Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and Creative UK launch Redesigning Freelancing
November 7, 2022
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and Creative UK launch Redesigning Freelancing – the UK’s largest freelance survey to improve working conditions and drive industry change.
TODAY, (Monday 7 November 2022) Creative UK launches Redesigning Freelancing, a collective initiative shaped by members and partners across the UK creative landscape to empower freelance workers and organisations to drive change and build greater equality into our freelance workforce. The initiative is working in partnership with nine Combined Authorities* to reach creative communities across the UK and to understand the challenges that freelancers face locally as well as nationally.
According to DCMS; Just under one third (32%) of the creative workforce is freelance, compared to 16 per cent across the UK generally. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and other leading creative organisations such as Sky, BFI, IPSE, Freelancer Club, Scottish Ballet, March for the Arts, Society of Authors and many others are getting behind the survey, which aims to shape industry standards, drive change and futureproof all parts of the work environment for freelancers across the sector to create greater long-term value and sustainability into the freelance ecology.
Caroline Norbury OBE, CEO of Creative UK, said: “Freelancers are the backbone of the Creative Industries. Yet economic uncertainty means we risk losing the next generation of creative freelancers – particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. We can already see that freelancers are leaving the sector, with skills gaps becoming a major issue across all parts of the UK. However, being a freelancer can be a rewarding career, allowing for greater flexibility and variety. It is our collective responsibility to ensure more is done to protect our freelancers, integrate them with organisations in order to build better partnerships and make sure there is a fair and equal playing field. This survey will help us to identify the key priorities that need action now.”
Dr Nik Johnson, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: “Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority are proud to be working with Creative UK to help deliver the UK’s largest freelance survey. Our region is home to innovative, world-class, creatives and the industry is growing. It is vital we understand how to best support creative freelances to futureproof the sector for the next wave of creatives.”
Freelancers working in the creative industries can take the survey click here: https://hubs.ly/Q01rtXpM0
The Redesigning freelancing survey is open until 9 January 2023.
*Combined Authority Contribution Partners
- North of Tyne Combined Authority (NoTCA)
- West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA)
- Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA)
- West of England Combined Authority (WECA)
- Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA)
- Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)
- South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA)
- Greater London Authority (GLA)
- Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (C&PCA)