What The New UK Government’s £30M Games Funding Means For Scotland

This week’s announcement of a £30 million Games Growth Package by the UK Government marks a significant moment of recognition for the interactive sector. With the doubling of the UK Games Fund (UKGF) to £28.5 million and the introduction of grants up to £250,000, Westminster has finally acknowledged the importance (and potential) of the £8.8 billion consumer market. However, while this capital injection is a vital down payment for de-risking new intellectual property, it is not a complete strategy for the future of the Scottish supercluster.

For Scotland, this news has a deep resonance. The UK Games Fund was born in Dundee, emerging from the Dare to be Digital programme at Abertay University. It is a Scottish success story that has been exported to the rest of the UK. Yet, the physical location of the fund in Dundee does not offer an inherent advantage to Scottish studios. Without a formalised national strategy to interface with this capital, Scotland risks acting as a landlord for a UK asset rather than a primary beneficiary of its expansion.

The limitation of the DCMS package lies in its ‘industry’ focus. As Nick Poole, CEO of UKIE, noted: “Targeted support across the development pipeline will help studios start, scale and stay globally competitive.” This vision remains firmly trapped within the consumer games market, which remains hugely volatile and increasingly competitive. It focuses on the entertainment side of games, while ignoring the wider ecosystem of interactive technology. It won’t address the sectoral isolation that keeps games expertise separated from the rest of the Scottish economy.

Please don’t misunderstand. The money is hugely valuable – and very welcome. However, there are a number of challenges facing the games sector, which the funding alone cannot solve. The industry is currently facing an oversupply of graduates, a lack of entry-level positions, and ongoing global market volatility. Throwing capital at studios without providing the commercial scaffolding required to build sustainable businesses is a high-risk approach. This is why the National Games Action Plan is essential. While the UK Government funding provides the fuel, the Action Plan provides the road, and the guidebook for the journey.

Projects like the Hello World! Startup Summit have already proven that we can transform a vulnerable talent pool into a resilient wave of new founders. By providing dedicated, games-specific business support alongside funding, we ensure that studios do not just survive a grant period but scale into the kind of high-growth companies Scotland needs.

With the Scottish Parliament now in recess and the election period beginning, the next administration faces a clear challenge. The UK Government has set the pace with this Growth Package. Scotland must now build upon it. While this new funding could be used to match-fund successful Scottish UKGF applications, the most critical single action remains strategic alignment – recognition of games as a key sector for Scotland’s future, building understanding of the whole games ecosystem across government and appointing a Chief Games Officer (CGO).

A CGO would provide the accountability and leadership required to elevate games across every portfolio of the Scottish Government. This role would enable the country to engage more successfully with UK-level funding while ensuring that our £151,382 GVA-per-head productivity is leveraged across areas including healthcare, energy, fintech, data, tech and education.

The goal is to establish a £1 billion supercluster by 2030. The DCMS announcement is a very welcome boost, but it does not remove the fundamental structural issues facing the sector. To move beyond the silo and achieve true national impact, the incoming Scottish Government must implement the Games Action Plan. The capital is now on the table – it is time for the strategic delivery to begin and for games to become an integral part of Scotland’s digital future.

£30 Million New Funding For UK Games Fund & London Games Fest

The UK Government has allocated £30 million of new funding for the country’s games industry with a £28.5 million pot of funding for the UK Games Fund and £1.5 million of funding for the London Games Festival.

The new UK games funding represents a doubling in funding for the sector as the government puts the Creative Industries Sector Plan into action, delivered through two respected and hugely successful programmes.

Games For Growth

Through the Games Growth Package, the government will support newly-formed and expanding developers to turn concepts and prototypes for games into reality, enabling them to sell titles across the UK and around the world.

The package launched as games companies from around the world gather at the London Games Festival. The government also announced that £1.5 million of new funding has been awarded to the festival over the next three years, to help ensure the UK remains at the centre of the sector globally.

The funding will help strengthen investor partnerships, doubling the value to £30 million per year of private investment deals at the festival. 

Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray said:

Video games are not only great fun, they are big business – and for too long their value to the British economy has been overlooked.

That is why the government has thrown its full support behind the sector with £30 million of new funding. This will turbocharge the careers of some of our most talented game developers, creating more jobs and economic growth right across the country as their ideas come to fruition.

The UK’s games market is bigger than ever before, with £8.8 billion being spent by gamers per year.

