The UK government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has said it will invest £60m in the creative industries in 2025, including £7m for the UK Global Screen Fund, and will bring forward reform of the apprenticeship levy to August.
The UK Global Screen Fund is administered by the BFI and backed by the DCMS. The initial £7m fund was launched in April 2021 under the previous Conservative government as a one-year pilot initiative to boost international development and distribution opportunities for the UK’s independent screen sector following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
In 2022, the DCMS committed to a three-year extension. Recent films backed by its three funds include multi-Bafta nominated Kneecap, upcoming release The Salt Path and Laura Carreira’s well-received directorial debut On Falling.
The government is also bringing forward changes so that shorter apprenticeships are available from August 2025, as one of the first steps towards a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy – something the UK screen industries has long been lobbying for.
The British Film Commission (BFC) will receive £1m for next year’s activities. The BFC received a three-year enhanced settlement from the government in 2020, which was extended to 2023/24, then a further £1m announced in the 2023 autumn statement, for 2024/25, however government funding for 2025 had yet to be finalised.
The investment was unveiled ahead of the Creative Industries Growth Summit held today (January 17) in Gateshead, attended by some 250 creative businesses and attended by screen industry representatives including Netflix and Warner Bros, as well as executives from organisations including Creative England, Spotify, the National Theatre and the British Museum.
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy said the priority regions for the creative industries going forward are the North East, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, West Midlands, Greater London, West of England, South Wales, Glasgow, Edinburgh-Dundee corridor, and Belfast.
The government is also launching a ‘soft power council’ to help drive investment. The council will act as an advisory board to the UK government and will bring together soft power and foreign policy experts.
The total £60m investment will be targeted at creative businesses including start-up video game studios and grassroots music venues, with a focus on boosting exports of UK music and film.
“This support from government means the UK can continue making globally successful film, television and screen content, contributing to our wider creative industries, the growth of the UK economy and creating jobs across the country,” said Ben Roberts, BFI chief executive. ”Supporting the UK Global Screen Fund has led to over 50 UK international co-productions and backed UK screen companies to thrive internationally.”
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