Boosting the Arts and Business Sectors: The 'Preston Model's' Influence on Lancashire's Creative Industries
The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has proposed a new strategic approach, the "Lancashire Model", to support the growth of the creative industries outside the dominant, large clusters in the UK's South East, particularly London.
Key elements of this model include leveraging regional creative partnerships and networks, championing design innovation and leadership, addressing spatial imbalance, and fostering inclusive community engagement and infrastructure.
One such partnership is Curious Minds, which has been operating since 2009 to bring Arts Council England’s Creative Partnerships program to Lancashire and Merseyside, focusing on collaborative development of creative roles.
Professor Lady Rachel Cooper OBE, a distinguished figure in Lancashire, has played a significant role in advancing design thinking, socially responsible design, and partnerships between academia, government, and industry. Her work has helped lay the foundation for the continued development of the creative sector in the region.
The Lancashire Model aims to improve economic conditions beyond the South East clusters by decentralizing creative industry growth, supporting sustainable employment, collaboration, and innovation within local communities.
A study conducted by researchers from UCLan has revealed insights into the migrant and skills needs of creative businesses in the UK, based on a survey commissioned by the Creative Industries Council. However, the specific findings regarding these needs have not been disclosed.
The multiplier effect arising from the actions of creative firms in Lancashire was estimated to be 1.47, implying an initial investment of £1 million in the Lancashire creative sector could produce an overall economic boost of £1.47 million. The study suggests that a broader-based 'Lancashire Model' for the creative industries would result in a substantially larger multiplier effect.
This model is not a rigid formal program but a regional practice that combines policy, education, community engagement, and leadership in design and innovation to promote and stabilize the creative economy outside the UK’s main metropolitan cluster.
The 'Preston Model' of Community Wealth Building, another initiative from UCLan, aims to reorganize local economies in response to economic stagnation. Anchor institutions, such as local authorities and universities, can provide economic support to their local economies through direct procurement expenditure and building local supply chains.
However, the report does not provide information about overseas mergers and acquisitions on the UK video games industry or post-Brexit migration and accessing foreign talent in the Creative Industries.
The research was carried out by Dr Alina Petrescu, a Research Fellow in Labour Economics, and Mary Lawler, a Research Assistant, both at the Lancashire School of Business and Enterprise, UCLan.
[1] Curious Minds [2] Professor Lady Rachel Cooper OBE [4] Spatial imbalance in creative employment [5] Supporting cultural institutions in Lancashire
- The proposed "Lancashire Model" aims to address the spatial imbalance in creative employment outside the South East clusters, such as London, by leveraging partnerships like Curious Minds.
- Curious Minds, a regional creative partnership established in 2009, collaborates with Arts Council England’s Creative Partnerships program to develop creative roles in Lancashire and Merseyside.
- Professor Lady Rachel Cooper OBE, a significant figure in Lancashire, has played a vital role in advancing design thinking, socially responsible design, and partnerships between academia, government, and industry.
- The Lancashire Model emphasizes fostering inclusive community engagement and infrastructure, championing design innovation and leadership, to catalyze economic development and growth in the creative industries outside the main metropolitan cluster.
- A study conducted by researchers from UCLan has revealed insights into the migrant and skills needs of creative businesses in the UK, focusing on the Lancashire creative sector.
- The multiplier effect in the Lancashire creative sector, estimated at 1.47, indicates that a £1 million investment could generate an overall economic boost of £1.47 million, suggesting a broader-based "Lancashire Model" would result in a larger multiplier effect.
- The "Preston Model" of Community Wealth Building, another initiative from UCLan, focuses on reorganizing local economies to provide economic support through direct procurement expenditure and building local supply chains.