The Games Growth Package was a key commitment in the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy’s Creative Industries Sector Plan, a £380 million growth blueprint to ensure the UK’s creative sectors remain at the forefront of the global marketplace.

Grants from the UK Games Fund will be split into three categories:

• An Entry Track, with grants of up to £20,000 available to newly formed companies with limited track records but strong potential for growth.
• An Emergent Track, with grants of up to £100,000 for prototyping new games.
• An Expansion Track, with grants of up to £250,000 – the largest ever provided by the Fund – available to take games forward to completion and enable studios to scale up.

This funding is in addition to significantly increased support for the sector from the British Business Bank, the UKRI research body and the UK’s games tax relief. Additionally, £20 million of funding has been provided by the government to Tay Cities Region to back local talent in advancing creative technologies, including games and immersive technologies, to drive new products and grow the economy.

Alongside the funding, the government has also commissioned the Chartered Trading Standard Institute to develop new guidance to help gamers better understand their consumer rights when purchasing their favourite games. The guidance clarifies business obligations and consumer rights under the law when selling and purchasing digital content, including video games. A CTSI-led consultation will launch in the coming months to inform this guidance. 

As part of the government’s wider plans to grow the gaming sector, it will engage with the newly-established UK Esports Advisory Panel, a Ukie-led forum between government and the esports sector.

Paul Durrant, UK Games Talent and Finance CIC Founder and Director, said:

We welcome this strong reinforcement of government support for the UK video games development sector. The three track funding approach will ensure that support is provided across the broadest level of the UK sector.

Nick Poole OBE, Chief Executive of Ukie, said:

We welcome the Government’s Games Growth Package as a strong vote of confidence in the UK games industry.

We have been pleased to work with the DCMS team to help shape this package of support, ensuring it reflects the needs of studios across the country. Targeted support across the development pipeline will help studios start, scale and stay globally competitive.

As we look ahead to a defining year for games made in the UK, we will continue working closely with government to support growth, drive innovation, and create high-quality jobs across the country.

Dr Richard Wilson OBE, TIGA CEO, said:

Access to finance is a persistent challenge for many game developers. TIGA has previously called for more prototype and content funding to enable studios to access the investment they need to make great games. Today’s announcement of an increase in grant funding for newly formed companies, prototype funding and expansion funding is great news for studios, the games industry and the wider UK economy.

Michael French MBE, Head of Games London & Festival Director, London Games Festival, said:

Over the last ten years, LGF and Games London has supported talent across the UK and helped establish London as one of the world’s largest hubs for games makers – but this commitment from national government into the London Games Festival has fast-tracked our deeper ambitions.

The efforts are already paying off: This week sees the largest showing yet for our festival, which will help to further promote London and the UK as a video games centre of excellence to global investors and decision makers. This can only keep growing over the next three years and we are excited to help raise the international profile of the UK’s games market, reach bigger audiences nationally and around the world, and facilitate investment into games businesses up and down the country.

Nick Button-Brown, Chair, UK Video Games Council: 

This is an amazing statement of intent by the government and a sign of their long-term support for gaming in the UK.

Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

UK Games Fund Report Proves Vital Role Of Early-Stage Funding, Underlines Case For Scottish Games Action Plan

Powerful, data-driven evidence of the success of the UK Games Fund (UKGF) has been published in the first UK Games Fund Report, demonstrating its significant positive impact on job creation, private investment, and the overall growth of the UK’s independent games sector.

The findings serve as crucial proof of concept for the importance of dedicated, early-stage funding and strongly underscore the case for strategic initiatives, such as the forthcoming Scottish Games Action Plan.

The comprehensive report, which analyses the fund’s performance over its most-recent three-year period, paints a clear picture of a highly effective intervention that generates a substantial return for the UK economy.

The Key Findings: A Major Return on Investment

The data from the evaluation is very clear. The UKGF has been a major catalyst for growth, de-risking the challenging early stages of development for new companies and intellectual property.

Key statistics from the report include:

• Economic Impact: The fund is projected to generate between £30 million and £58 million in productivity benefits Gross Value Added (GVA) for the UK economy. This represents a significant benefit-to-cost ratio of up to 7.3.
• Job Creation: The fund’s support is estimated to have directly contributed to the creation of around 430 new full-time jobs in the high-productivity video games sector.
• Leveraging Private Investment: The report found that UKGF-funded companies secured an additional £18.2 million in private funding, a figure that surpasses the total public investment (and is noted in the report as likely underestimated).
• Enabling Development: A massive 74% of surveyed studios stated their game prototype would not have been completed without the UKGF’s support. Furthermore, 85% said the funding increased the speed of their development, and 78% agreed it increased the quality of their prototype.
• Commercial Success: The report estimates that the fund’s support directly led to the commercialisation of an additional 115 games.

