prior to Covid-19, the UK’s creative sector was previously growing at five times the rate of the wider economy, employing over two million people and contributing £111.7bn to the economy – more than the automotive, aerospace, life sciences and oil and gas industries combined.

The research predicts that Yorkshire will lose 2 per cent of its creative jobs and see a £100m drop in creative industries GVA.

It adds that, owing to a greater use of the furloughing scheme, the region is likely to be amongst the hardest hit once the Job Retention Scheme is withdrawn.

The Creative Industries Federation wrote an open letter to government in April calling for urgent funding for the sector, which was signed by over 500 leading figures from the creative industries and beyond.

In May, the Creative Industries Federation joined forces with UKHospitality and the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions to call for an extension of the Job Retention Scheme and Self

Employed Income Support Scheme, as well as the introduction of targeted grant support for those sectors who will be last to return to work.

Caroline Norbury MBE, CEO, Creative Industries Federation, said: “With the economic impact of Covid-19 hitting hard, the role of our creative industries has never been more critical.

“As well as being a huge driver of economic growth in every part of the UK, our creative and cultural sectors bring communities together, they employ millions and are at the heart of our soft power.

“These are the industries of the future: highly innovative, resistant to automation and integral to our cultural identity. We’re about to need them more than ever.”