Industry leaders set out plan to strengthen creative workforce across the Thames Estuary
A major skills summit has set out a clear agenda to overcome unequal access to opportunity and improve how people enter, train and build careers in the creative industries across the Thames Estuary.
Thames Estuary Production Corridor Celebration
The Thames Estuary Production Corridor Skills Summit formed the centrepiece of a wider event hosted by Greater London Authority, Creative Estuary and Queen Mary University of London, marking nine years since the launch of the Thames Estuary Production Corridor.
Connecting local talent with local opportunities
The Thames Estuary has faced deep-seated economic, health, and social inequalities, with coastal towns often among the most deprived in England. Since 2017, the Thames Estuary Production Corridor has supported new workspaces, partnerships and jobs across East London, North Kent and South Essex, establishing the region as a growing hub for creative production.
The skills summit, bringing together 60 leaders from industry, education and the cultural sector, agreed that while the region’s creative economy is growing, the systems supporting local skills and access are not keeping pace and require coordinated, long-term action.
Delegates advocated for a region-wide approach to connecting local talent with local opportunities to make it easier for people to start careers in the creative sector. They also called for the removal of barriers to access and inclusion, so more people from different backgrounds can take part and succeed.
Attendees also suggested improving collaboration between education providers, industry, and policymakers to create clear and accessible pathways into creative work.
The summit concluded with a commitment to move from vision to action. Work will now progress on a shared skills action plan and working group to drive implementation alongside ongoing partnerships.
Alex Mann, Greater London Authority, said:
“The Thames Estuary is already growing as a centre for creative production. The challenge now is making sure local people benefit from that growth. Bringing different parts of the sector together to tackle this issue is an important step.”
Professor Aoife Monks, Queen Mary University of London, said:
“Universities play an important role in connecting underserved communities with the creative industries. This event was a chance to strengthen regional collaboration and kickstart the actions needed to enable more people to access good and fair creative work.”