The full report is available on the DCMS website. It’s a large and comprehensive document, but if you’re interested in how games are supported in the UK, it’s absolutely worth your while. It’s also incredibly useful in terms of how Scotland can build upon the proven success of the UKGF.

Speaking of which…

A Model For Scotland: The Importance Of The Games Action Plan

This report is more than just a collection of positive statistics; it is evidence that is directly relevant to the future of the games industry in Scotland. As the Scottish Games Network continues to develop a national Games Action Plan, this evaluation provides a powerful, government-backed case study for why targeted, strategic funding is an incredibly effective way to stimulate growth at the grassroots level.

The UKGF’s success in de-risking innovation, creating high-value jobs, and generating a significant economic return demonstrates exactly the kind of targeted support that the Games Action Plan will advocate for within Scotland. It proves that relatively modest public investment in early-stage development can unlock enormous private sector funding and lead to the creation of valuable new intellectual property.

For Scotland to build upon its incredible heritage and achieve its ambition of becoming a genuine games ‘supercluster’, it must have its own mechanisms to support the next generation of studios. This report provides the hard data and the clear economic argument needed to make that case to the Scottish Government and its enterprise agencies. It shows that supporting our most creative and ambitious new companies is not a cost, but a high-return investment in our economic future.

The Scottish Games Network will be using the findings of the UK Games Fund Report as a key piece of evidence in our ongoing work on the Games Action Plan, demonstrating a proven model for success that Scotland can and should build upon.

(And more on that in the next week. Promise…)

B

#business #funding #games #report #uk #ukGamesFund #UKGF

UK Government Unveils Major New Support for Games: A Launchpad for Scotland’s Supercluster Ambition

This week has been a landmark moment for the UK’s video games industry. The UK Government has published its new Modern Industrial Strategy, which includes a significant and dedicated package of support designed to fuel growth, innovation, and talent across the UK’s Creative Industries – which includes a great deal of good news for the UK’s games sector.

For Scotland, this is more than just welcome news; it is a catalyst. This new modern industrial strategy provides a golden opportunity for us to build upon – and realise our ambition to become the UK’s leading games supercluster.

Beyond the games-specific package, the strategy has a major focus on driving growth outside of London. It commits £200 million for investment in regional ‘Creative Clusters’ and makes clear that the UK government will work in direct partnership with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to boost these hubs. This is a clear and direct invitation for collaboration, placing Scotland’s established and emerging creative hubs in a prime position to attract new investment and support.

What’s New for the UK Games Sector?

At the heart of the announcement is a new £30 million Games Growth Package. This funding is targeted at three key areas that will have a direct impact on developers and studios across the country:

• Expanded UK Games Fund: A significant boost for the UK’s flagship early-stage funding body. This means more financial support will be available for independent studios and start-ups to create prototypes, develop new intellectual property, and de-risk the initial stages of game development.
• A New UK Games Skills Network: An industry-led body will be established to tackle persistent skills gaps. Its focus will be on creating clearer career pathways and ensuring the UK’s talent pipeline is world-class, directly benefiting our students, universities, and colleges.
• A UK Video Games Council: A formal council will be created to provide the industry with a powerful, unified voice and a direct line to government, ensuring the sector’s needs are understood and addressed at the highest level of policy-making.

Modern Industrial Strategy: The Opportunity for Scotland

This package of national support within the Modern Industrial Strategy is a powerful foundation. Our immediate oppotunity is to build upon it and use the unique position Scotland has to position us as the leading games cluster (what the hell, let’s say ‘supercluster’) in the UK.

Scotland, is uniquely positioned to leverage these new initiatives thanks to our devolved powers, our world-class educational institutions, and our highly collaborative industry ecosystem.

The Scottish Games Action Plan, which we are working so hard to create, provides the perfect starting point. It will now be updated to align with these new national structures, ensuring we can strategically target this funding and place Scotland at the forefront of this new era of growth. This is our chance to cement our position as the most attractive place in the UK to create, invest in, and study video games.

