Creative places - supporting your local creative economy

As the UK faces the challenges of the 21st century, creativity has a role to play in shaping our response to climate change, globalisation and technological innovation – and in enabling the economy and society to ‘bounce forwards’ from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.


Councils invest over £2 billion annually in culture, leisure and related services and understand their importance in shaping vibrant places in which people want to live, work and visit. Our wider place-shaping role means we have oversight of services that have an impact on the environment in which the creative industries operate, be it planning, licensing, education, skills or a range of other areas.

This document is designed to help councils understand the creative sector, illustrated by examples and case studies and with tips from councils across England. Whilst the majority of the research and drafting was undertaken before the COVID-19 crisis, the measures outlined are still vital to supporting what is an incredibly important asset to our local economies and communities.