Creative Industries Council

What Creative Industries Council does

The Creative Industries Council (CIC) is a UK government-industry strategic forum established in 2011 that convenes senior figures from more than ten creative sub-sectors — advertising, film & TV, games, publishing, architecture, design, music, theatre, crafts, fashion, and arts & culture — with ministers to coordinate policy, exports, skills, and innovation across the UK's creative economy. The body is led by government co-chairs Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Business Secretary Peter Kyle and industry co-chairs Baroness Shriti Vadera and Sir Peter Bazalgette, with Tim Davie joining as co-chair from August 2026. Operationally, the CIC is administered with support from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), which runs the website from 44 Belgrave Square, London, and is served by 11–50 staff.

The CIC's core offerings centre on the Creative Industries Trade & Investment Board (CITIB) for export promotion and inward investment, the CreaTech initiative at the intersection of creativity and emerging technologies, the Place-Based Creative Skills programme, a Business Helpdesk provided in partnership with accounting firm Moore Kingston Smith, and a Download Hub, Facts & Figures data resource, and Video Hub for sector intelligence. Distribution is via trade missions to markets including China, USA, Korea, France, and Germany, plus flagship events at Cannes Lions, SXSW, and the World Design Congress 2025 in London. Partnership network spans trade bodies (IPA, BFI, PACT, Ukie, UKAEG, Design Council, Crafts Council, Arts Council England), government accelerators (Digital Catapult, London & Partners), and bilateral counterparties such as France's CNC.

The CIC is a non-commercial advisory entity with no pricing model and no disclosed revenue; all resources, events, publications, and membership access are free. Its funding is implicit through government departmental support, IPA operational backing, and pro-bono contributions from senior industry executives (WPP, BBC, Channel 4, Edinburgh International Festival). The market it serves — the UK creative industries — generated an estimated £59.4bn in creative services exports in 2023, supported 2.4m jobs, accounted for £8.4bn of business R&D (17% of UK total), and grew its economic contribution by 4.6% year-on-year (four times UK average). A £500m innovation-led funding package was confirmed in early 2025 to accelerate creative-sector growth.

Name

Creative Industries Council

Legal name

The Creative Industries Council

Website

https://thecreativeindustries.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Creative Industries Council (CIC) is a UK government-industry strategic forum, established in 2011, that coordinates policy, exports, skills, and innovation across the UK's creative economy, serving sub-sectors including advertising, film & TV, games, publishing, design, music, and theatre through initiatives like CITIB and CreaTech.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Industry Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

Keywords

• Creative industries policy
• Government industry forum
• Creative sector advocacy
• Trade and investment promotion
• Creative skills development

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Creative Industries Council (CIC) is a government-industry strategic forum established in 2011 to coordinate policy, advocacy, trade promotion, and skills development across the UK's creative sectors. It connects creative industry leaders with government ministers, operates the Creative Industries Trade & Investment Board (CITIB) to drive exports and inward investment, and runs initiatives such as CreaTech, Place-Based Creative Skills, and the Business Helpdesk. Its deliverables include research reports, industry data, case studies, events, and curated resources freely available to UK creative businesses.

Product overview

The Creative Industries Council is an industry advisory and advocacy body (not a product company) that provides strategic coordination between UK creative industries and government. Its primary offerings include the CreaTech initiative highlighting creativity-technology intersections, the Creative Industries Trade & Investment Board (CITIB) for export promotion, a Business Helpdesk resource hub (partnered with Moore Kingston Smith), Facts and Figures data resources, a Download Hub for reports and strategy documents, a Video Hub for industry content, Place-Based Creative Skills initiatives, and an Exporters Directory showcasing UK creative businesses internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CreaTech Initiative and annual conference programme showcasing the convergence of creative and technology expertise, including VR, AR, and AI applications, for UK CreaTech businesses, investors, and international delegations.
• Creative Industries Trade & Investment Board (CITIB) Government-industry board that facilitates collaboration between public and private sectors to increase UK creative trade and attract inward investment, chaired by Michael Frohlich (WPP) and Francesca Hegyi (Edinburgh International Festival).
• Business Helpdesk Curated collection of business resources including tax advice, bookkeeping tips, employment guidance, and post-Brexit regulation support for UK creative businesses, provided in partnership with Moore Kingston Smith.
• Place-Based Creative Skills Cross-sector programme bringing together industry, local and national government organisations to support creative skills development across UK regions.

