Government to inject £25m into creative industries in Liverpool city region, providing business support and skills training to businesses, professionals and young people. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has secured £25m in Government funding to support its creative industries.

This cash injection, announced by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy at the Labour Conference in Liverpool, will be used to provide business support and skills training to businesses, professionals and young people.

Liverpool city region has become a UK hotspot for the creative and digital industries. The city’s Baltic Triangle District has been transformed from a collection of abandoned dockland warehouses into a thriving district for creative and digital entrepreneurs

Southport has just seen the launch of the £1.5m Enterprise Arcade in the town centre which provides co-working spaces for start-ups and other facilities.

Merseyside is also home to more than 50 active video gaming companies, including Sony and PlayStation, and is the UK’s most filmed location outside of London with Liverpool Film Office’s LCR Production Fund and planned Littlewoods Film and TV studios development.

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is one of six UK regions with strengths in creative industries to have been awarded £25m as part of the Government’s Creative Places Growth Fund.

This fund was announced in the Creative Industries Sector Plan in June, as part of Industrial Strategy, where the Government shared its intention to invest £150m in the creative industries of six regions outside of London.

Speaking in Liverpool, Lisa Nandy said the funding will enable access to finance, mentoring and networking opportunities to help people connect with investors and skills programmes.

“Creativity has no postcode – whether it’s a musician in Liverpool, a filmmaker in Birkenhead, or a video games developer in St Helens,” she said.

“We know that it is not one size fits all. That’s why we are committed to growing our creative industries in every corner of the nation as part of our Creative Industries Sector Plan.”

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Funding will be allocated over a three-year period starting in the 2026/27 financial year. Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram added: “From music and TV to gaming and film, Liverpool city region has creativity running through its veins.

“Our world-famous culture is recognised right across the globe, and we’re already home to some of the most talented people and pioneering businesses in the UK. 

“This funding will help us go even further – creating new jobs, attracting more investment and giving local people the chance to showcase their skills on a global stage.”