Creative Industries come together to change perceptions of creative careers among young people from working class backgrounds

In November, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) launched a pilot communications campaign to run alongside the Discover! Creative Careers programme’s month of nationwide engagement activities. The campaign prioritised six regions identified in the Government’s Industrial Strategy: Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North East of England, West of England, West Midlands and West Yorkshire. 

These areas have growing creative sectors with businesses ranging from gaming studios to advertising agencies, and film production to digital marketing companies. 

Working with trade bodies and organisations across four priority sectors identified by the DCMS, Creative UK acted as industry outreach partners to ensure that the campaign was industry led, industry supported, and regionally representative.  

Creative UK were deeply encouraged by the level of widespread support received from members, partners and wider stakeholders.  

The campaign was shaped and developed in collaboration with a Task and Finish Group comprising trade bodies and organisations from the four priority subsectors:  

• Advertising Association 
• British Phonographic Industry (BPI) 
• Channel 4 
• Creative UK  
• Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA)  
• PRS Foundation 
• ScreenSkills 
• Ubisoft 
• UK Interactive Entertainment (Ukie)  
• UK Music 
• WPP Media 

Creative UK acknowledges the skills and expertise of this valuable group of stakeholders and would like to thank all members for their valuable contributions.  

The campaign received an unprecedented level of support from advertising industry partners convened by the Advertising Association, Outsmart and WPP Media, who brought together a list of major media partners to pledge their support:  

• Alight Media  
• Bauer Media 
• JCDecaux 
• Limited Space  
• Ocean Media  
• Open Media  
• Outdo Media  
• Smart Outdoor 

The support donated by these partners ensured the campaign reached millions of additional people across the North of England and beyond, showcasing stories of young people from Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle succeeding in creative careers.  

We were particularly pleased with the level of support donated by media organisations based in the North of England, who demonstrated a particular passion and enthusiasm for sharing the campaign’s positive message across the region.  

Creative UK would also like to acknowledge the following organisations which, through positive and proactive outreach and advocacy within their organisatons and networks, made a notable contribution to the campaign’s success:  

• Come Play with Me 
• Creative Access 
• ERIC app 
• Film Hub North 
• ITV Academy 
• Kycker 
• Roblox  
• Sharp Futures  

Creative UK extends thanks to these organisations for donating their valuable time and resources to amplifying Creative UK’s work as industry delivery partners. 

Finally, we would like to thank and acknowledge the industry ambassadors who took time out from their busy schedules to support this year’s campaign: 

• Angela Griffin 
• Arusa Qureshi 
• Francis Augusto 
• Cameron Roach 
• Deb Grant 
• Joe Dempsie
• Joseph Roberts 
• Nihal Arthanayake
• Samson Owolabi

Creative UK also acts as industry outreach partner to the main Discover Creative Careers programme. This year we recruited nearly 500 employers from across the UK who provided opportunities for almost 80,000 school-aged students to engage with creative employers through Discover! Creative Careers Month in November. You can sign up to take part in 2026 here. 

We would like to thank and acknowledge the input of all members, colleagues and wider stakeholders who supported the communications campaign and the wider Discover Creative Careers Month of activities across all sectors within the creative and cultural industries.

The Discover! Creative Careers Programme, which started in 2019, will continue as part of the Government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan announced in June 2025 alongside a £380 million investment package to drive innovation, regional growth and private investment in these high-growth sectors.