Our Plan is Coming

This is a pivotal moment, and we must act decisively (and collectively, this cannot be me alone).

I am already working on a detailed strategy to turn this opportunity into a reality for Scotland. This plan will outline how we update the action plan, engage with these new bodies and leverage these funds to ensure Scotland is not merely a participant, but a leader across all of these new opportunities.

Stay tuned – I will announce the full details of these new plans in the next few days.

#creativeIndustries #funding #games #ModernIndustiralStrategy #skills #uk #ukGamesFund #UKGamesIndustry

UK Games Fund Opens Expressions Of Interest For £30,000 Prototype Fund

Game development studios across Scotland and the UK have a significant opportunity to secure vital funding, as the UK Games Fund officially opens expressions of interest for its eighteenth round of the Prototype Fund. This highly sought-after grant offers up to £30,000 to help companies develop new intellectual property and grow their teams.

The Prototype Fund is specifically designed for UK-based studios that are beyond the initial concept stage and have some early work to show, such as a proof-of-concept demo or visual pre-production assets. It aims to support the development of new game prototypes, enabling studios to build out their projects and recruit talent.

Key Details of the Fund:

• Funding Amount: Successful applicants can receive a maximum grant of £30,000. This funding is intended to cover the employment costs of UK-based staff and contractors working on the project.
• Company Eligibility: The fund is open to established, UK-based companies with an existing PAYE registration and fewer than 50 employees. The fund is looking to support businesses that are developing into financially sustainable enterprises, where the grant will represent no more than 50% of the total project costs upon release.
• Project Stage: This is for early-stage projects. Companies should be prepared to start funded work in October 2025 and complete it by March 31, 2026.

The Prototype Fund Application Process:

The journey to securing funding is a multi-stage process:

• Expression of Interest (EOI): The first step is to complete the EOI, which is currently open.
• Full Application: Eligible companies will be invited to submit a full application in late June / early July. This includes a written form and a two-minute pitch video (not a game trailer).
• Interviews: A shortlist of applicants will be invited to interview in early September 2025.

The UK Games Fund’s goal is to support the long-term sustainability and growth of UK studios, with a vision that extends beyond the individual funded project. This is a fantastic opportunity for Scottish developers to get the financial support needed to turn a promising prototype into a more substantial project and take their studio to the next level.

For full details on eligibility and to begin the Prototype Fund application process, visit the UK Games Fund website.

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Welsh Game Developers Secure £850,000 in New Government Scale-Up Funding – Insights for Scotland

Six independent game development studios in Wales have been awarded a significant £850,000 through the new Games Scale Up Fund for Wales. This initiative, a collaboration between Creative Wales and the UK Games Fund, aims to help these companies transition their game projects from pilot stages to more substantial and self-sustaining commercial models – a pioneering example of regional government support for the games industry.

The studios set to benefit from this investment are: Cloth Cat, COPA Gaming, Goldborough Studios, Rocket Science, Sugar Creative, and Wales Interactive. The funding is designed to allow these developers to significantly grow the scope, reach, and impact of their current projects, fostering growth within the Welsh games ecosystem.

This move has been met with enthusiasm in Wales. Osian Williams, director of COPA Gaming, described the support as a “true game changer,” stating, “It gives our team the confidence and resources to move forward, grow sustainably and to proudly create uniquely Welsh games for a global audience.”

The Senedd’s Minister for Culture, Jack Sargeant, also commented on the strategic importance of The Games Scale Up Fund For Wales:

Wales has an incredibly talented and ambitious video games industry that’s making its mark on the global stage. This investment is about giving our homegrown studios the financial backing to level up their operations and reach new audiences worldwide.”

After meeting Welsh developers at GDC in San Francisco, he added:

The feedback they received from international publishers confirms what we already know – Wales is becoming a significant player in the global gaming landscape.

For the Scottish games industry, this development in Wales offers valuable points of comparison and timely food for thought. It aligns closely with ongoing strategic efforts within Scotland, including the development of the dedicated Games Action Plan by the Scottish Games Network, where securing specific, targeted funding for the sector is a key recommendation.

Furthermore, with the forthcoming review of Creative Scotland set to examine how the organisation engages with funding across different creative sectors, initiatives like The Games Scale Up Fund for Wales present a relevant example of tailored sectoral support.

