[ Watch a video of this speech online at Vimeo ]
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Good morning…welcome…thanks everyone for coming.
If anyone is wondering about intellectual property rights – we did check with Chris Smith before stealing the title of his book for this strategy.
I was working for Chris in 1999 when he was writing his Creative Britain book, and when we were doing the early mapping stages for where we are now. I vividly remember at the time trying to convince the rest of Whitehall, and others, that this is a special industry in its own right. Now, thankfully, everybody wants to talk about the creative economy – quite rightly.
What Chris was saying has been carried forward by Tessa Jowell then James Purnell before coming full circle back with me.
On the way, I’m very conscious of how much of this strategy owes to all of you – what you are contributing is invaluable. This is your strategy as much as it is ours. And I’m grateful to Will Hutton and the Work Foundation, who laid the foundations in Staying Ahead.
Their report spelled out very clearly how important the creative industries are to the future of Britain.
It’s fair to say the world has changed since those early mapping reports.
For a start, only one in ten households had internet access in 1999, and it was virtually all dial-up. More than six out of ten are on-line, nearly all on broadband.
No one was downloading music then – some of you will think that’s a good thing! Now 90 per cent of music that’s paid for is downloaded.
About 12 billion texts were sent worldwide. Now it’s nearer 60 billion.
No one normal had even heard of social networking. Now everyone’s doing it.
There are challenges, but however you look at it, the creative economy is the future for our economy.
But we’re not the only country thinking this way.
So this is the time to be changing, building on our strengths – and they are major strengths. This is a phenomenally creative country. And we have a head start with the demand for quality English language content.
We also have the firmest foundations of any country in the world, with the support this Government has invested in arts and culture and public service broadcasting – and will continue to invest. That is the bedrock on which this strategy is based.
What do I mean by this being a time for change? I mean it’s time to move the creative industries from the margins of our economy into the mainstream. To put them at the centre of our economic thinking and policymaking.
That’s what this launch is all about – about making Britain the world’s creative hub. An objective that starts with the Prime Minister and runs across the whole of Government, from what John Hutton is doing at BERR, particularly with the review of broadband. And John Denham’s new emphasis on intellectual property rights at DIUS. I also would like here to acknowledge the fantastic work that Margaret Hodge has been doing way ahead of my arrival at DCMS. I’m very grateful to Margaret.
Our vision as a Government is that the jobs of the future are going to be creative jobs, and it’s where our competitive advantage lies – which is why we’re promoting the creative industries to the premier league of the economy.
There’s plenty that we expected of you in business.
But we have set ourselves in Government some major challenges. This is a major signal of our intent.
We’re committing at least £70.5m of financial support over 26 major commitments and a host of other initiatives:
- The rehearsal spaces in deprived areas recommended by the Live Music Forum and Fergal Sharkey.
- The permanent home for London Fashion Week.
- Digitising the UK Film Council’s archive.
- Promoting tax credits for R&D, particularly for the computer games sector.
But for me it comes down to two absolutely central pillars:
First, giving creative businesses the structured, the formal support associated with more traditional sectors of the economy. Adding value where we can, but leaving you alone where we can’t. A grown up relationship between government and industry.
The second pillar is giving young people more opportunities. More opportunity to discover and develop their creative talents at school, and clearer, more structured pathways into creative careers.
I absolutely believe that there is huge creative potential in this country waiting to be tapped by our creative industries. I believe that every young person has creative talents – but not everyone has the chance to discover them. And we all know that only a fraction of the people who do discover their talents get the chance to earn a living from them.
Take any typical teenager in my constituency in the North West – a career in the fashion, music or television seems a lot further away than just the 200 miles to London. Too often, it’s still who you know to get a foot in the door, or being prepared to work for free.
This strategy says we’re going to change that.
We have to change that if we’re going to stay ahead of the rest of the world.
That’s what this strategy is about and it starts by unlocking creative talent in school and finishes with a major new international event to showcase British creative talent in the global marketplace – with support at every step of the way.
I won’t go through every step, but I do want to mention what I think are iconic changes that signal our intent.
First, Find Your Talent. Our commitment that every school child gets the opportunity to see, hear and take part in creative activities of the very highest standard.
Second, our challenge to business to come up with 5,000 new apprenticeships every year. We are already getting a fantastic response. I don’t just see this as a practical step to get young people into jobs. It’s symbolic. It says it’s right to give a fairer chance for young people from all backgrounds and all parts of the country. I’m absolutely delighted with the response we’ve had so far and I urge many more to take this up.
I also want to highlight the message we are sending on intellectual property rights. As you’ll see in the document, this is a major shift in tone that says we understand the market, how it’s innovating and changing and the freedom it gives consumers. But we also recognise that the people who create need to get economic value for their creativity.
People want to access music and other downloadable content cheaply, easily and legally – and it’s up to providers to respond to the market and solve the problems. But if they don’t we will, with legislation by April next year on illegal file sharing.
So it’s an enormous pleasure to be launching this strategy….which, in the best creative traditions, has been extensively trailed and publicised.
It is meant to be a dynamic process. It will change. It will need you to keep it moving on.
But there is a destination…which is to have a creative engine beating right in the heart of all our biggest cities, acting as a driver for regional economic growth. London is important, but this much more than a strategy for London. It’s a strategy for more creative job opportunities in every region of the country. Clear routes into those jobs from local schools and colleges. Every young person believing they have a real choice to use their talents in a creative career.
Thank you.
