UK creative industries’ commercial success

The creative industries have become one of the UK’s great strengths in overseas trade over the last few decades, helping to cement the UK’s reputation as a centre for creative businesses.

The annual two-week London Design Festival is a major event for the UK design industry (c) London Design Festival

Growing sector of the economy

Creative businesses are one of the fastest-growing sectors of the UK economy, growing at an average of six per cent each year between 1997 and 2002, compared with an average of three per cent for the UK economy as a whole.

The sector also accounts for a substantial and growing proportion of the UK workforce, employing around 1.8 million people according to figures for 2004.

Design, music and film

The UK is particularly strong in the design, music and film industries, which have a large impact on the impression that overseas buyers and consumers have of the country.

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is using the success of these creative businesses to support its new strategy, which places a great emphasis on marketing the UK more effectively overseas.

Exporting the UK’s design industry

UKTI and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have produced an export strategy for the UK design industry, which covers disciplines ranging from crafts and packaging to graphics and branding.

The strategy is aimed at supporting two elements of the design industry – consultants in fields such as branding, multimedia and commercial interiors; and furniture, lighting and textiles manufacturers.

London Design Festival

The annual two-week London Design Festival is a major event for the industry. UKTI supported a record number of national groups at this year’s festival, with particular emphasis placed on the Chinese market.

Cutting edge of the music industry

Ever since the glory days of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in the 1960s, the UK has been at the cutting-edge of the music industry.

The UK is a major player in the world music business

UKTI and its partners have developed a strategy that focuses on the four countries that give the British music industry the best chance of building on this tradition: the USA, Japan, China and India.

Promoting UK music

Major trade events are a key part of the international music business. Midem – held every January in Cannes – is one of the most important and the UK is always well represented.

UKTI teams up with the music trade associations and other partners such as MTV at the SXSW event, which is held every March. Events like this provide a platform for UK artists and give them the best possible chance of international success.

Taking British music overseas

A number of music trade missions also target overseas markets. For example, the Association of Independent Music recently took three of the top five UK independent record labels to China.

The British Phonographic Industry is scheduled to take a mission to Los Angeles in December, with the aim of getting more British music used in TV and film production in the United States.

World leader in TV and film

The UK is already a major exporter in the television market, with figures for 2005 showing sales worth £632 million, an increase of 21 per cent on 2004.

Recent changes in the Communications Act allow independent television producers to retain copyright for their programmes. This, along with the Passport to Export programme designed to help novice exporters, will ensure that UK programmes continue to be seen around the world.

Film, performing arts, architecture and computer games
UKTI’s support for the creative industries also extends to film, performing arts, architecture and computer games.

With the help of this support, the reputation of the UK’s creative companies looks set to grow in both developed and emerging international markets.

英国的创意产业

在过去几十年里，创意产业已经成为英国外贸的支柱性产业之一，从而奠定了英国创意商业中心的地位。

推动经济的强势产业

创意商业是推动英国经济快速发展的产业之一，在1997年至2002年期间，创意商业年均交易额的增长率为6%，而英国经济的年均增长率为3%。

创意商业的发展为英国日益壮大的从业大军实实在在地解决了就业难的问题。根据2004年的统计数字，当年的就业人数约有180万。

设计、音乐和电影

在设计、音乐和影视产业方面，英国可谓是成绩斐然，给海外顾客和本国买家留下了深刻的印象。

英国贸易及投资总署(UKTI)目前正在借创意商业良好的发展势头，积极发展新策略，把将英国更加积极有效地推向国际市场作为工作的重点。

出口英国的设计产业

英国贸易及投资总署会同英国文化媒体及体育部已经制定了一个关于英国设计产业的出口策略，所涵盖的内容包括工艺、包装、制图及品牌。

这一策略主要照顾到设计产业界两个群体的利益：一类是品牌、多媒体及关于商业内部体系运作的顾问；另一类就是家具、照明和纺织品类的制造商。

伦敦设计节

一年一度为期两周的伦敦设计节是英国设计业的重大盛会。今年的设计节上，英国贸易及投资总署推出了很多国内的设计家，并对中国市场给与了很高的关注。

音乐产业占据领先地位

自经历了上世纪六十年代披头士和滚石乐队的辉煌以后，英国音乐产业一直占据着世界领先地位。

英国贸易及投资总署与其合作伙伴制定了一个方案，专门关注为奠定英国音乐界地位提供机会的以下四国：美国、日本、中国和印度。

推动英国音乐产业的发展

举办重要的贸易活动是国际音乐交易会上的一项重要内容。于每年一月份在戛纳举行的Midem是最重要的交易活动之一，而英国音乐总是受到广泛的青睐。

英国贸易及投资总署和音乐贸易协会及其它如在西南西音乐节（SXSW）（每年3月份举行）上录制MTV的搭档，联合举办各类活动，为英国的艺术家提供了一个展现自我的平台，也为他们走向国际舞台提供了机会。

使英国音乐走向世界

目前，许多英国音乐交易代表团将目光瞄准了海外市场。如英国独立音乐协会最近将带英国五大独立唱片公司中的三个前往中国进行宣传活动。

英国唱片产业协会计划将于今年12月份赴美国洛杉矶宣传，以期更多的英国音乐出现在美国影视作品中。

影视界的老大

英国已经成为电视机市场的主要输出国。2005年的统计数字显示，当年的销售额为6.32亿英镑，与2004年相比，增长了21%。

近期修订的《通讯法令》规定允许独立的电视制片人对自己的节目保留产权。这样，一方面该法令和《出口通行证》保护了新的出口商，一方面保证了英国栏目将继续传播到世界各地。

电影、表演艺术、建筑和计算机游戏

英国贸易及投资总署对英国创意产业的支持还体现在电影、表演艺术、建筑和计算机游戏方面。

英国创意性企业的名誉及影响力将有望在此支持下在成熟和崛起的国际市场上进一步扩大。

滴答网在此感谢英国驻广州总领事馆提供稿件