Design issues raised at Government’s Creative Industries Council

The Government’s Creative Industries Council, which includes design representatives from the Design Council and the Sorrell Foundation, has met for the first time to discuss issues to put to Government.

The CIC, which is chaired by Business Secretary Vince Cable, was established in March when the Government published its plan for growth. With representatives from design, broadcasting, advertising, publishing and other sectors, it will examine issues affecting the creative industries and report back to Government next year.

Other members of the CIC include ITV, the BBC, the British Fashion Council, the Royal Institute of British Architects, Google and Microsoft.

Design Council chief executive David Kester says design-related issues that were discussed at the inaugural meeting yesterday included design education and linking design to Government policy.

He says, ‘We need to ensure that there is a strong link from design to the Government’s own policies on innovation [such as in the Innovation Strategy which is due for release next year] and we also need to ensure that design education is on the agenda.’

A meeting was held earlier this week, organised by the Design and Technology Association with Seymour Powell and the Dyson Foundation to promote the importance of design education.

Kester says, ‘I think the CIC is a very good idea in principle, but so far it is very early stages. I did sense a little frustration both from members and from the ministers that we could perhaps be a little further on.’

The Department for Culture Media and Sport says the CIC will form working groups to look at areas including skills and training in the creative industries, access to finance and issues around intellectual property, innovation and exports.

The working groups will present their findings at the next CIC meeting, which will be held in January 2012.

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