Creative Industries

The Creative Industries are a priority growth area in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy 2025, driving business investment and national innovation. Scotland, with its vibrant creative scene and highly skilled workforce, plays a central role in this regional and global landscape.

Our Cluster advances innovative and interdisciplinary research that bridges theory and practice across regional creative media industries. We critically examine regional development in creative media industries economies, organisations, and labour at local, national, and transnational levels, while also shaping global practices and policy.

We believe that public investment and strategic growth are essential to fostering local creative production, developing skills and education, and strengthening cultural economies as drivers of regional development.

Despite lower barriers to entry in the digital era, creative workers often face insecure, gig-based, and geographically dispersed employment, with limited protections, benefits, or representation. Ensuring fair pay, decent work, and sustainable labour conditions is vital to the sector’s future.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are also central to our vision. Inclusive creative practices not only ensure fair representation but also expand participation, enrich cultural narratives, and strengthen creative industries across all areas of media and cultural production.