Effects of COVID-19 on the variegated landscape of creative professions

Effects of COVID-19 on the variegated landscape of creative professions

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Creative Diversity recently held a virtual panel discussion to address the significant impact of COVID-19 on workforce diversity in the UK's creative industries. The discussion, held on 29 October, was a collaborative research effort between the APPG and an organisation called Creative PEC.

The panel covered a wide range of topics, including the impact on the talent pipeline, employer responsibility, working conditions, redundancies, programs vs systemic change, freelancers, the impact of Black Lives Matter, funding and investment, and the impact of the pandemic on disabled creatives, carers, and older people.

Key insights from the panel and related reports reveal that the pandemic has caused widespread job losses and income insecurity across creative sectors, particularly affecting freelancers and self-employed workers who make up a large proportion of the creative workforce. In music, for example, 34% of musicians considered leaving their careers due to the crisis.

Pre-existing disparities in opportunity and security for ethnic minorities, women, and disabled people in creative roles were worsened by COVID-19. Many such workers faced a greater risk of unemployment and difficulty accessing financial support.

The Creative Industries Federation and Creative England report underscores that while the sector can drive significant economic growth – projecting 300,000 new jobs by 2025 with the right investment – recovery must explicitly focus on inclusive workforce development to avoid deepening inequality.

Measures such as targeted financial support schemes and skills development programs are vital. The APPG advocates for sustained investment in diversity initiatives, the creation of equitable career pathways, and protection for underrepresented workers to rebuild a fairer sector post-pandemic.

The ongoing uncertainty about workforce growth, skills demand, and technological shifts (e.g., AI adoption) complicates efforts to secure a diverse creative talent pipeline, underscoring the need for strategic policy informed by real-time data and stakeholder engagement.

The policy briefing also sets out areas for possible policy action in Skills, Jobs and Education within the creative industries. Another brief examines international trade in the UK creative industries, while another focuses on creative industries innovation in seaside resorts and country towns. A policy brief outlines recommendations for sustainable theatre production, yet no related policy briefs were provided in the given context.

The image for the briefing was created by Anna Shvets. The panel discussion aimed to understand the short-term impact, concerns for the medium and long term, and to inform recovery strategies. The UK television production sector is one of Britain's leading creative export sectors, according to a policy brief. The Industry Champions are trusted and respected practitioners from various sectors across the UK. The research partnership between the organisation and the APPG for Creative Diversity is a significant step towards ensuring a more inclusive and equitable future for the UK's creative industries.

1. The pandemic has affected the talent pipeline in the creative industries, with many freelancers and self-employed workers considering leaving their careers due to job losses and income insecurity.
2. Pre-existing disparities in opportunity and security for ethnic minorities, women, and disabled people in creative roles have been exacerbated by COVID-19, making them more vulnerable to unemployment and lack of financial support.
3. The Creative Industries Federation and Creative England report highlight the potential for the sector to drive significant economic growth, projecting 300,000 new jobs by 2025, but emphasize that recovery must focus on inclusive workforce development to prevent deepening inequality.
4. Measures such as targeted financial support schemes, skills development programs, and diversity initiatives are crucial to rebuild a fairer creative sector post-pandemic.
5. The ongoing uncertainty about workforce growth, skills demand, and technological shifts require strategic policy informed by real-time data and stakeholder engagement to secure a diverse creative talent pipeline.
6. The policy briefing suggests areas for possible policy action in Skills, Jobs, and Education within the creative industries, and examines international trade in the UK creative industries.
7. It also focuses on creative industries innovation in seaside resorts and country towns, and offers recommendations for sustainable theatre production.
8. The image for the briefing was created by Anna Shvets, and the panel discussion aimed to understand the short-term impact, concerns for the medium and long term, and to inform recovery strategies.
9. The UK television production sector is one of Britain's leading creative export sectors according to a policy brief.
10. The research partnership between Creative PEC and the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Creative Diversity is a significant step towards ensuring a more inclusive and equitable future for the UK's creative industries.

Read also: