Cabinet agreed to:

1. Adopt the Creative Industries Plan;

2. Mandate Plymouth Culture to develop a full implementation plan, based on the outline action plan within the Creative Industries Plan, with support from PCC and city stakeholders, to be presented to Scrutiny/Cabinet in the next financial year.

Councillor Laing (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, Culture and Communications) introduced the item and highlighted the following points:

a)    The Creative Industries Plan provided data specific to Plymouth, enabling the city to identify their strengths;

b)    The creative industries in Plymouth comprised of 648 registered companies, employing approximately 5,000 people, with a further 4,000 in the wider creative economy, and accounted for 2.1% of employment in Plymouth;

c)    The Great Southwest had the joint fastest creative industries job growth of any British region between 2019 and 2022 at 4.1%;

d)    Plymouth had the opportunity to position itself as the urban capital of this region and capture this growth and if Plymouth’s job share could reach the Southwest average, it would generate 1,640 jobs and an additional 90 to 126 million GVA to the Local Authority District;

e)    Against the backdrop of national cuts and economic crisis, PCC had continued to invest in culture as it recognised its value and significant contribution to Plymouth, society and residents;

f)     The strategic approach had been successful in securing external partnerships and investment which in turn enabled PCC to develop and grow Plymouth’s cultural infrastructure;

g)    The same methodology of tailored strategy, partnership and investment was now required for the creative industries;

h)    The creative industries had been identified in the industrial strategy as one of the eight growth sectors and this was mirrored within Plymouth’s economic development plan.

Hannah Harris (Chief Executive, Plymouth Culture) added:

i)     The Creative UK Conference was held across Devon and Cornwall where the Head of Policy said the strongest negotiation with Government was Plymouth’s ability to articulate the relationship between the creative industries and other sectors;

j)     At the Creative UK Summit it was stated that you could not have a defence sector fit for the future without the creative industries.

Lindsey Hall (Chief Executive, Real Ideas Organisation) added:

k)    Dazzle, a festival of light, creativity and heritage had been held in Devonport;

l)     Investment from Share Prosperity from PCC had allowed Real Ideas Organisation to run the Devonport Futures Project in 2024 around skills development;

m)  Plymouth Community Homes had worked with young people and older people within the community to were economically inactive to help them develop new skills and find new ways forward;

n)    Creative industries needed to ‘cluster’ in order to succeed and this was outlined in the plan;

o)    The Market Hall was being used as research linked to the marine industry and the temperate rainforest in Bodmin Moor.

James McKenzie-Blackman (Chief Executive and Executive Producer, Theatre Royal Plymouth) added:

p)    Key reflections on children, young people and the community had been incorporated into the plan;

q)    There was a curriculum review taking place lead by the Department for Education and an interim report was expected in the coming weeks;

r)    There was a need for creativity and cultural experiences to improve life changes;

s)      Partners would work together with Local Government to ensure work in the creative and culture sector was aligned to the ambition of the city in terms of defence, employability and skills.

Professor Chris Bennewith (Executive Dean, University of Plymouth) added:

t)     The Waterfront Report was being presented to Parliament. The report had action points and recommendations which related to the Creative Industries and their value to coastal communities;

u)    In May 2025 the Creative Industries Key Cities Innovation Network Paper would be launched to Government;

v)    The Creative Clusters Bid and AHRC Demonstrator Bids were in the pipeline to bring money into Plymouth.

David Draffan (Service Director for Economic Development) added:

w)   Culture was put at the centre of the economic plan in 2012.

Cabinet agreed:

1. To adopt the Creative Industries Plan;

2. To mandate Plymouth Culture to develop a full implementation plan, based on the outline action plan within the Creative Industries Plan, with support from PCC and city stakeholders, to be presented to Scrutiny/Cabinet in the next financial year.