Essex Creativity is an economic asset, not a nice extra
When we talk about economic growth in Essex, the conversation often turns to infrastructure, construction, technology, professional services and attracting new businesses.
But there is another important part of the Essex economy that can sometimes be underestimated.
The creative industries.
In this post we look at how important creative industries are to our local business scene.
Designers, marketers, filmmakers, photographers, musicians, games developers, content creators and production businesses aren't simply adding colour to the local economy.
They are part of it.
And the sector is growing.
A growing Essex industry.
Recent research highlighted by Essex County Council shows that film and television production jobs in Essex have grown significantly since 2018, while the number of creative businesses operating across the county has also increased.
That matters because creative businesses don't exist in isolation.
A filmmaker needs production crews, equipment, locations and post-production.
A designer works with printers, developers, photographers and businesses.
A marketing company helps other organisations find customers and grow.
A games developer needs programmers, designers, writers, musicians and digital specialists.
A production company can bring people into an area who subsequently spend money with hotels, restaurants, transport providers and other local businesses.
The economic impact spreads much further than the creative business itself.
Creativity supports other businesses
Almost every successful business relies on the creative industries somewhere.
Consider what happens when a new business launches.
It may need a name.
A logo.
A website.
Photography.
Video.
Social-media content.
Advertising.
Packaging.
Signage.
Printed materials.
Copywriting.
Marketing.
Potentially an exhibition stand, promotional event or launch campaign.
Behind each of those activities is somebody with a creative skill.
So when we support creative businesses, we're also strengthening the infrastructure that helps other Essex businesses compete.
Local talent should create local opportunity
There is another opportunity here.
Essex businesses spend significant amounts of money every year purchasing creative services.
The question is:
How much of that money could stay within Essex?
There are talented designers, marketers, photographers, filmmakers, musicians, developers and production specialists operating throughout the county.
Making those businesses more visible creates opportunities for collaboration.
A local manufacturer might discover a local video-production company.
A retailer might find a photographer.
A professional-services firm might work with a local designer or marketing consultant.
A filmmaker might discover local locations, suppliers and production support.
One business's requirement becomes another local business's opportunity.
The creative economy is changing
Technology is also changing what it means to operate a creative business.
AI can now generate images, video, copy and music. Businesses have access to inexpensive design tools and automated marketing platforms.
That doesn't make creativity less valuable.
Arguably, it makes good creativity more valuable.
When almost anybody can generate something quickly, the ability to develop an original idea, understand an audience, create a distinctive brand and communicate effectively becomes increasingly important.
The tools may change.
The need for imagination, judgement and experience doesn't disappear.
Essex has an opportunity
Essex already has many of the ingredients required for a thriving creative economy.
There is proximity to London, established businesses, universities and colleges, film locations, growing digital industries and thousands of SMEs requiring creative services.
There is also increasing recognition of the sector's economic importance.
Essex County Council has highlighted support including its Creative Industries Project Development Fund, designed to help develop projects capable of contributing to the county's creative economy.
But funding alone isn't enough.
Creative businesses also need visibility, connections and opportunities to work with other businesses.
That is where local business networks can play an important role.
We should know who our creative businesses are
Across Rayleigh, Rochford, Hockley and the surrounding area there are likely to be many creative businesses that other local companies simply don't know exist.
Some will have studios and offices.
Others will be freelancers, sole traders, microbusinesses or people working from home.
They all contribute to the local business ecosystem.
We should make it easier for businesses to discover them.
And we should celebrate their work.
Are you part of our local creative economy?
We would like to hear from local:
Designers
Marketing businesses
Photographers
Filmmakers and videographers
Musicians and audio businesses
Games developers
Content creators
Animators
Web designers and developers
Production companies
Printers
Writers and copywriters
Other creative businesses
Tell us what you do, where you're based and the type of businesses or organisations you would like to work with.
We want to showcase more of the creative talent operating locally and encourage businesses to consider whether their next creative supplier could be much closer than they think.
Because creativity isn't simply something that makes a business look better.
It helps businesses communicate, compete and grow.
And that makes the creative industries an economic asset worth supporting.
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