I’ve heard several politicians speaking recently on the TV and radio, in the run up to the elections, about support for the creative industries. This all sounds lovely, we don’t get a lot of assistance for the arts in the UK and its nice to think that there are people out there who care for artistic production, especially since the Olympic games soaked up so much national funding. Except…

I had to do some work on this subject a couple of years ago and, in so doing, it came as a bit of a surprise to find out what the civil service terms ‘creative industry’. Art might be included, but it’s buried in a very long list of other occupations, most of which don’t actually seem to involve making anything.

‘So what’ you might say? And indeed I’d have to agree, there are a lot of other things we should be spending public funds on like housing, healthcare, education etc. But if someone says they are going to do something, its worth knowing what they mean. And if ‘supporting the creative industries’ actually means tax breaks for ‘Marketing and sales directors’ (one of the industries on the list, for instance) then I’m not sure if this qualifies for support for the arts.

The list itself, as defined by the DCMS, goes a long way to suggesting the kinds of issues created by lumping so many different occupations under this title, so here it is for your delectation. Do look through the whole list, the devil is in the details, but don’t expect anyone using the term to actually have the faintest idea about the issues faced by actual, er, artists. So, if you come across a politician in the next couple of weeks, why not ask them to explain what they mean if they use the term. If nothing else it might give you a laugh.

Creative industries as defined by the DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport):

Advertising and marketing: Marketing and sales directors; Advertising and public relations directors; Public relations professionals; Advertising accounts managers and creative directors; Marketing associate professionals
Architecture: Architects; Town planning officers; Chartered architectural technologists; Architectural and town planning technicians
Crafts: Smiths and forge workers; Weavers and knitters; Glass and ceramics makers; decorators and finishers; Furniture makers and other craft woodworkers; Other skilled trades not elsewhere classified
Design: product, graphic and fashion design: Graphic designers; Product, clothing and related designers
Film, TV, video, radio and photography: Arts officers, producers and directors; Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators
IT, software and computer services: Information technology and telecommunications directors; IT business analysts, architects and systems designers; Programmers and software development professionals; Web design and development professionals
Publishing: Journalists, newspaper and periodical editors; Authors, writers and translators
Museums, galleries and libraries: Librarians; Archivists and curators
Music, performing and visual arts: Artists; Actors, entertainers and presenters; Dancers and choreographers; Musicians

(DCMS headings in bold followed by what’s grouped under these titles)