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More creative jobs in North East than ever before, says report

There are more people working in the creative industry in the North East than ever before, a report has claimed.

Figures from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport show one in 20 people in the region, 58,000 people, are working in creative sectors such as design, art, music and IT.

The report also claims the creative economy, which covers businesses reliant on the creativity, talent and skill of individuals, accounts for more than five per cent of all jobs in the North East.

But the region still has the lowest number of people working in the sector compared to other areas of the country.

The figures for Yorkshire and the Humber show that 157,000 people, or six per cent of those in employment, work in the creative economy.

Caroline Norbury, chief executive of Creative England, said: “The UK is a true powerhouse of creativity and these figures are a testament to that.

“We know that there is an enormous pool of talented individuals and businesses that are based outside of the M25, so it is extremely encouraging to see a significant increase in employment in the regions and a fairer spread of opportunities for people in the creative industries.”

The report says more than a third of those in the North East jobs fall within the IT, software and computer services sector, while 5,000 people in the region work in music and performing arts.

The North East also has more than the average number of employees working in museums, galleries and libraries, compared to the rest of the UK.

Culture Secretary Sajid Javid said: “The UK’s creative industries are a huge success story and powerful force in driving economic growth.

“These figures demonstrate the sector is punching well above its weight and Government is committed to ensuring the right conditions are in place to allow the sector to continue to flourish.”

Employment within the North East’s creative sector is said to be growing more than five times faster than the national average, and generates £70bn a year for the UK economy.

The sector is also a big draw for new graduates, with more than one in ten young people drawn to a creative job.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Martin Walker .