BLACMEX responds to the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy - Creative Industries Sector Plan

The UK government eight days ago released its document to steer the economy forward ahead of significant and obvious challenges. The document entitled the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy is the progression of the green paper Invest 2035 tabled for consultation in October 2024.

There is now more meat on the bones and 8 growth driving sectors have much more explicit direction for the industries to hone in on. For interest the 8 growth sectors recognised are… 

1. advanced manufacturing, 

2. clean energy, 

3. creative industries, 

4. defence, 

5. digital and technologies, 

6. financial services, 

7. life sciences, and 

8. professional and business services 

The Modern Industrial Strategy will focus on a 10 year plan to grow the economy across these parameters. What is useful to the work we do is the direction outlined in the Creative Industries Sector Plan. 

We’ve had a chance to digest the documents and are incredibly encouraged by the forward thinking approach to the creative sectors. The current plans allow new ingenuity to take centre stage in replacement of outdated business ideas. The document boldly claims that “by 2035 the UK’s position as a global creative superpower will be enhanced with the UK becoming the number one destination worldwide for investment in creativity and

Innovation.”.   The Modern Industrial Strategy document appreciates that to get to this place, the creative industries, (not only defined by external KPIs, but also by the creative ways of tackling the challenges of a new-age-of-business) have to be welcomed!

BLACMEX is the UK’s very first Black music export office and is inspired by the admission within the report that we are starting from a place of strength. The diverse nature of the communities already living within the UK means that via a diaspora network the collectivisation of Black music genres engaged in import and export increases significantly. The UK has an undeniable advantage here, of which the informal music sector already is aware of. 

Both Black music and UK music influenced by the Black diaspora has had an undeniable impact on the world. A byproduct of which can add significant value to the relationships between the UK and its global relations. Enhancing the attraction to the UK and itsit’s investment potential. 

We hope that the UK government's Modern Industrial Strategy is which has highlighted adept enough to identify that although there are opportunities around the world for growth in the creative industries, it should not ignore the very hard reality about the opportunities The Americas and sub-Saharan Africa present. The United Nations cites that Africa has the youngest population in the world, with 70% of sub-Saharan Africa under the age of 30. Identifying synergies in the current business model and learning new ways of working with these territories is also part of the ways the UK can authentically enhance its cross cutting support by increased import and export of the music industry’s tangible and intangible services.

BLACMEX welcomes the latest government report and hopes the news cascades to all parts of the wider music sector, especially the independent. The aim is that there can be a greater confidence that their artistic works can be exported to new and diverse geographical regions to foster greater connections and enhance job opportunities both in the UK and internationally.