Quantifiable outcome

• UK creative services exports valued at £59.4bn in 2023, contributing to £21.1bn trade surplus
• +3 more outcomes

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 16 December 2025IPA operates the CIC website and provides administrative support. IPA is the trade body for UK advertising and marketing agencies.
• Moore Kingston SmithcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDesignated commercial partner providing accounting and advisory services to creative businesses. Operates the Business Helpdesk offering guidance on tax, employment, bookkeeping, and post-Brexit regulations. Has dedicated office of over 100 media specialists supporting independent creative businesses.
• Design CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK's national strategic body for design. Runs the World Design Congress 2025 in London, first time since 1969, with theme 'Design for Planet'. Coordinates design ambassadors and innovation initiatives.
• British Film Institute (BFI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBFI works with CIC on screen industries policy. Signed Moving Image Co-operation Agreement with France's CNC in 2025 to support closer collaboration in film, TV and moving image sectors.
• Arts Council EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CIC on Health & Wellbeing Forum 2025 Report recommending greater use of creative health approaches.
• Digital CatapultcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK technology innovation centre. Supports CreaTech initiatives including 'Ones to Watch' reports and Augmentor Programme for immersive tech startups.
• London & PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon's official promotional agency. Supports CreaTech conferences and provides international delegations and corporate partnership opportunities.
• SpringwisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation research specialists who compile the annual 'Ones to Watch' report showcasing leading UK CreaTech businesses.
• Creative Industries Trade & Investment Board (CITIB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint government-industry board chaired by Michael Frohlich (WPP) and Francesca Hegyi (Edinburgh International Festival) to drive creative trade and investment.
• Crafts CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK national development agency for craft. Launched International Toolkit in 2022 to help crafts businesses export internationally.
• Pact (Production Association for Independent Producers)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrade body for independent UK producers. Operates Export Accelerator and UK Indies virtual market for international distribution.
• Ukie (UK Interactive Entertainment Association)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrade body for UK games industry. Delivers comprehensive international trade programme including trade missions to China, USA, Korea, and major games trade shows.
• UK Advertising Exports Group (UKAEG)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPromotes UK advertising internationally through events including Cannes Lions, SXSW, and Shanghai International Advertising Festival in partnership with government GREAT programme.
• World Design OrganizationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational body under whose auspices the World Design Congress 2025 is being held in London.
• China Britain Business CouncilminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProduces China Business Guide to help UK exporters trade in the Chinese market.
• France's CNC (Centre national du cinéma)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench national film body. Signed Moving Image Co-operation Agreement with BFI in 2025 covering AI, education, co-productions, and audience development.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• UKIE (UK Interactive Entertainment Association): Trade body for the UK games and interactive entertainment industry. Already a CIC partner; comparable as a sector-specific trade body delivering international trade missions (China, USA, Korea) and policy advocacy for the games sub-sector.
• Tech UK: UK technology industry trade association representing technology companies to government. Structurally and functionally the closest peer to the CIC, mirroring the industry-government coordination model but for the technology sector rather than creative industries.
• UK Sport: UK government arms-length body that invests in and coordinates elite sport. Directly comparable as a publicly-backed, government-aligned strategic forum operating across a single sector, with similar funding-distribution, talent-pipeline, and performance-measurement functions.
• Advertising Association: Lead trade body for the UK advertising industry. As a sector-specific industry council that interfaces with government on policy and research, it is directly comparable to one of the CIC's primary sub-sectors (advertising) and operates a similar stakeholder coordination model.
• Publishers Association: UK trade body representing book, journal, and digital publishers. Comparable as a sub-sector industry council with a strong export and policy mandate, mirroring one of the CIC's ten represented industries (publishing).
• BPI (British Phonographic Industry): UK music industry trade body representing recorded music companies. Directly comparable as a sector-specific trade association working on policy, exports, and data — analogous to the CIC's role for the music sub-sector.

Broad incumbents

• Arts Council England: Arms-length public body distributing National Lottery and government funds for arts and culture in England. Already a CIC partner; comparable as a government-funded industry-coordination body, though ACE is a grant-maker rather than a strategic forum.
• Confederation of British Industry (CBI): Premier UK business lobby representing broad-based employer interests to government. Comparable as a higher-level industry-government coordination body, though the CBI operates across the whole economy rather than the creative sector specifically.
• Make UK: UK manufacturers' trade association representing industrial firms to government. Comparable as a sector-based industry council with policy advocacy, skills, and trade functions, though focused on manufacturing rather than creative industries.

Emerging players

• Digital Catapult: UK technology innovation centre supporting advanced digital startups (including CreaTech/immersive tech via Augmentor). Already a CIC partner; comparable as a government-backed innovation catalyst, focused on early-stage commercialisation rather than sector-wide coordination.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CreativeIndsUK

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Creative Industries Council