About
We are Creative UK
The independent network for the UK’s Creative Industries
Who we are
Creative UK is the national membership body for the UK’s cultural and creative industries.
We exist to champion and support the creative sector, advocating every day for positive change on the issues that matter – such as access to finance, strengthened creative education and the protection of creative IP.
Our Membership
As the only UK network spanning all creative and cultural subsectors, we have a unique convening power. Our membership contains world-leading organisations from sectors as diverse as advertising, animation, architecture, broadcasting, crafts, design, digital, education, fashion, games, heritage, museums, music, performing arts, photography, publishing, theatre, TV, trade bodies, visual art and more.
In addition to our membership function, our UKwide team work directly with hundreds of creative businesses to support their goals. Creative Growth Finance is our flagship £35m investment fund, we deliver the Create Growth Programme in six regions across England, and we have strong links to the screen sector through our work in Creative Enterprise and Filming in England.
How we are run
OVERVIEW
Creative UK is a not-for-profit organisation that champions, connects, supports and invests in creative people and businesses.
It was formed from the merger of Creative England, its commercial investment arm (Creative UK Investments) and the Creative Industries Federation.
The Creative UK brand was launched in 2021. By merging the industry insights and advocacy work of the Creative Industries Federation with the practical support and investment work of Creative England, we aim to have a visible impact and drive real change across the UK’s creative industries.
Our main board of directors was formed by bringing together the existing boards of Creative England and the Creative Industries Federation and comprises individuals that demonstrate specific knowledge, skills, business expertise and experience in the creative industries.
We also listen to our stakeholders through our place-based hubs, working groups, roundtables, surveys and polls, and collaborate with them to take action through member-led initiatives such as public-facing campaigns. We believe in the strength of speaking and acting as one, convening the full breadth of the sector and all parts of the UK.
GOVERNING STRUCTURE
The group holding company is Creative UK Holdings Ltd (CRN 12105400), incorporated in July 2019. This is a private company limited by guarantee and serves as the non-trading umbrella organisation for the merged businesses of Creative England Limited (CRN 07432947), its trading and investment arm (Creative UK Investments Ltd (CRN 09216540)) and Creative Industries Federation (CRN 08793599).
This group of entities has been split into distinct areas of activity across ‘public benefit’ and ‘commercial investment’. Entities performing the ‘public benefit’ activity are private companies limited by guarantee, and those performing ‘commercial investment’ activity are private companies limited by shares ultimately owned by the group parent company. Any ‘profit’ from our ‘commercial investment’ activity is retained and applied towards fulfilment of non-profit social value objectives.