The focus of this Welsh fund on helping studios achieve self-sustainability and global reach through targeted financial backing is a model that will no doubt be observed with interest by industry stakeholders across the UK, as Scotland continues to explore and enhance its own support mechanisms for its rapidly-evolving games ecosystem.

#CreativeWales #funding #games #government #ukGamesFund

Applications Open For Tranzfuser 2025

The Tranzfuser 2025 programme has opened applications, marking its tenth year of supporting graduate game developers.

Tranzfuser offers entrepreneurial graduate game developers the chance to develop their skills and work towards building a sustainable indie development career.

The programme, which runs through the summer, provides UK-based teams with the opportunity to build their game and company with support, community, and resources.

Developers can engage with over 30 Local Hubs and are invited to apply with their game ideas and ambition to establish a sustainable business.

In the previous year, 19 teams from across the UK participated, with several securing further support. Four teams received grant funding from the UK Games Fund’s Prototype Fund, and another four progressed to the DunDev hothousing residential opportunity.

Deborah Farley, Head of Foundership and Development, said:

Since launching in 2016, we have seen hundreds of Tranzfuser teams come through our doors and we’re proud to have supported each and every single individual who has taken part. 2025 represents huge opportunity for the selected Tranzfuser teams; with cash support, a dedicated set of learning resources and mentoring expertise, the teams have the summer to make the most of the unique experience Tranzfuser can offer.

Applicants are encouraged to join the dedicated Discord server for further information.

More details about Tranzfuser can be found here.

The deadline for Tranzfuser 2025 applications is Monday 28th April, 12:00 noon.

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Scottish Developers Urged to Apply for Prototype Grants Following £5.5 Million Boost for UK Games Fund

Scottish game developers: last call. The UK Games Fund is still accepting Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for Prototype Fund grants of up to £30,000, with submissions closing soon.

This is a crucial opportunity for established studios to secure funding for early-stage game development and take their projects to the next level. Thanks to a substantial funding increase, a record-breaking £5.5 million is now available for 2025/26, and the potential for Scottish game development has never been greater.

This significant investment in the UK Games Fund underscores the government’s recognition of the games industry’s vital role in the UK economy. The £5.5 million award forms part of a larger £60 million package of support for the creative industries, announced by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy. This broader initiative recognises the importance of nurturing creative talent and fostering growth across various sectors, including film, music, and, crucially, video games.

The UK Games Fund has consistently proven its value in supporting independent game developers. Its Prototype Fund grants provide seed funding, enabling studios to transform promising game concepts into tangible prototypes. This initial stage of development is often the most challenging, and securing finance at this point can be the key to unlocking future success. It allows developers to refine gameplay mechanics, create compelling art assets, and build a solid foundation for further investment and development.

This year’s record £5.5 million allocation to the UK Games Fund means that more Scottish game development projects than ever before have the potential to receive support. This increased funding capacity translates directly into more opportunities for studios to access the resources they need to thrive. It’s a clear signal of confidence in the UK games industry and a commitment to fostering its continued growth.

Are You Eligible?

Before submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI), it’s vital to ensure you meet the eligibility criteria. Only established companies that operate Pay As Your Pay As You Earn (PAYE) – and have a current PAYE registration that predates the EOI – are eligible for the Prototype Fund.

This requirement ensures that funding is directed towards established businesses with the infrastructure and experience to manage grant funding effectively. If your company does not meet these PAYE requirements, the UK Games Fund suggests you do not submit an EOI.

How to Apply:

The application process is straightforward. First, register on the UK Games Fund’s grant platform. Once registered, submit your EOI, outlining your game project and demonstrating its potential. If your EOI is successful, you will be invited to submit a full application for the grant of up to £30,000.

Why Apply Now?

With the deadline fast approaching and a significantly increased funding pool, now is the perfect time for developers to apply. This is an opportunity to secure the resources to bring your concept to life and contribute to the vibrant and growing Scottish games ecosystem.

Visit the UK Games Fund website to get the latest news and updates.

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£60 Million Government Boost for UK’s Creative Industries Sector Plan

New Funding Includes £5.5M for the UK Games Fund & £7M For UK Global Screen Fund – Glasgow & Edinburgh-Dundee Corridor Identified As Key UK Regions

Creative businesses and projects across the UK will receive government funding to help them grow as part of a major boost to the economy – marking the first step of the Government’s UK Creative Industries Sector Plan.

