Creative & Cultural Skills to close after loss of arts council funding

Creative & Cultural Skills (CCS), the sector skills council for the creative and cultural industries, has been forced to close after being unable to secure funding to continue its work.

Established by the UK Government in 2005, CCS worked across the UK, providing services for a range of cultural industries, including craft, cultural heritage, design, literature, music, performing arts and the visual arts.

Last year, the organisation was unsuccessful in its application for funding from Arts Council England's National Portfolio 2023-26.

A statement from CCS said: “The last few years have been challenging, as they have been for many organisations, and we have not been able to secure the funds needed to continue despite assurances from arts councils across the UK that our work is vital.”

“We are proud of what we have achieved in the 20 years we have resolutely stood up for a fairer, more equitable and progressive cultural sector. We are proud of the way in which we have evolved in response to our environment, working with 16 secretaries of state for culture and 15 secretaries of state for education, innovation and skills.”

CCS ran a wide range of programmes and events, as well as delivering advice and support sessions, carrying out research, and developing apprenticeships to address skills shortages.

The CSS statement continued: “There remain skills gaps in our sector, and the cultural and creative workforce remains out of reach for many. There remains a need to support children and young people to translate their creative dreams and talent into creative careers. There remains a need for a radical rethink of the pathways towards creative careers, scrapping the ‘one size fits all’ approach that is currently benefiting too few.

“There remains a need to ensure that the widest range of people can access skills interventions to sustain creative careers and fulfil their potential in the creative industries, to build a highly skilled, productive and inclusive workforce for the future.

“Addressing these needs is fundamental to powering the positive impact of the creative industries on individuals and communities, the environment and the UK’s global standing, as has recently been underlined by the Creative Industries Sector Vision.”

CCS was founded by Tony Hall, a former director-general of the BBC. Its first chief executive was Tom Bewick.