Fostering Artistic Empowerment: Analyzing the Role of the 'Preston Model' in Lancashire's Creative Sector
The University of Central Lancashire has proposed a novel approach known as the "Lancashire Model" to enhance the economic prospects of creative firms in the region. This model aims to foster collaboration, skills development, and innovation within the local creative sector, with a focus on addressing difficulties micro firms face with procurement processes, promoting access to external finance, and delivering skills training.
The Lancashire Model aligns with regional economic strategies that strengthen creative industry ecosystems through place-based support, knowledge exchange, and business networking. These strategies are similar to successful creative hubs elsewhere in the UK.
The model seeks to improve economic outcomes by connecting creative firms with each other and with commercial partners to encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing, increasing innovation and competitiveness. It also aims to develop skills and talent pipelines tailored to the creative industries through targeted training and support programs.
Moreover, the Lancashire Model leverages local assets and infrastructure to create a creative cluster that attracts investment, talent, and markets within Lancashire, boosting job creation and economic values. It supports the growth of firms by providing access to finance, business advice, and market opportunities specifically for creative businesses.
These approaches align with broader sector goals identified by studies and initiatives, such as the Creative Exchange program that links businesses and artists to deliver skills and knowledge sharing, helping place creative communities centrally in economic recovery.
The Lancashire Model seeks to replicate and adapt principles demonstrated effective in other UK creative clusters, emphasising the local distinctiveness and community-driven leadership to foster sustained economic growth in the creative industries within Lancashire.
The report detailing the Lancashire Model was authored by Professor Philip B Whyman, Dr Adrian Wright, Mary Lawler, and Dr Alina Petrescu, and commissioned by the Creative Industries Council. The study suggests that a broader-based Lancashire Model could result in a substantially larger multiplier effect, with an estimated multiplier effect of 1.47 for the initial investment in the Lancashire creative sector.
In addition to the Lancashire Model, the University of Central Lancashire is also involved in the Preston Model of Community Wealth Building, which aims to reorganise local economies in response to stagnation. The Preston Model can indirectly support local economies through training delivery, development of skills, networking, innovation, and knowledge spillovers, as well as the provision or facilitation of specialist services.
The worldwide exports of creative goods exceeded 500 billion USD in 2015, with a 150% increase since 2000. Anchor institutions, such as local authorities and universities, can provide economic support to their local economies through direct procurement expenditure and building local supply chains. However, the UK's departure from the EU has changed the way British firms trade and work with European firms, raising questions about the access to foreign talent in the Creative Industries.
Further research is ongoing at the University of Central Lancashire, including a scoping study on the economic consequences and potential market failures of overseas mergers and acquisitions on the UK video games industry. This study aims to provide valuable insights into the impact of overseas investments on the UK's creative industries.
- The Lancashire Model, a proposal by the University of Central Lancashire, aims to boost the economic prospects of creative firms by fostering collaboration, skills development, and innovation within the local creative sector, aligning with regional economic strategies.
- This model connects creative firms with each other and commercial partners to encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing, increasing innovation and competitiveness, and developing skills and talent pipelines tailored to the creative industries.
- The Lancashire Model Leverages local assets and infrastructure to create a creative cluster that attracts investment, talent, and markets within Lancashire, boosting job creation and economic values.
- The model supports the growth of firms by providing access to finance, business advice, and market opportunities specifically for creative businesses.
- The study detailing the Lancashire Model suggests that a broader-based model could result in a substantially larger multiplier effect.
- The University of Central Lancashire is also involved in the Preston Model of Community Wealth Building, which aims to reorganize local economies in response to stagnation.
- Furthermore, ongoing research at the University of Central Lancashire includes a scoping study on the economic consequences and potential market failures of overseas mergers and acquisitions on the UK video games industry, to provide insights into the impact of overseas investments on the UK's creative industries.
