- Date published:
- May 2026
- Organisation:
- Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre; Work Advance
- Authors:
- Heather Carey and Lesley Giles (Work Advance), and Bernard Hay (Newcastle University)
- Sectors:
- Creative
The Creative Industries Skills Audits are a new sector-wide study published today by Creative PEC and Work Advance, assessing the current and future skills needs across creative industries sub-sectors. The Skills Audits reveal that creative economy employers are ambitious for growth, with nearly 50% looking to expand their workforce, but are hampered by an outdated skills system.
The Creative Industries Skills Audits were a key commitment in the UK Government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan, and represent a major new evidence base for the UK’s creative industries. Funded by the DCMS and the Creative Industries Council (CIC) and supported by eleven nationwide sector bodies representing creative sub-sectors, the Skills Audits have clear implications for policy, investment and workforce development.