As part of its modern Industrial Strategy, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced how the Government plans to work with the sector to increase growth and investment, starting with a £60 million package of government support – including £5.5 million for the UK Games Fund, £7 million for the UK Global Screen Fund, as well as grassroots music venues and creative businesses to boost British music and film exports, to facilitate investment and innovation in communities, in turn supporting businesses and employment.

The funding is the first step towards delivering the Government’s Creative Industry Sector Plan, as part of the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy. It will set out the enormous growth potential of the sector and where the biggest opportunities are at home and in new markets abroad.It will identify what key barriers are currently holding back the sector’s growth potential, and government and industry’s shared commitment to overcoming them, laying the groundwork for the publication of the full Creative Industries Sector Plan due to be published in spring 2025.

At the UK Creative Industries Sector Plan launch event, the Culture Secretary announced that the priority regions for Creative Industries 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.

Alongside this, the Government will provide additional funding, to six Mayoral Combined Authorities (North East, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, West Midlands, West of England) . This will maximise the strength of these areas to deliver growth and builds upon progress to provide an attractive business environment and encourage strong, continued investment in the creative industries for years to come.

In the near future, the Culture Secretary will also announce the Government is bringing forward changes so that shorter apprenticeships will be available from August 2025, recognising the particular needs of the creative industries, as one of its first steps towards a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy.

The government is working with industry, including through a Creative Industries Taskforce chaired by Baroness Shriti Vadera and Sir Peter Bazalgette, on the sector plan and there will be more detail and policy announcements made in the months ahead.

The £60 million package of support for the UK Creative Industries Sector Plan is comprised of:

• £40 million in funding over the next financial year. This includes a further £16.3 million for the Create Growth Programme, £2.5 million for the Supporting Grassroots Music Fund, £5.5 million for the UK Games Fund, £1.6 million for the Music Export Growth Scheme and £7 million for the UK Global Screen Fund.
• Four cultural projects receiving £16.2 million from the Cultural Development Fund. These are: 

127 creative businesses in 12 regions across England awarded a share of £3.6 million through the Create Growth Programme (CGP), delivered by Innovate UK. Grants will help firms like Borro, a children’s clothing rental platform in the West Midlands, and Tapocketa, an animation studio in Hertfordshire, to develop innovative new products, attract private investment and access one-to-one mentoring with industry experts.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

From film and fashion to music and advertising, our creative industries are truly world-class and play a critical role in helping us deliver on this Government’s mission to drive economic growth in all parts of the UK.

Our £60 million funding boost will support creative and cultural organisations across the UK to turbocharge growth by transforming local venues, creating jobs, supporting businesses and spreading opportunity across the country.

But this is by no means the limit of our ambitions, which is why the creative industries are at the heart of the forthcoming Industrial Strategy and will continue to play a key part in this Government’s Plan for Change.

The Government plans to create an attractive business environment to encourage strong, continued investment in the creative industries in the years ahead. The Government will design the sector plan with business, who have set out the barriers to growth, including skills and access to finance.

As a result the Government is also making a significant signal of intent ahead of the Spending Review by announcing positive changes to the way the British Business Bank, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and skills policy will prioritise the Creative Industries.

The British Business Bank, which supports £17.4 billion of finance to over 64,000 smaller businesses, has committed to increase its support for creative businesses to access the finance they need to grow.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

Our number one mission is to grow the economy and our creative industries are a British success story with a big part to play.

Building on our plans to boost our AI sector, this is another step as we go further and faster to deliver growth so we can put more money in people’s pockets.

Today’s summit comes as the Culture Secretary and Foreign Secretary David Lammy also confirmed the membership of a new Soft Power Council. The council will act as an advisory board to the UK Government and will bring together soft power and foreign policy experts to champion the UK abroad, and drive investment and growth at home.

Members include former rower and chair of UK Sport Katherine Grainger, former athlete and television presenter Baroness Grey-Thompson and V&A director Tristram Hunt.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:  

Soft power is fundamental to the UK’s impact and reputation around the world.  I am often struck by the enormous love and respect which our music, sport and educational institutions generate on every continent. But we have not taken a sufficiently strategic approach to these huge assets as a country. Harnessing soft power effectively can help to build relationships, deepen trust, enhance our security and drive economic growth.

That is why I have created the Soft Power Council to channel British expertise as we look to re-imagine Britain’s role on the world stage, reinvigorate alliances and forge new partnerships.

Photo by Adi Ulici on Unsplash

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