Jones unveils review of creative sector links

Digby Jones, the new Minister for Trade Promotion and Investment, this week unveiled proposals for reviewing how the creative industries will work with UK Trade & Investment as of next year



Digby Jones, the new Minister for Trade Promotion and Investment, this week unveiled proposals for reviewing how the creative industries will work with UK Trade & Investment as of next year.


UKTI is to begin a six-to-eight month consultation with representatives from the various industries, including design, to produce a framework for its involvement with the sector.


The aim is to reduce the ad hoc nature of its promotional activity, and to avoid duplication across the five sectors supported by its import and export programmes.


UKTI also intends to establish an international marketing strategy board made up of industry representatives, which will be charged with implementing a five-year strategy to be agreed by March 2008. In design, these representatives will consist of members from the Design Partners steering group, in addition to nominated senior figures from consultancies.


Lord Jones talked glowingly about the promise of the creative industries and fervently pledged to ‘sell’ the sector to the best of his abilities, adding that he has committed to spending three days a month promoting the creative sector, both in the UK and overseas.


UKTI chief executive Andrew Cahn says the aim of the review is to enhance the international competitive position of the sector over the next five years, driving growth in both trade and investment.


The UKTI creative industries strategy will be developed alongside the Creative Economy Programme Green Paper, scheduled for this autumn.

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