Consolidating & Expanding a Creative Capital Region

With more than 1300 media firms, 600 of which are in Film and TV, contributing approx. £360 million GVA – the sector has become a growth engine for the CCR economy. Characterised by a high proportion of sole traders and freelancers, those working in media comprise 7% (and rising) of the region’s workforce and represents one of highest sectoral employment concentrations in the UK. Since 2016, 34% of all new jobs in the UK’s media sector have been located in the CCR.

South East Wales has become the place where creative companies and talent flourish – a recognised centre for TV and film production, home to BAFTA, Emmy and RTS award-winning businesses that are pushing the creative envelope domestically and globally, with fast developing international trade links and pioneering workforce training initiatives.

The CCR creative ecosystem is now in place to grow this success even further, with industry-leading names such Bad Wolf, Bang Productions, Dragon Studios, Screen Alliance Wales, Gorilla Post-Production and Mad Dog Casting very much part of the fabric of our creativescape and are all fully supported by our universities. It’s no coincidence that major studios and big hitters in the creative industry are choosing Wales over other worldwide locations. Not only is our Region is blessed with incredible natural assets, the lure is in fact economic and largely due to a long-term strategy by the Welsh Government, led by its Creative Industries Sector Panel.
Since its inception in 2010 the Creative Industries Sector Panel has played a pivotal role in attracting over £100m of investment into Wales. The panel’s support helped bring Pinewood Studio Wales and Wolf Studios Wales to Cardiff – and Bay Studios to Swansea – facilities which between them have already hosted Amazon Prime’s Paris-set drama series The Collection, Da Vinci’s Demons and the Netflix feature film, Apostle. The world’s film-makers are flocking here to exploit the stunning locations, state-of-the-art facilities and rich seam of local expertise. At the same time, Welsh talent is creating its own home-grown drama, and exporting it to the world.

Cardiff Central Square houses the BBC’s new broadcast headquarters – the first major broadcasting site in Europe to use IP broadcast technology at scale. The building is designed to be a hub for the industry, including a range of partners from the independent television and digital sectors.