3.2. Creative and cultural industries

Summary of data on the Creative, Cultural, and Digital Industries (CCIs) in Bradford:

• The employment rate of people in the Bradford district in CCIs is 1.8%, lower than the national average of 7.3% and lower than in other cities such as Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead (5.3%), Dundee (4.2%) and Sheffield (3.4%).
• Employment in the CCI sector in Bradford decreased by 29% between 2015 and 2019, and93% of CCI businesses in Bradford have 4 or fewer employees, higher than the national average of 90%.
• An estimated 2,500 to 3,000 sole traders in the field of cultural and creative practices in Bradford operate without registering for VAT or PAYE and are absent from current ONS data.
• The largest subsectors by employment in Bradford are IT, Software, and Computer Services (40%), Music, Performing, and Visual Arts (12%), Advertising and Marketing (11%), and Film, TV, Video, Radio and Photography (11%).
• The Gross Value Added (GVA) of the creative industries in Bradford was over £1bn in 2018, with IT, Software, and Computer Services accounting for 39% of the sector’s GVA, lower compared to other areas such as Dundee (42%), Sheffield (48%), and the Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead area (62%).⁵⁰ 

Data analysed by BOP consulting shows that in 2019, the percentage of people in the Bradford district who are employed in one of the sub-sectors of the CCIs (Creative, Cultural and Digital Industries) was 1.8%, which is lower than the national average of 7.3%. This percentage was also lower than in other cities such as Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead (5.3%), Dundee (4.2%), and Sheffield (3.4%). This suggests that the CCI sector in Bradford is relatively underdeveloped compared to other cities.

Bradford has a significant number of small businesses operating within its CCI sector. 93% of these businesses have 4 or fewer employees, which is higher than the national average of 90% for CCI businesses and also higher than comparable cities.

However, despite the presence of these small businesses, employment in Bradford’s CCI sector decreased by 29% between 2015 and 2019, from 6,145 to 4,335, while Sheffield saw a 31% increase in CCI sector employment. This suggests that Bradford’s CCI sector has not experienced the same level of growth as other cities.

According to research conducted by Bradford 2025, a significant portion of cultural and creative practitioners in the district remain uncaptured by official statistics. It is estimated that between 2,500 and 3,000 sole traders in the field operate without registering for VAT or PAYE, resulting in their absence from current ONS data. This estimate was reached in 2021 through a survey of 290 cultural and creative workers in Bradford, a review of data held by Bradford district and comparison with national Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) figures.

Figure 16: Employment in the Creative, Cultural and Digital Industries in Bradford and other cities

The largest subsectors by employment are IT, Software and Computer Services (40%), Music, Performing and Visual Arts (12%) Advertising and Marketing (11%), and Film, TV, Video, Radio and Photography (11%). This breakdown is largely similar to the national profile of the sector.

Figure 17:  Creative, Cultural and Digital Industries sub-sector profile

The Gross Value Added (GVA) of the creative industries in Bradford, which includes the direct, indirect, and induced effects, exceeded £1bn in 2018, as shown in the table below. The analysis highlights the significance of IT, Software, and Computer Services to the sector.

Despite this, the GVA for the sector remains lower than that of comparable areas, partly due to a weaker technology sector. IT, Software, and Computer Services make up 39% of the sector’s GVA, which is lower compared to other areas such as Dundee (42%), Sheffield (48%) and the Newcastle & Gateshead area (62%).

Table 4: Direct, indirect and induced GVA for the creative industries in Bradford and Comparator areas (2018, £m)

The creative industries in Bradford are based in a range of locations across the district. Many businesses and organisations in the sector are located in the city centre, near major transport hubs and cultural institutions. There are clusters of creative industries businesses in some of the district’s more industrial areas, where they can benefit from access to shared facilities and resources.

Some of the key locations for the creative industries in Bradford include:

• Little Germany: This area of Bradford is home to a number of creative industries businesses, including design agencies and architecture firms.
• Bradford City Park: This large public park is home to the National Science and Media Museum, Impressions Gallery, Bradford Library, Alhambra Theatre and imminently the new Bradford Live music venue, cultural institutions which act as hubs for the creative industries in Bradford.
• Thornton and Allerton: These areas of Bradford are home to a number of manufacturing businesses, many of which are involved in the creative industries, such as printing and textiles.

The creative industries in Bradford are based in a range of locations across the city district, with a particular focus on the city centre and industrial areas. According to BOP’s analysis, Bradford has no sub-sectoral strengths or clusters, and examining location quotient analysis⁵¹ suggests that Bradford district does not show particular strengths in any of the DCMS CIs subsectors.

In contrast, all comparator cities have clusters within them, such as Sheffield which has significant cluster in crafts, but also in Architecture and Music, Performing and Visual Arts. Clusters help to increase the productivity of the businesses within them as, for instance, businesses can more easily exchange knowledge and skills. They therefore support business growth, attraction, and retention. 

Figure 18: Employment in Creative, Cultural and Digital Industries
(Location Quotient), Bradford district and comparator areas, 2019.

Source: BOP Consulting; ONS Business Register and Employment Survey Any number above 1 indicate a sub-sector with an employment concentration above average.

Next: Bradford's artists and producers