Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer celebrated the dynamism of northern creativity in Manchester at the WeCreate conference, an event that brought together over 140 cultural and creative businesses. The conference was a platform to discuss the government’s ambitious plan to grow the creative industries by £50 billion by 2030. As part of this vision, the government announced that local authorities across England would benefit from nearly £267 million next year to enhance drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services.

The funding, rolling out in April 2024, aims to recruit more specialized staff for drug and alcohol problems, support prison leavers in accessing treatment services, and help reduce crime by increasing the number of people in structured drug and alcohol treatment. Health Minister Neil O’Brien emphasized the link between drug addiction and crime, highlighting that this investment could potentially save lives and reduce crime rates.

This funding is part of the government’s long-term investment in drug and alcohol treatment over the last three years. Dame Carol Black’s independent review guided the allocation, ensuring that local authorities and their partners can deliver treatment tailored to local needs. The goal is to establish a world-class recovery and treatment system, reduce drug use and related crime, and ultimately save lives.

The WeCreate conference, held at Aviva Studios in Manchester, celebrated the success of creative industries across the North of England. The event featured panel discussions on maximizing investment in creative industries and adopting emerging technologies like AI to drive growth. Attendees included key organizations from across the North of England and national entities like Pinewood Studios and the British Fashion Council.

The conference coincided with the start of Discover! Creative Careers Week, introduces young people to various sectors, job roles, and career pathways in the creative industries. This initiative complements the Local Skills Improvement Fund’s efforts to improve creative skills training and develop new creative courses across various regions.

In addition to celebrating creativity, the Culture Secretary announced the expansion of the Create Growth Programme, now covering six new areas with a share of £10.9 million. This expansion will support creative businesses in accessing private investment and scaling up advice.

Furthermore, the Supporting Grassroots Music Fund was launched, encouraging grassroots music venues, promoters, and festivals to apply for grants to develop new revenue streams and enhance the live music experience.

Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, highlighted the investment’s significance in supporting the grassroots music industry, allowing communities to design and develop cultural activities.

This funding is a major step towards the government’s 10-year ambition for the creative industries, aiming to generate significant economic value and employment growth. With this support, the creative sectors are expected to continue their remarkable contribution to the UK’s cultural and economic landscape.